Dyslexia Support South: Where hope meets learning
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Dyspraxia

What is dyspraxia?

Definition: A neuro-development disorder which affects motor planning in children and adults. This can be the motor planning of fine or gross motor skills or the planning required for speech.

The two types of dyspraxia

  1. Global dyspraxia
  2. Verbal dyspraxia

1. Global dyspraxia

  • Affects the whole body
  • Affects the motor planning of gross motor and fine skills for example, may have trouble catching and throwing a ball or doing handwriting
  • Can have clumsiness/difficulty with balance and co-ordination
  • Takes longer to learn a new skill, e.g. riding a bike
  • Can impact on dressing, eating and self care.

2. Verbal dyspraxia (sometimes called Apraxia)

  • Affects the ability to speak
  • Affects planning and programming of speech sounds, syllables, words and sentences
  • Can be two types – putting in extra sounds or omitting sounds when speaking
  • Their understanding is better than their talking ability
  • Their connected speech can be very hard to understand
  • Consistently inconsistent in how they say words for example may say too four different ways
  • Limited range of letter sounds and distorted vowels
  • Difficulty with smooth movement between sound and words
  • The “music” of the voice is changed/flat

Verbal dyspraxia does not come from

  • The child being lazy or naughty
  • Delayed speech
  • Having weak muscles
  • Their environment

How is behaviour affected?

  • There can be frustration and anxiety
  • It impacts on self esteem and their ability to interact socially with others
  • They can react strongly to changes in routine
  • Can be more likely to play alone.

How is learning affected?

  • Affects handwriting
  • Hard to follow routine and instructions
  • Hard to understand and follow the rules of games
  • Can become fidgety
  • Takes longer to process information

Other facts

  • Can co-exist with other learning difficulties
  • A person with verbal dyspraxia will see a speech therapist for help
  • A person with global dyspraxia will see an Occupational Therapist/Physio for help.

What will help the student?

What works

  • Your relationship with the student will help them reduce their anxiety
  • Provide a routine
  • Allow extra time for processing
  • Associate tactile and visual symbols with sounds (multi sensory learning)
  • A little bit and often
  • Repetition, repetition, repetition
  • Patience
  • They are visual based learners so back up verbal information with visual information, for example, visual timetables

Programmes that can support dyspraxic learners

  • Nuffield Dyspraxia Program is one approach
  • Making words with other programs
    • Flip Charts
    • Moving Across Syllables click here
    • Kaufman Speech To Language Protocol

Classroom accommodations suggestions

  • Primary School
  • Secondary School

Useful links

  • https://developlearning.co.nz/dyspraxia
  • https://www.apraxia-kids.org/
  • http://www.healthinfo.org.nz/patientinfo/78424.pdf
  • http://dyspraxia.org.nz/
  • https://dyspraxiafoundation.org.uk/

Part of this information was provided from a presentation by Ross Harland, Ministry of Education

In this section

  • Catering for different types of learners
  • Creating a dyslexia-friendly classroom
    • Tips for the classroom
    • Dyslexia-friendly text and documents
    • Dyslexia-friendly teaching methods
      • 4D for schools
      • Universal Design for Learning
  • Specific learning difficulties and processing disorders
    • Dyslexia
    • Dyscalculia
    • Dysgraphia
    • Dyspraxia
    • Irlen Syndrome
    • Auditory Processing Disorder
      • Classroom accommodations for Auditory Processing Disorder
    • Slower processing abilities
  • Supporting SENCOs
  • Parent information evenings for your school community
  • Accommodations in the classroom
  • Decodable books
  • Information for teachers: Neil MacKay
  • Supporting home learning
  • Executive functioning in the classroom
  • NZQA National Qualifications for Specific Learning Differences

Dyslexia Support South and Growing Stars are programmes run by Learning Differences Aotearoa Trust.

Disclaimer: The information provided on this website is designed to assist parents, caregivers and educators by providing helpful information on the topics represented. It does not replace information provided by a qualified professional. Parents, caregivers and educators are encouraged to do their own research on programmes mentioned. Dyslexia Support South does not endorse or support any particular product or business.

© Dyslexia Support South 2023

Website by RS

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    • Personal stories
      • Speech on Dyslexia by Milo Henry
      • A Mum’s Perspective
      • Diet and Nutrition for Learning & Behaviour - Our Experience
  • School Toolkit
    • Catering for different types of learners
    • Creating a dyslexia-friendly classroom
      • Tips for the classroom
      • Dyslexia-friendly text and documents
      • Dyslexia-friendly teaching methods
        • 4D for schools
        • Universal Design for Learning
    • Specific learning difficulties and processing disorders
      • Dyslexia
      • Dyscalculia
      • Dysgraphia
      • Dyspraxia
      • Irlen Syndrome
      • Auditory Processing Disorder
        • Classroom accommodations for Auditory Processing Disorder
      • Slower processing abilities
    • Supporting SENCOs
    • Parent information evenings for your school community
    • Accommodations in the classroom
    • Decodable books
    • Information for teachers: Neil MacKay
    • Supporting home learning
    • Executive functioning in the classroom
    • NZQA National Qualifications for Specific Learning Differences
  • Growing Stars®
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    • Our Facilitators
    • Upcoming Workshops
    • Growing Stars resources for sale
    • Community support
    • Support available from other agencies
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