Handwriting in the Classroom

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Handwriting in the Classroom

• AT Ideas and Solutions
• Sarah Crosbie, MS.Ed, OTR/L

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• Handwriting is a lifelong skill that affects
  every academic area in school.
• Handwriting or written communication is the
  number one concern on IEPs today.
• Students who struggle to write often miss content
  while focusing on mechanics.

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Writing is..
The physical act of dragging a trail across a
piece of paper.
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Physical Sequence

1. Random shapes and scribbles
2. Coloring
3. Crayon drawing
4. Letter formation
5. Printing words and sentences
6. Cursive words and sentences
7. Typing

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Sample Handwriting Continuum

• Pre-K
• Body awareness
• Sensory motor/gross motor experiences
• Fine motor and manipulative tasks to strengthen
  fingers and hands
• Teach foundational strokes and basic shapes
• Work on vertical surfaces
• Drawing

• Kindergarten
• Continue to teach/reinforce Pre-K skills
• Proper pencil grip
• Proper posture
• Teach age-appropriate shapes
• Use multi-sensory method to teach upper case
  letters and then lower case letters with correct
  starting points and directionality
• Basic sentence writing

Children in Kindergarten spend 42 of fine
motor time on paper/pencil tasks
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Sample Handwriting Continuum

• 1st Grade
• Daily handwriting lessons
• Proper pencil grip posture
• Increase automaticity of letter formation
• Punctuation , grammar, spelling
• Appropriate sizing and placement

• 2nd Grade
• Review and refinement of letters and numbers
• Word and sentence skills
• Practice smaller letters and narrower lines
• Increase speed.

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Sample Handwriting Continuum

• 3rd Grade
• Review of manuscript
• Introduction of cursive letter formations
• Sentence and paragraph skills
• Refine size
• Increase speed

• 4th Grade
• Cursive mastery
• Increase quantity
• Introduction to Keyboarding

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Sample Handwriting Continuum

• 4th 8th Grade
• Review and refinement of cursive/manuscript in
  content
• Neat connections, appropriate spacing
• Speed
• Self-evaluation of skills
• Development of personal style

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Barriers To Teaching

• Handwriting instruction is difficult- most
  teachers/ therapists are trained in one method
  and prefer using that method
• Not standardized within districts or states

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Physical Issues

• Gross Motor/Fine Motor
• High Tone (Spasticity)
• Low tone (Flaccidity)
• Proprioception/Kinesthetics
• Body sense in space
• Eye-hand coordination
• Visual Acuity

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Low-Tech Strategies

• The LoTTIE Kit (Low Tech Tools for Inclusive
  Education)
• Highlighter tape
• See It Right (colored filters for visual
  impairments)
• Ergonomically shaped pens
• Page holders
• Pencil Grips
• Keyboard Labels
• Magnifiers
• Paper Writing Guides

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Problem Student demonstrates poor sitting
posture when writing

• Provide proper seat and desk height
• Good base of support for arms
• Non-skid surface on chair
• Warm-up exercises to activate muscles needed to
  maintain good posture
• Attach posture card to desktop

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Problem Student demonstrates poor pencil grip
when writing

• Encourage use of dynamic tripod grasp
• Early intervention is optimal
• Utilize adaptive pencil aids
• Practice cutting with appropriate scissor grasp
• Try writing with broken crayons or small pieces
  of chalk
• Write on slanted surface to increase wrist
  extension and visibility

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• Adaptations and Modifications
• Improve ability to hold and manipulate
• Enlarge handles or writing utensils with wooden
  dowels, foam hair curlers, pipe insulation, film
  canister, tennis or plastic golf ball.

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Problem Student has difficulty with spatial
organization when writing

• Color-code margins
• If students have trouble staying within lines,
  try increasing or decreasing space between
  writing lines.
• Use a spacer to measure space between words
  (finger, ice pop stick)
• Use graph paper
• Emphasize lines on paper with visual or tactile
  cues

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Problem Student shows poor letter formation
when writing

• Always demonstrate how to write a letter.
• Have student repeat aloud verbal directions for
  forming a letter as he writes it.
• Be sure they understand directional terms
• Have student write on chalkboard or other
  vertical surface to reinforce directionality and
  prevent confusion
• Provide daily practice to reinforce skills

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Problem Student shows letter reversals when
writing

• Reversals are common in kindergarten and 1st
  grade, should diminish in 2nd grade, and be
  infrequent in third.
• Letter/word reversals are, for the most part, due
  to a weak memory, the lack of enough previous
  experiences, or a lack of left-right awareness.
• Place cue card of letters typically reversed on
  students desk for easy reference
• Use multi-sensory activities to learn and
  practice letter formation (textured letters,
  sandpaper, sand, shaving lotion)
• If the child is confused about his own
  left/right, use a ring, watch, ribbon or band on
  his writing arm. 

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Problem The student writes too slowly to keep
up with the class

• Students ability to form letters automatically
  is not adequate. Continue instruction/remediation
  .
• Reduce the writing load
• Provide keyboarding instruction

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Problem The student hates to write

• Identify areas of difficulty so that remediation
  can begin.
• Teach handwriting separately (not with written
  assignment).
• Emphasize quality of handwriting not quantity.
  Reduce the writing load.
• Comments on students paper should emphasize the
  positive.
• All alternatives- oral reports, typing, video
• Make writing fun!

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• Handwriting Curriculums
• Handwriting Without Tears http//www.hwtears.co
  m/
• D'Nealian Handwriting http//www.dnealian.com/,
  http//www.pearsonschool.com/
• Zaner- Bloser http//www.zaner-bloser.com/
• Hooked on Handwriting http//www.hookedonphonics
  .com/hooked-on-handwriting
• Callirobics http//www.callirobics.com/
• Write-On Handwriting www.writeonhandwriting.com
  
• Palmer Method Handwriting
• Loops and Other Groups
• Big Strokes for Little Folks