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My daughter can identify words and can spell them out loud, but she cannot write them the correct way. What is this and is there any kind of help out there for this problem?

Without more information about your daughter’s difficulties with writing, it is difficult to give you a firm answer about why she struggles with writing words that she can spell aloud. If the difficulty seems to be the physical task of writing, it may be that your daughter has issues with fine motor control. Many students with learning disabilities find holding a pencil and forming letters to be extremely challenging. If your daughter is having difficulty with the mechanics of writing (writing legibly, writing words completely without leaving off letters, writing within lines, etc.), this article on Dysgraphia Accommodations and Modifications may be helpful. You should certainly work with teachers at your school to determine potential causes of your daughter’s writing difficulties. If her difficulty seems to be with the physical act of writing, you may want to speak to your school’s occupational therapist as well.

You might also take a look at these common questions about writing and students with learning disabilities, as well as Using Assistive Technology to Support Writing. Once you have determined what type of tool might be most helpful for your daughter, you can visit the Tech Matrix to find suggestions for specific software and hardware titles.

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