School
Children who have coordination difficulties struggle with many routine tasks that other children do with ease during a typical school day. Printing, cutting with scissors, opening lunch containers, and playing games at recess can all be sources of frustration for a child with coordination difficulties. Older students who have mastered some of these basic skills may still have difficulties with organization of time/materials, quality/speed of written output, participation in physical education classes and in sports.
Classroom teachers can help students with motor difficulties meet the curriculum requirements of their grade level by making sure the task and the learning environment are right for the student. Teachers can also provide accommodations to help students complete their work and demonstrate their learning progress. The resources below provide information for educators, outlining common classroom issues, presenting specific strategies for all classroom grade levels (MATCH approach), and describing accommodations that have been found to help children with motor difficulties be successful at school. Parents of children with DCD may find these flyers useful for sharing information with their child's educators. Many of the flyers are also available in French/aussi disponible en francais.
Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder: At Home and in the Classroom (booklet) - English
"M.A.T.C.H." Flyers:
Children with Motor Difficulties in Junior and Senior Kindergarten: A Resource for Educators
Children with Motor Difficulties in Grade 1/2: A Resource for Educators
Children with Motor Difficulties in Grade 3/4: A Resource for Educators
Children with Motor Difficulties in Grade 5/6: A Resource for Educators
Children with Motor Difficulties in Grade 7/8: A Resource for Educators
Adolescents with Motor Difficulties: A Resource for Educators
Additional Resources:
Succeeding at School: Accommodations for Students with Coordination Difficulties
To Write or to Type - That is the Question!
Journal articles:
They're bright but can't write: Developmental coordination disorder in school-aged children