Handwriting:Best Practices

Debbie Shatrowsky/Occupational Therapist

Ergonomics• 90° rule- hips, knees, ankles• Trunk, neck and head vertically

aligned• Wrist in slight extension (neutral)• Desktop 1” to 2” above elbow

when seated• Paper angled- right handed/right

corner up, left handed/left corner up

Looking Out For Lefties• Preventing the “hook”• Left corner of paper elevated, okay for student to have an exaggerated slant• Left handed writers will sometimes pull into their hand which causes them to write from right to left, this is okay to allow

Left handed• Slant left corner up• Okay to have

exaggerated slant

Right handed• slant right corner

up

Pencil GripDevelopmental sequence• Palmer 1- 2 years of age• Digital pronate- 2 to 3 years of

ageTransitional Grips• Static tripod- 3 ½ to 4 years of age• Dynamic or quadrupod - 4 ½ to 6 years of age

Efficient Writing Grips

Dynamic Tripod

Quadrupod

Adapted Tripod

Inefficient Grips

Correcting GripTwist N Write Pencil- Office Depot, Educate and Celebrate, Amazon

Jumbo Big Grip

Grips available at Educate and Celebrate or therapyshoppe.com

Handiwriter- therapy shoppe.com

Crossover

Grotto Claw Grip

Slant board• To decrease wrist

flexion• Visual difficulties

Developmental Sequence of Prewriting

• Imitation-vertical, horizontal, circle• Copying ~ 2yr.10mo. vertical ~ 3 horizontal and circle ~ 4 to 4 yr. 11 mo. cross, diagonals, and X ~ 5 yrs. 3 mo. triangle (Beery-Buktenica

Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration)

Developmental Approach to Handwriting

• Handwriting Without Tears® L F E H I – Verticals and horizontals U C O Q G S J D P B- lines and

curves R K A V M N W X Y Z- diagonals Uses a sensory motor approach

Promoting Development of Fine-

Motor Skills• Sensory motor approach• Whole arm to promote motor planning-air

writing• Wet sponge• Strengthening- incorporate pinching

activities: clothes pins, strawberry hullers for sorting small objects, cutting play-dough snakes, poker chip or bingo chip activities• Parents- encourage wheel barrel walking with

their child (fingers facing forward)

Promoting Proper Stroke, Number and Letter

Formation• Model sound handwriting

behaviors• Reading and writing follow the

same basic patterns - top to bottom, left to right

• Orally describe the pattern when introducing and practicing letter formation (big line, little line, big curve, little curve)

Promoting Proper Formation

• Stress correct starting point and formation of letters i.e. large writing on chalkboard, wet-dry-try, etc.

• Make sure the tool size is proportional to the hand size

• Forget the dot-to-dot use whole strokes when practicing writing

Wet Dry Try

Adult writes letterStudent erases with wet sponge, dries, and then writes

Ideas for fine-motor centers

Teach letter sequencing and letter sounds with this poker chip alphabet sequencing activity and Leap Frog Fridge Phonics

Filo from Beyond Play $25.

Lakeshore products $60

Lakeshore Products Alphabet Rubbing Plates $19.95

HWTs Products

HWTs Square Block Paper

Integrating Handwriting and Reading Programs

Option 1: Separate the handwriting and reading sequence (remind students when letters and sounds have been previously taught)Option 2: Integrate the handwriting and reading sequence (when introducing letter

formation also introduce the sound/s and when introducing letter sounds use direct instruction for learn letter formation)Option 3: Follow the reading sequence when

introducing letter names and formation (Leanne Meisinger/Learning Specialist CCPS)

When teaching handwriting keep in mind the basic principles of UDL and the four major channels of learning:• Visual learners learn through seeing.• Auditory learners prefer to listen• Tactile learners like to use their fine-motor

skills when learning• Kinesthetic learners need to use their bodies

in the learning process. They need to “do”. They are hands-on learners.

http://www.cast.org/udl/

Resources• Amazon.com• Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration 6th

Ed.• Beyond Play- Products for Early Childhood and Special Needs

(beyondplay.com)• ccpsatot.wikispaces.com• Educate and Celebrate (http://www.learning-experts.com)• Handwriting Without Tears (hwtears.com)• Lakeshore Learning Materials (lakeshorelearning.com)• Leap Frog Products• Office Depot• Meisinger, Leanne /Learning Specialist CCPS• Therapyshoppe.com• UDL Principles (http://www.cast.org/udl/)