✨ Inspiring voices for International Dysgraphia Awareness Day ✨
Julia Clouter
Julia Clouter, Global Head of Education at Empowering Tech, has 25 years’ experience in teaching, SEN, and literacy. Formerly a SENCo and Dyslexia Specialist, she now develops resources and training in assistive technology. An international speaker, writer, and ambassador for Succeed With Dyslexia, she champions inclusion and literacy worldwide.
My career spans 25 years in education, where I initially taught in mainstream secondary schools. Over time, my focus shifted to inclusion, Special Educational Needs (SEN), literacy, and behaviour management. I served as a SENCo, Dyslexia Specialist, and Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) in Pupil Referral Units across both secondary and primary phases. In 2019, I transitioned to the educational technology industry as Head of Education for Scanning Pens, where I developed educational materials and CPD-accredited training resources. During my time with Scanning Pens and Empowering Tech I have become an international speaker, writer, and active participant in research projects related to assistive technology and literacy development. I am also an ambassador for Succeed With Dyslexia.
Nicola Durrant
Nicola Durrant, founder and CEO of SEND Station, is an Educational Consultant, Advisor, and Specialist Teacher with over 20 years’ SEND experience. A qualified dyslexia assessor with a Master’s in Autism, she delivers global training, authors literacy interventions, and champions affordable, practical support for children with diverse learning needs.
In 2020 Nicola co-founded SEND Station, an online training company specializing in affordable SEND training that enjoys an excellent reputation for providing first class practical SEND training. She is also the author of the phonics intervention strategy Literacy Junction.
Contact Details
Organisation: Julia Clouter (Global Head of Education, Empowering Tech)
Nicola Durrant (SEND Station)
Website:
Email: [email protected]
Email: [email protected]
Tel: +44 20 3780 0813
Address: Scanning Pens, Bridge House Street, Westbury, Wiltshire, BA13 4HR, United Kingdom
✨ Inspiring voices for International Dysgraphia Awareness Day ✨
Maria Chivers
11th October 2025
Dr. David, Edward Cowell, and Maria L. M. Chivers wrote the first definition of dysgraphia in the World in 2008 to help people understand it.
As more research was published during the next ten years, we updated it in 2019 to reflect our understanding.
‘Dysgraphia means having severe problems with handwriting, which is associated with extreme difficulty with fine motor skills and problems with the speed of processing – despite having a normal intellectual ability.’
by Dr David Edward Cowell & Maria Chivers *2019 ©
*Updated from 2008
In 2008, Dr David Edward Cowell and I, Mrs Maria Chivers, recognised the urgent need for a clear, practical definition of dysgraphia to support those working with children facing handwriting difficulties.
At that time, despite growing awareness of the challenges some children experienced with writing, there was no universally accepted or practical definition of dysgraphia to help people with dysgraphia. Drawing on our combined experience—and after working closely with many affected children and consulting with teachers and other professionals—we created what we believe was the first working definition of dysgraphia.
Dr Cowell, whose academic and professional background is exceptional—holding a BSc, MPhil, and PhD, and being a Chartered Psychologist and Life Member of the Royal Society of Medicine—brought deep insight and expertise to our collaboration.
In 2019, a decade after we first shared our definition, we updated it to reflect further research and developments in the field. Since then, understanding of dysgraphia has continued to grow, and many knowledgeable professionals have contributed valuable perspectives of their own. Of course, definitions vary, and each brings something important to the conversation.
We’re proud to have laid an early foundation, and we are grateful to those who have expanded on it. We continue to value and learn from the collective wisdom of the wider community working to support individuals with dysgraphia.
© 2025 Maria L M Chivers &
Dr David Edward Cowell, BSc,. MPhil, PhD.
Chartered Psychologist
Life Member of the Royal Society of Medicine.
The first “Dysgraphia Awareness Day” in the World was held on Monday, 3rd October, 2022. an event by Maria Chivers of the “Dyslexia A2Z” and helped by her friend and mentor, Dr David Cowell.
We registered our day in July 2022 and had a successful day and made many new contacts on our Facebook pages for Dysgraphia Awareness and Dysgraphia Support Group for Parents UK. We have several people from other countries who wish to be involved next year.
I am already working on next year’s programme, which will be on Monday, 2 October 2023.
If you have any suggestions or ideas or if you wish to participate, please get in touch with me.
Author and researcher, Raising Awareness of all aspects of Neurodiversity, including Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, Dysgraphia, Visual Stress & other Learning Difficulties.
Email: [email protected].
Maria Chivers & Dr David E Cowell – 2022
www.dyslexiaa2z.com
Exclusively Designed for us is this Dysgraphia Enamel Awareness Badge.
To purchase, please go to eBay.
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