VMI: Writing

Progression of Writing Skills

Using a highlighter to get your child to trace is a great way to beginners to practice

Model and give verbal prompts for how you are forming a letter, then let your child try
Use consistent language (big/little line, big/little curve)
Encourage writing top to bottom
Decrease the verbal prompts once you see your child is becoming more independent

Once your child has some of the muscle memory from tracing and imitating, see if they can copy without a model
Near point: copying from a page right next to them
Far point: copying from several feet away (such as a whiteboard)

Handwriting Without Tears is a preferred program within the school setting because they incorporate multiple modalities and use very consistent language

Pairs similar letters together (does not teach starting at A-Z but saves diagonals for later)
Teaches upper case prior to lower case
- All upper case letters begin at the top
- Upper case letters are simplified
- Lower case letters require several curves and changes of direction

Practice skills in the gross motor and fine motor sections, particularly with students before pre-school. Don't push writing before a child is ready!
Use multiple modalities to improve muscle memory
- - Tactile
    - - Use index finger to draw in sand, salt, paint
      - Form shapes and letters out of play dough
      - Write on a chalkboard to get more sensory input through fingers, wrist, arms
      - Write on a white board, then use a Q-tip to erase a letter the same way you formed it to get two for the price of one!
  - Kinesthetically
    - - Use your arms, legs, body to turn your body into a letter shape
      - Draw huge shapes and letters in the air, using big arm movements
Have fun with it! Don't push your child to the point of frustration.
This website: Createprintables.com, particularly the font "Starting Dot Outlined" is a great way to practice name writing and rainbow writing (using several colors to write over and over again)

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