Dysgraphia is a neurological condition that affects the way handwriting looks. It is generalized as writing difficulties, but can be incorrect or distorted handwriting specifically. Letters might appear to be of irregular shape and size, or despite being told how to spell something properly the person still writes the word incorrectly or might use the wrong word. Dysgraphia can occur at any age and among any demographics, but tends to coexist with other conditions and under certain circumstances. Adults who suffer from dysgraphia have usually had some form of brain trauma occur, such as a stroke or head injury. Children might just simply have the disorder but it can be indicative of other learning disabilities such as dyslexia. A child with dysgraphia rarely suffers socially at school, they just seem to have trouble with their handwriting. The exact cause for dysgraphia is not known but obviously the problem originates in the brain and has to do with how information is processed cognitively.

A child with dysgraphia might be monitored for learning disorders but does not necessarily suffer from any other learning condition. Treatment for a motor disorder or neurological problem might help those who suffer from dysgraphia improve their writing skills. In addition to any treatments for neurological problems or motor problems a doctor might recommend using a computer to type out work instead of writing things by hand. This can help in processing information and understanding content so that the child or adult afflicted does not get caught up in the writing part of their work.

Dysgraphia in students can seriously hinder their ability to learn. Therefore, a teacher might pick up on the disorder when they notice poor handwriting in a student. They might also notice that the handwriting is not poor but the content makes little sense or words are flipped, missing, or out of place in the overall structure of an assignment. The teacher needs to pay care to the fact that the student is trying and something simply seems to be out of place in the learning structure. There are signs of dysgraphia that a teacher can be aware of and look for in students that seem to be having difficulty. One key characteristic is poorly legible handwriting despite being given ample time to complete an assignment neatly. Inconsistencies in handwriting like a mix of lower case an upper case letters or irregularly shaped letters are key to dysgraphia. Unfinished words or missing words can be indicative, as can having words out of place and the logical order of a sentence being scrambled. Unusual or irregular placement on a page with little regard for margins is typical. As for physical observation, a child who suffers from dysgraphia can be seen writing slowly and seem to be working "too hard" at a simple task while still getting things incorrect. They might hold their pen and paper in an unusual, uncomfortable position while working on a task. They might be distracted and watch their hands move while they copy work or even talk to themselves. Overall, the content of the written word will not match other communication capacities of the child and seem strange.

A teacher who can recognize the problem in a child and make reasonable work accommodations for them will typically see improvement. This might mean shortening assignments, giving more time to complete a project, changing the difficulty of the written task, or allowing the student to use more comfortable writing tools. Letting a student learn keyboarding skills and using those instead of handwriting can be advantageous as can help from a tutor or teaching assistant until the best learning methods for the child are determined. Dysgraphia, once discovered, can be managed adequately and should not hinder other areas of development.