Writing

Check out your student’s posture while writing:

• Follow the 90-90-90 rule. Hips, knees, and feet bent at a 90 degree angle while seated at a desk.

• Try placing a footrest or box under the student’s feet if their feet do not reach the ground

• Give reminders not to slump over work, lean head on hand or desk.

• Use a binder as a slant board: this places the wrist in a neutral position and allows for improved alignment, which can help with writing legibility and hand fatigue. Clip the student's paper birds of a slant board while riding with the highest part of the board away from the student.

Reinforce the following handwriting rules:

• All letters sit on the bottom line.

• There are three letter sizes - all letters have to follow the rules they cannot be too big or too small and they are not allowed to float in the middle. All letters start at the top except for d & e.

  • Tall letters start at the top line and stop at the bottom line.

b, d, f, h, k, l, t

• Short letters start at the middle line and stop on the bottom line.

a, c, e, i, m, n, o, r, s, u, v, w, x, z

• Go under letters start at the middle line and go under the bottom Line

g, j, p, q, y

• Finger spaces go between our words.

Practice correct letter formation daily:

• To help students attend the correct letter and number formation at an automatic level. Watch carefully when students are practicing to make sure they start in the correct position and form the letters correctly, poor habits are difficult to correct once they become automatic.

• Try to practice writing for 10 minutes a day.

  • Encourage your child to write about a preferred topic of choice.

  • Help your child make greeting cards for family and friends.

  • Write a grocery list together.

  • Make lists: favorite TV programs, movies, things to pack before a trip.

Check out the Fine Motor Page for more tips on building hand strength important for handwriting!