To work on spacing between words, these could be great resources and fun activities to do with your child.

• Make Button Buddy Spacing Tool

https://www.theottoolbox.com/handwriting-spacing-tool-toys-to-work/

• Use a tongue depressor or a Popsicle stick to create space between words.

• Try using graph paper- Instruct the student to leave one box open as a space between words. The graph paper comes in various sizes so choose a size that matches the size of your child’s writing.

• Put a dot between words.

• Draw a colored line or highlight space between words in a sentence that the student has to copy to give him/her a visual cue.

• Try using M&Ms or Skittles (or other edibles) as spacers. Eat as a reward.

• Try having the child take a breath or say the word “space” after each word to remind them to move the pencil.

• Let the child review his/her own work to determine if there are spaces between the words.

• Some students respond better to concrete instruction such as, "Move your pencil over before you start the next word."

To work on writing within lines on paper and sizing of letters, these could be great resources.

• Check to see if these following mistakes are being made:

letters are floating above the bottom line

letters are sinking down below the bottom line

letters are written in all the same size

student is mixing use of upper and lower case letters

• Check to see if all the letters are touching appropriate lines- i.e. on primary lined paper, small/short letters touch the middle line and bottom line, tall letters touch the top and bottom lines, and falling/driller letters touch the middle and bottom lines but go below the bottom line. If you are working on wide ruled paper, just encourage that the tall letters touch the top and bottom lines and that the small letters are short and a uniform size (taking up the bottom half of the wide ruled line).

*Here is a link to copy practice pages to reinforce writing letters that are touching lines and are the correct size.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KIPGnxtBWvY84hbCqqU-bThpuhPRFz3e/view

• Highlight the line with a marker. A bright color can be a visual cue of where to write. Letters should rest on the line. You can start with a nice thick and brightly colored highlighter and move to a thinner colored or black pen. Sometimes the visual cue of that colored line is enough to keep letters placed correctly.

• Use a tactile border like Wikki Stix. This works for coloring and handwriting tasks by providing a movable, physical border.

• Try using raised lined paper or make your own using glue.

Simply trace the lines with glue and allow it to dry. The dry glue provides a nice tactile reminder of where to stop writing or coloring.

Copying sentences/paragraphs from near point. Have your child choose a favorite book or magazine and place it to the side of their paper while they practice copying a sentence or a paragraph- focusing on good grasp of the pencil, accurate formation of letters, good sizing of letters, attention to writing within lines and touching lines with their letters, and then good spacing between words.

Copying sentences/paragraphs from far point. Have your child copy any written artwork and posters in your home or typed sentences/paragraphs on a computer with the computer placed far enough away that there is great distance but still able to be read. This helps simulate your child’s experience of copying notes off of a whiteboard or screen. He/she has to look up and then back down at their paper to write, recalling what they have read.