Top Tips for Teaching Handwriting!

Refusing to write.
Sore hands during writing.
Having difficulty forming letters.
Confusing letters of the alphabet.
Reversing letter formation.
Unable to write on a line.

Handwriting continues to be one of the main reasons I am asked to see children for occupational therapy.

These are some of my top tips for helping to teach and remediate handwriting! 

1. Check Pencil Grasp
Whilst grasp doesn't always affect legibility, it should always be considered when a child is complaining about handwriting. It is important to consider a child's age foremost when looking at pencil grasp. Are they holding the pencil in a way that is developmentally appropriate?

Are they efficient and functional?

Does their pencil grasp demonstrate the fundamentals for good pencil control (ie. an open web space; tripod grasp between the thumb, index and third finger; separation of the two sides of the hand)? Read more about pencil grasp HERE and HERE! Find toys and activities to encourage fine motor skills HERE.

Read more about what to consider if your child can't use a "typical" grasp" HERE. 

Pinch and Flip! A quick trick to achieve a dynamic pencil grasp.

Would your child benefit from the use of a silicon pencil grip?  A slope board? 

I have a lot more to say about pencil grasp...but you will have to wait until the book is finished!
(progress is being made for those who have been following for a while... including the creation of a clinical reasoning decision making tree to help therapists work out when one should a pencil grasp)

2. Check Fluency and Pencil Control

Ideally, a child will use the intrinsic muscles of their hand to move the pencil for writing. This dynamic movement allows them to have mastery of lines, curves and shapes and therefore smooth pencil control.  Pencil control and fluency of movement is also affected by a child's visual motor skills as they move the pencil to create "neat meaningful" strokes on the page. "

You can read more aboute pencil fluency HERE. 

3. Check Postural stability and Core strength

If your child is having difficulty with pencil control and fluency of movement, they may be using their whole arm or elbow or wrist to control the pencil.  Shoulder stability and arm strength is seen when these are held in a relaxed position.  The forearm and wrist are then supported on the table with the wrist slighlty extended.  It is important for children to develop postural stability (to be able to sit upright) and core strength so that they are stable enough to use their hands for something as complex as handwriting.

Read more about gross motor skills for page stabilization during handwriitng and gym ball activities.

4. Check letter formation.
Letter formation (ie. writing letters)  is a complex skill that requires the ability to control the pencil, plan how to combine lines and shapes and assign meaning to them.  

Teaching letters is often taught in groups for the benefit of reading (which is important).  Occupational therapists also like to group letters into "families" to help children to become familiar with the letters that start with the same motor pattern.  A multi-sensory approach to letter formation can help children to learn the correct starting points and the direction needed to form a letter.  Kinesthetic learning (incorporating movement with learning)  will help with motor and visual memory as well as help to prevent letter reversals. 

Refer to the following information and resources:

• Letter families HERE
• Multisensory Approach to Preventing Letter Reversals HERE
• Visual Perceptual skills Required for Handwriting  HERE
• Lowercase Letter formation program HERE
• More alphabet resources HERE.

4. Check handwriting legibility.
If your child is approximately 8 years and older, handwriting legibility becomes more important than letter formation.  Letter formation may affect the ability of someone to read the writing but legibility can be also taught with a few steps. 

Work on spacing, sizing and alignment. Spacing betweeen letters and words, the size of letters and alignment to the writing line.

Together with these areas, also work on the use of capital letters and punctuation at the begining and end of sentences. Some children will need help to distinguish between and identify lowercase and capital letters. Some children will need to learn what other occasions they need to use capital letters (ie. proper nouns and the use of "I" when talking about oneself). Some children will need help with understanding the various types of punctuation. 
 
Refer to the following information and resources:

•  Earth paper lines
• Handwriting tip: Bump the line
• Axel's neat writing rescue
• Neat writer's checklist
• My hand is a sentence.

5. Check Self Evaluation and Executive Functioning.
Whenever I am helping children with handwriting legibility, I am helping them to be aware for themselves what helps to make their writing neat.  We want children to take ownership of their work which ultimately helps with carryover. 

Once we have worked on the components of neat writing, I ask children to be the "teacher" and often ask them to mark their own work.   Assess how "neat" it is. I may even give them a red pen and call them Mr or Miss..... (whatever their surname is). Two the resources above really help with this process (the  neat writer's checklist and Axel's neat writing rescue)

​Find lots more activity ideas and articles on Handwriting  HERE.
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Did you know that I was a contributing author to THE HANDWRITING BOOK as part of The Functional Skills for Kids Therapy Team? This is e-book is now available from the YKOT SHOP.

Cindy is a registered occupational therapist practising in Sydney, Australia.  She has two growing children who are a constant source of inspiration and learning.  Cindy loves working creatively to help children to reach their potential, finding opportunities in everyday living and making learning fun. She is also addicted to making printables (even when they take a long time to complete).  Cindy is the author of the Occupational Therapy blog Your Kids OT.  Read more articles from Your Kids OT at https://www.yourkidsot.com/blog

Cindy is a contributing author of the Functional Skills for Kids Therapy Team.  They have together published THE HANDWRITING BOOK, THE SCISSORS SKILLS BOOK and THE TOILETING BOOK.

​The information on this site is general in nature. The activities are safe for most children, however, you should consult an Occupational Therapist or health professional to address specific movement, sensory or other medical conditions. Affiliate links are used throughout this website to promote recommended products. Your Kids OT receives a small commission if any purchases are made through these links. Please see my disclosure policy for more details. ​​​
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