FUN AND ENCOURAGING APPROACH TO HANDWRITING

"Help!  My child's handwriting is a mess!"  As an occupational therapist, I often hear this comment.  Whether you have a kindergartener or older child, your student can improve.  For over 15 years in my practice, I've helped children improve their writing skills.  I've learned what works well and quickly for most children, as well as what motivates them succeed.  Try my approach to put your learner on track to better handwriting.

Key Approach Steps:
  • When practicing handwriting, spend 10 to 20 minutes on pre-writing activities (see Stage One Writing Fundamentals for examples) and 5 to 10 minutes on actual letter formation.
  • Remember - quality is better than quantity.  Writing 5-10 letters correctly is better than writing 20 sloppy letters!
  • Teach letters the same way each time.
  • Give a verbal plan or story while working with the formation of a letter.  This increases the learner's retention (see Capital and Lowercase Letter Stories™ in Stage 2:  Writing Fundamentals).
  • Use a multi sensory approach by spending time forming pre-writing shapes and letters/numbers in various tactile media such as shaving cream, pudding, sand, etc.
  • Have the child practice letter formation daily.
  • Pick 1-5 letters (depending on developmental level of child) and have them write each letter 5 times in a handwriting journal each day.
  • Encourage proper writing grasp and writing posture:
  • If your child is older than 2nd grade, use the lowercase letters formation style, but have them write the letters on RediSpace® Transitional Notebook Paper.  This will encourage proper letter formation with the proper sizing for his/her age as well.
  • Once your older child has mastered the letter formation, try timing them with writing the alphabet correctly on Redispace Transitional Notebook Paper.  Challenge them to write the alphabet in under 45 seconds while forming each letter correctly!
Following this approach will help your child learn the techniques that make letter formation easier to teach and more enjoyable to learn.  Whether your child is a beginner or needs to sharpen their handwriting skills, this approach will get results!

Good luck, and happy writing!

Toni M. Schulken
MS, OTR/L

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