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Tips to Promote Handwriting Success

Pre-Writing
Children benefit from having basic pre-writing skills in place before beginning pencil and paper tasks. These are skills that often emerge as your child develops in the preschool years. If you have concern regarding your child's development in these areas you may consider consulting an occupational therapist. Some of these skills include:

Letters
If a child is needing to learn letter formations or letter-to-line placement:

• Be sure that you are reinforcing the same formation patterns that your child is learning in school or other setting.

• One good program to consider using is Handwriting Without Tears™.

• Practice writing on a vertical surface such as a chalkboard or easel prior to practicing on paper. Handwriting Without Tears™ has a wonderful beginning writing technique incorporating the use of slates. This can be adapted nicely for work on a chalkboard.

• Practice writing the letters "invisibly" in the air.

• Practice letters in sand or other textured materials.

• Trace large letters with fingers.

Handwriting
Here are some tips for children who have reached the age and developmental skill level to participate in handwriting tasks:

Sitting Posture is important!

• Check that the child's chair (at home and at school) allows him to have his feet flat on the floor and his hips and back against the back of the chair.

• Footstools made from telephone books duct-taped together can be a quick answer for dangling feet!

• The desk surface should be approximately 2 inches above the crux of the elbow to allow body good support.

• Move n' Sit Cushions can be wonderful to encourage a more erect sitting posture for children who tend to slouch. These are sold in a variety of catalogs. One website to access would be Therapy Shoppe.

• Writing on a slant board is wonderful for encouraging a child to sit up. They also assist a child visually and support a good wrist and hand position. Again, see Therapy Shoppe.

• A less expensive "trial" alternative to a slantboard is an empty 4 inch ring binder turned to slope down toward the writer.

• Don't forget the helping hand! Encourage the child to keep their non-writing hand on the paper while writing. Ideally the non-writing hand stabilizes and adjusts the paper as a child writes with their dominant hand.

A good pencil grip allows your child to develop more
refined handwriting movements.

• The open, circular, space formed by the thumb and index finger allows for freedom of finger movement for more refined writing movements.

• Find tools that will encourage an open circle pattern.

• A variety of grippers are available in learning supply stores. Some favorites are "The Pencil Grip" and the "Stetro" gripper.

• It may be helpful to seek the advise of an occupational therapist to explore, with the child, which grip would be most effective for him.

• Allow older children to explore a variety of writing tools to determine which suits them best.

• The PhD mechanical pencil (made by Sanford) has been a popular choice among our clients. Mechanical pencils can be helpful to discourage heavy pressure while writing.

Consider cursive handwriting instruction.

• Many children who struggle with printing are quicker to master cursive.

• Cursive allows for a fresh start at an older age.

• Cursive allows for continuous movement and flow.

• By design, cursive can be an answer to a child with spacing issues.

• We don't over emphasize slanting in cursive writing if this is an area of struggle. Consider a vertical style. It is quite legible and can be easier to master for children experiencing difficulty.