When homeschooling children with special needs, particularly those with dysgraphia or other writing challenges, it’s essential to choose the right writing program. The ideal curriculum will help your child develop their writing skills while accommodating their unique needs. If you’re looking for the best writing programs for your special needs child, here’s a roundup of options designed to reduce stress, increase engagement, and foster writing success.
1. Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW)
Best for: Students who need a structured and scaffolded writing program.
Why it works: IEW is one of the most highly regarded writing programs for special needs learners, including those with dysgraphia. The program uses a step-by-step process that breaks writing down into manageable pieces. It focuses on developing grammar, vocabulary, and sentence structure while encouraging creativity. IEW is effective for children who need clear instructions, practice, and repetition.
Learn more about IEW here
Why it’s great for special needs:
- Scaffolded lessons that build writing skills progressively.
- Clear, structured framework that works well for kids with dyslexia and dysgraphia.
- Engages kids in creative writing while emphasizing foundational skills.
2. Handwriting Without Tears
Best for: Kids who need a multi-sensory approach to handwriting.
Why it works: Handwriting Without Tears focuses on developing legible handwriting for children with dysgraphia and other fine motor challenges. The program uses a multi-sensory approach with engaging activities, visual aids, and tools like wet-dry-try and wooden letter blocks to reinforce handwriting skills. It also includes keyboarding practice, which is helpful for children who struggle with handwriting.
Check out Handwriting Without Tears here
Why it’s great for special needs:
- Multi-sensory approach for kids with fine motor difficulties.
- Includes keyboard instruction for students who struggle with handwriting.
- Gradual, step-by-step lessons for building handwriting skills.
3. The Writing Revolution
Best for: Students who need a structured, research-based approach to writing.
Why it works: The Writing Revolution uses a structured method based on explicit instruction. It emphasizes sentence structure, writing coherence, and developing ideas systematically. This program is ideal for students who struggle with writing mechanics and organization.
Learn more about The Writing Revolution here
Why it’s great for special needs:
- Focuses on sentence-level writing and building composition skills.
- Effective for children with dysgraphia, dyslexia, and ADHD.
- Provides a clear framework for organizing thoughts and ideas.
4. All About Spelling & All About Writing
Best for: Students who need integrated writing and spelling instruction.
Why it works: All About Spelling focuses on phonemic awareness and spelling through an Orton-Gillingham approach. All About Writing builds upon the same principles, adding a writing component. The program emphasizes phonetic patterns, sentence structure, and organized writing, which can be very helpful for students with dyslexia or dysgraphia.
Explore All About Spelling & Writing here
Why it’s great for special needs:
- Combines spelling and writing, reinforcing both areas.
- Orton-Gillingham-based, which is effective for students with dyslexia.
- Multi-sensory learning approach helps reinforce writing skills.
5. WriteShop
Best for: Students who need creative writing with structure.
Why it works: WriteShop provides a creative writing program that’s structured yet flexible. It includes writing assignments that teach students how to write stories, essays, and reports. The program also includes step-by-step lessons on organizing thoughts and developing ideas, which is especially helpful for students who struggle with written expression.
Find more about WriteShop here
Why it’s great for special needs:
- Focuses on creative writing and organizing ideas.
- Interactive approach to engage children in writing.
- Works well for children with dysgraphia, ADHD, and dyslexia.
6. Dyslexia Games
Best for: Students who need visual and tactile reinforcement of writing skills.
Why it works: Dyslexia Games is designed to help students with dyslexia, dysgraphia, and other learning challenges develop fine motor, visual processing, and writing skills. The program uses puzzles, games, and visual activities to make writing and reading more enjoyable.
Learn more about Dyslexia Games here
Why it’s great for special needs:
- Visual and tactile learning strategies for children with dysgraphia.
- Engages students with games and activities to reinforce handwriting and writing skills.
- Great for improving fine motor and visual processing skills.
7. Interactive Writing: How Language & Literacy Work Together
Best for: Students who need integrated writing and reading instruction.
Why it works: This program integrates reading and writing by focusing on phonics, letter sounds, and sentence structure. It’s ideal for children who need support with both writing and reading. The program teaches children how to write sentences while reinforcing letter-sound correspondence and other foundational skills.
Explore Interactive Writing here
Why it’s great for special needs:
- Combines writing and reading instruction for cohesive learning.
- Explicit instruction in phonics and writing skills.
- Helps students with dyslexia and dysgraphia.
Conclusion
Finding the right writing program for children with dysgraphia and other special needs is essential to help them succeed. Programs like Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW) and Handwriting Without Tears offer structured, step-by-step lessons to help kids master writing. WriteShop and The Writing Revolution combine creativity with organization, while Dyslexia Games and Interactive Writing use multi-sensory methods to keep children engaged.
The best writing program depends on your child’s unique needs. Take the time to assess which approach will resonate with them, and remember, with the right tools and support, your child can find success in writing!
Tags: #specialneeds #dysgraphia #homeschooling #writingprograms #dyslexia #homeschoolSPED #writingforkids #handwritingwithouttears #IEW #writeshop #dyslexiatools #learningdisabilities #ADHD #OrtonGillingham