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The Why: The primary purpose of handwriting is communication and, more specifically in educational settings, to convey one's knowledge to teachers. Almost half of a kindergarten student's day is spent doing writing tasks. As children advance in school, the expectations for writing increase.
The Why: The primary purpose of handwriting is communication and, more specifically in educational settings, to convey one's knowledge to teachers. Almost half of a kindergarten student's day is spent doing writing tasks. As children advance in school, the expectations for writing increase.
BEGINNING SKILLS
BEGINNING SKILLS
Sensory activities help to build letter formation skills.
FINE MOTOR EXERCISES
FINE MOTOR EXERCISES
IMG_1965.MOVPencil Walk
Pencil Walk
Have students start at the bottom of the pencil and walk ONLY their 3 grip fingers up to the top and then back down. They can't use more than 3 fingers for this exercise. Ask them to walk up and down as many times as possible.
IMG_1964.MOVClothespin Alligators
Clothespin Alligators
Have students use only their 3 grip fingers to squeeze the clothespin open and shut as many times as possible. Pretend it is an alligators mouth opening and shutting. This can be combined with a counting activity so students practice counting aloud while squeezing the clothespins.
Other strengthening exercises:
Silly putty balls: using a small piece of silly putty, have students flatten and create a ball with only 3 grip fingers.
Letter Formation: The OT Toolbox
Letter Formation: The OT Toolbox
Teach kids to always write letters from the top to bottom. Forming letters from the bottom up is slow and inefficient, and will lead to poor handwriting. Cue your child to start “at the top” as they form letters.
Teach capital letters first. Capital letters are easier to learn than lower case letters because they all have the same height, all start at the top, and are easy to recognize.
Start by teaching individual letters, then words, then sentences (all in capitals).
Progress to lower case letters once the upper case letters have been well established.
Use blank printer paper or simple lined paper. Using worksheets with pictures is distracting.
Use a multi-sensory approach to teaching letters. Use multiple techniques to practice letters using sensory bins, proprioceptive techniques, gross motor kinesthetic techniques, or high contrast activities. The possibilities are endless for creative learning with handwriting!
Practice during short sessions.
Use consistent verbal cues for letter formation.
Handwriting Without Tears
Boxes and Dots
Directional Arrows or Mulit-colored formation lines
Curve and Wave Cursive Letter Formation
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