Education and Parenting 101: How can you teach and improve children's handwriting?

November 9, 10:06 AMSF Parenting & Education ExaminerMaya Creedman

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Child practicing printing using Handwriting without Tears
James Ho

Handwriting is an important skill. Now that typing makes up much of adult and even high school written communication, it is probably even more important that students learn handwriting in elementary school.

Why is it important? There are times when typing is not practical. The ability to write quickly and clearly by hand provides the flexibility to take notes, fill out forms, write letters or essays and record information without a computer. When students suffer from poor handwriting, they are not able to give the attention they need to organizing or constructing their thoughts in writing. As a result, academic performance across the disciplines may be affected.

It is not uncommon for gifted students to resist or struggle with handwriting, partially because their thoughts are moving much faster than their hands can form the words. Handwriting may slow them down enough that they get frustrated. A student who can complete schoolwork with ease may feel more uncomfortable with the sometimes tedious and difficult practice of handwriting. However, the longer a child resists regular handwriting practice, the more difficult it will be to remedy the problem.

Five minutes of focused handwriting pratice a day can make a significant improvement in confidence and ability. There are many handwriting programs available for purchase. One program popular with Occupational Therapists and schools is Handwriting without Tears.

During practice time, ensure that your child is forming the letters the right way and holding the pencil correctly. Students still working on letter formation can write in the air, sand, use a sponge on a blackboard or markers on a white board or use string or wooden blocks to form letters.

Some children need to stregthen fine motor control and develop the small muscles in the hands needed for handwriting. Choose age-appropriate activities that your child will enjoy such as:

• Playing with small blocks or legos
• Stringing beads
• Cutting paper with scissors
• Finger painting
• Solving puzzles with smaller pieces
• Painting using small brushes
• Tying knots
• Creating with play-dough or clay
• Baking (mixing and kneading)
• Using eye droppers to move colored water from one container to another. This helps develop small muscles in the hands needed for handwriting

Older children with handwriting difficulties (third grade and older) should focus on one form of writing: either printing or cursive. Depending on the child’s particular issues, one is usually more comfortable than the other. The goal is not necessarily to have beautiful handwriting, but to write and express thoughts by hand with less effort and at a pace that doesn’t hinder them.