The Feifer Assessment of Writing (FAW) in Dyslexia and Dysgraphia Diagnosis
The Feifer Assessment of Writing (FAW), authored by Steven G. Feifer and published by PAR (Psychological Assessment Resources) in 2020, represents a monumental shift in how we evaluate these challenges. Rather than just measuring what a student writes, the FAW explores why they are struggling.
In this article, we examine how the FAW serves as a vital tool for identifying the nuances of dyslexic dysgraphia and why it is becoming an essential part of the diagnostic battery for individuals aged 4 to 22.
Moving Beyond “Poor Writing”: The Neurocognitive Model
The most significant contribution of the FAW is its foundation in neuropsychological theory. Instead of viewing writing as a single skill, the FAW breaks it down into three distinct neurocognitive “bottlenecks.” This is particularly crucial for the dyslexic population, as their writing profiles often differ significantly from those with pure motor coordination issues.
The FAW is organized into three primary indexes. If a student scores below a Standard Score (SS) of 85, it alerts the clinician to a specific risk category:
1. The Dyslexic Index: The Core of Spelling Struggles
For individuals with dyslexia, the Dyslexic Index is often the most revealing. This index measures how much a student’s phonological and orthographic processing deficits interfere with their ability to spell.
- Homophone Spelling: Evaluates whether a student can distinguish between words that sound the same but look different (e.g., bear vs. bare). This tests orthographic memory—the ability to store and retrieve the visual “map” of a word.
- Isolated Spelling: Measures the ability to encode words of increasing complexity.
For a student with dyslexia, a low score here confirms dyslexic dysgraphia. This means their writing struggle isn’t necessarily about their hand muscles; it’s about the brain’s inability to translate sounds into symbols accurately.
2. The Graphomotor Index: The Physical Act
This index targets the mechanical fluency of writing—the “hands-on” part of the process. Subtests include Alphabet Tracing Fluency and Copying Speed. While a student with pure dyslexia might have high scores here, many individuals have “comorbid” or co-occurring challenges. If a student has both dyslexia and a low Graphomotor Index, they face a “double burden”: they struggle to think of how to spell the word and struggle with the physical act of writing it down.
3. The Executive Index: The “Conductor” of Writing
Effective writing requires executive function—the ability to plan, organize, and hold information in working memory. The FAW’s Executive Index uses timed tasks like Sentence Scaffolding and Expository Writing. For many dyslexic students, the cognitive load of decoding and encoding is so high that their “executive battery” runs out. They may be able to spell a word in isolation, but once they are asked to write a full paragraph, their grammar, punctuation, and organization collapse.
Psychometric Rigor: Why Practitioners Trust the FAW
When choosing a diagnostic tool, reliability is paramount. The FAW was standardized on a massive sample of 1,048 individuals, mirroring the 2017 US population demographics. It also included a clinical sample of students with ADHD, fine motor deficits, and learning disabilities.
Key Reliability Data:
- Total Index Reliability: A staggering .95, indicating extremely high consistency.
- Construct Validity: The FAW correlates strongly with other major batteries like the AAB and WIAT-III, proving that it accurately measures what it claims to measure.
- Standard Error of Measurement (SEM): With a total Median SEM of 3.2, clinicians can have high confidence that the scores reflect the student’s true ability rather than random chance.
The FAW in Clinical Practice: Dyslexia-Specific Benefits
According to the SASC Guidance (2022), the FAW provides defensible evidence that is crucial for both diagnosis and educational support.
1. Identifying the “Spelling Bottleneck”
Standard achievement tests often give a single “spelling score.” The FAW goes deeper. By comparing the Dyslexic Index to the Graphomotor Index, a clinician can tell a parent: “Your child’s handwriting is fine, but their spelling is failing because they cannot visualize word structures.” This leads to targeted intervention (like structured synthetic phonics) rather than generic “handwriting practice.”
2. Supporting Access Arrangements (Extra Time)
For students entering high school or university, the FAW is a powerhouse for securing Examination Access Arrangements. The Graphomotor Index provides objective, numerical evidence of slow processing or motor difficulties. This data is essential for justifying “Extra Time” or the use of a laptop/scribe in exams.
3. Early Identification
The FAW includes a Screening Index that takes only 15-20 minutes. This is a game-changer for schools, allowing them to catch “at-risk” writers in the early grades before they experience years of academic frustration.
Important Considerations for Practitioners
While the FAW is a robust tool, it is not without its nuances:
- Americanisms: For those practicing outside the US (e.g., UK or Australia), some subtests include American-centric prompts (like naming American states). Clinicians must be mindful of how this might affect a student’s “Retrieval Fluency” score.
- Testing Fatigue: With 10 primary subtests, the full battery can take 65 minutes. For a student with dyslexia and ADHD, this is a long time. Clinicians should strategically select the most relevant indexes to prevent burnout.
- Single Form: There is currently only one record form, which makes frequent re-testing (to measure progress) difficult due to “practice effects.”
Conclusion: A Diagnostic Shift
The Feifer Assessment of Writing has successfully moved the needle from observation to explanation. For the dyslexia community, this is a vital evolution. We no longer have to guess why a student’s written work doesn’t match their verbal intelligence.
By isolating the dyslexic, graphomotor, and executive components of writing, the FAW allows us to create a roadmap for success. It transforms the diagnostic process from a list of failures into a blueprint for targeted, effective intervention. Whether you are a psychologist, a specialist teacher, or a parent seeking answers, the FAW provides the clarity needed to help students with dyslexia find their voice on the page.
