11 Plus Exams Forum

Any idea for motivating handwriting practice. A year 4 boy very messy hard to read writing but content good.

Have you tried the triangular pens/ pencils?

I would definitely sugget one of those stabilo handwriting pens.

Thingsbehindthesun wrote:I would definitely sugget one of those stabilo handwriting pens.

they are excellent, and come in left and right handed

My DDs both ditched the Stabilo (slightly small an fiddly) ones for Pelikan's version (griffix- I think they are called), these are a bit bigger/sturdier (especially important for my little left-hander) - and come with little gibbit-like thingies

Also you could try a lined guide mat, that shows your child how to position his paper/book at a slight angle, which will help his letters all go in the same direction. Look up "lefthanded children" (mat has right hand guide on one side and left hand on other) - The website also used to have the mat availabe to download for free, so if you can print A3 size you can try printing one and see if it is any good.

pist

EDIT: PS annoyingly, both the Stabilo + Pelikan pens have lids that do NOT fit on "the back" of the pens whilst writing. Although, amazingly, 2 kids have only lost 1 lid in the past 3 years (quickly touching wood!)

Just to add another slant to this , my DS2 ( year5 ) handwriting isn't that bad, but at a recent open day at the school I was horrified to note that the childrens essays had all been pinned up on the wall with my sons offering looking like it had been written by a 3 year old. What was worse another parent ( my nemesis, in fact ) pointed it out to me.However when I asked his teacher she said she hadn't interfered with his writing because the content he was putting down was so good, and was a level 4 when he was only 3b at the end of the summer term.I seem to remember DS1 writing improved dramatically once he seemed able to get all his great thoughts down and in a tidy manner.Perhaps that is also the same with your son?

scarlett wrote:Just to add another slant to this , my DS2 ( year5 ) handwriting isn't that bad, but at a recent open day at the school I was horrified to note that the childrens essays had all been pinned up on the wall with my sons offering looking like it had been written by a 3 year old. What was worse another parent ( my nemesis, in fact ) pointed it out to me.However when I asked his teacher she said she hadn't interfered with his writing because the content he was putting down was so good, and was a level 4 when he was only 3b at the end of the summer term.I seem to remember DS1 writing improved dramatically once he seemed able to get all his great thoughts down and in a tidy manner.Perhaps that is also the same with your son?

Hear Hear, content over presentation any day! And yr 4 is still quite young.

Our daughters' school does spellings on a handwriting practice sheet, that might be an idea if you wan't to add a little practice without too much extra work.

Perhaps he will be a doctor when he grows up!

My Dads handwriting is a real scrawl and he always feels some people just don't have the ability to write neatly ( he would say that ! ) but he was at school in the times when scruffy handwriting was really frowned upon and had all kinds of extra handwriting lessons etc...it didn't seem to help one jot. He often announces that doctors, scientists , himself , just are too intelligent to worry about the presentation of their writing.

I was going to suggest getting him a book about applying to medical school

I know it is a stereotype when I am writing in hospital notes, I do try really hard (fountain pen, don't hurry, stick to the lines dot i's and cross t's) but it still looks awful - and what's more all the other ghastly handwriting I see in the notes is from other doctors!!! The nurses / OTs / physios etc seem to be able to write really neatly!