Write Like Zella: An Evidence-Informed Approach for Teaching Handwriting to Children with Autism

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2026

2:00 PM – 3:00 PM

Course Description

Handwriting remains a foundational skill for participation in school, communication, and daily activities, yet many children with autism struggle to acquire it through traditional methods. Inspired by one child’s experience, this session introduces Write Like Zella–an evidence-informed, structured framework that was developed in response to the need to pivot toward a method of handwriting instruction that addressed the unique motor, visual–perceptual, cognitive, and sensory needs of a neurodivergent learner. What began as a necessary shift for one child became a turning point that now informs a scalable approach for many.

Participants will explore the functional and academic importance of handwriting for children with autism and examine the underlying performance components that influence handwriting success. The course presents clear, practical principles for explicit handwriting instruction and provides a systematic framework for teaching letter formation and written output using modeling, prompting hierarchies, and strategic fading. Through adaptable strategies learned through repeated case studies, attendees will learn how to modify this framework to meet the diverse sensory, motor, and communication profiles seen in clinical and classroom settings. This course equips occupational therapists with actionable tools to confidently support handwriting development in children with autism in a way that is structured, effective, and responsive to individual needs.

Speakers

Ashlee Schmitt, MOT, OTR/L, is a pediatric occupational therapist, educator, and owner of The ColorfullyEnthused Therapy Studio in Westerville, Ohio. With more than a decade of occupational therapy experience, Ashlee has supported children across school-based and private-practice settings, while her military healthcare experience has broadened her clinical perspective through work with adult service members. She is passionate about helping children build the skills and confidence they need to participate more fully in everyday life.

Her clinical work focuses on handwriting, executive function, self-regulation, and the foundational motor skills that support successful participation and learning. Through her private practice, Ashlee has developed a particular interest in helping children who have struggled to make progress through traditional handwriting instruction.

That work led to the development of Write Like Zella, an evidence-informed approach to handwriting instruction originally created in response to the needs of one child with autism and refined through clinical application with additional learners. The approach combines structured letter instruction, motor-learning principles, visual supports, concrete language, and repetitive practice to make handwriting more accessible and successful.

Ashlee brings an enthusiastic, practical approach to occupational therapy and believes some of the most valuable clinical innovations begin by paying close attention to the child in front of us—and being willing to adapt when the traditional approach isn’t working.

Content Level

Intermediate: This level assumes the audience has general familiarity with the literature and professional practice. The focus of the presentation is on increased understanding and application by the participants.

Practice Areas

Children and Youth