Dyspraxia

What Is Dyspraxia?

Dyspraxia is a disorder that affects muscle control, causing difficulty with movement, coordination, and sometimes language and speech. While not itself a learning disability, dyspraxia often occurs alongside dyslexia, dyscalculia, or ADHD, and can make everyday classroom tasks — from handwriting to lining up for recess — more effortful than they are for other students.

How Porter Academy Addresses Dyspraxia

• Occupational Therapy, for every student, directly targets the gross motor strength, fine motor coordination, and body awareness that dyspraxia affects (see our Occupational Therapy page for more)
• Our on-campus sensory gym — with a foam pit, climbing wall, OT swings, and balance and regulation tools — gives students structured, engaging ways to build coordination
• Daily PE, including explicit instruction in foundational movement skills like throwing, catching, kicking, and coordination, builds the physical skills dyspraxia can make harder to develop naturally
• Small groups and individualized pacing mean students aren’t rushed through physical or motor tasks before they’re ready
• Multi-sensory academic instruction reduces reliance on any single skill area, including fine motor control, for a student to demonstrate what they know

Learn More

For general background on dyspraxia, we recommend the Learning Disabilities Association of America.