Handwriting
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Handwriting
I am looking for any suggestions on how to help our son improve his handwriting. I hadn't realised until recently just how untidy it has become. Compared with a year ago when it was perfectly acceptable and legible, it is now untidy, with badly-formed letters that don't sit on the line, different-sized letters and it is sometimes illegible. Not sure when it began going wrong but I am guilty of taking my eye off things having just finished with the dreaded 11+.
He writes at school with an ink pen; he tells me that his teacher has commented on his writing & says he must work on it. At home we have tried both ink pens and hanndwriting pens, favours neither. Has anyone else had this problem? Any help would be greatly appreciated. PS Love this site - am a HUGE fan and visit daily.
He writes at school with an ink pen; he tells me that his teacher has commented on his writing & says he must work on it. At home we have tried both ink pens and hanndwriting pens, favours neither. Has anyone else had this problem? Any help would be greatly appreciated. PS Love this site - am a HUGE fan and visit daily.
As in anything, practice is the key. Buy a handwriting exercise book from Smith's--about 60p. The school should be able to provide you with a sheet on which is written the correct way to form all letters. That would be your first port of call--see if he is forming each letter properly by watching him as he forms them. Then fifteen minutes a day copying out common letter formation eg. the, che etc. should do the trick.
I also decided to do a handwriting blitz on my son before he entered secondary and it was largely successful. In fact, I did the same thing a year later on spelling because that was showing no sign of improving.
Hope this helps.
I also decided to do a handwriting blitz on my son before he entered secondary and it was largely successful. In fact, I did the same thing a year later on spelling because that was showing no sign of improving.
Hope this helps.
Does your son rush his writing? If he does,tell him to slow down a touch.
I had the same trouble with my son,who is now in year 7..I too dreaded him doing the 11+,but he still passed!!!
They never let him use a pen in primary school because of his handwriting,but he now fairs a little better with a pen. I still have to tell him to slow down though. My 8 year old has great handwriting,so i think it is just the child. I know that his handwriting is unique,even though its not the best sometimes. Handwriting changes as we get older,so i think there is some hope. Yes, get your son to practice,that may help. And good luck with the 11+
I had the same trouble with my son,who is now in year 7..I too dreaded him doing the 11+,but he still passed!!!
They never let him use a pen in primary school because of his handwriting,but he now fairs a little better with a pen. I still have to tell him to slow down though. My 8 year old has great handwriting,so i think it is just the child. I know that his handwriting is unique,even though its not the best sometimes. Handwriting changes as we get older,so i think there is some hope. Yes, get your son to practice,that may help. And good luck with the 11+
You can get right and left handed pens. I think they are made by Stabilo. You can get them in WHSmiths and they are not that expensive.
Slowing down is the key.
To help his pen control get a book of mazes and make sure that he stays within the line. I have used them often with children who have fine motor skill difficulty and it really does help.
My son has appalling handwriting too!
Slowing down is the key.
To help his pen control get a book of mazes and make sure that he stays within the line. I have used them often with children who have fine motor skill difficulty and it really does help.
My son has appalling handwriting too!
While we are on the subject of left and right handed children. Always make sure your LEFT handed child sits on the LEFT of a 2 person desk! So many teachers miss this problem.
If the child sits on the right, the left hand/arm is encroaching on the child sitting next to them. This causes arguments on personal space, the left handed child then 'pulls' his/her arm towards his/her body.....causing a change in the way the child writes...
Patricia
If the child sits on the right, the left hand/arm is encroaching on the child sitting next to them. This causes arguments on personal space, the left handed child then 'pulls' his/her arm towards his/her body.....causing a change in the way the child writes...
Patricia
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My son (left handed) used to have horrendous writing and it was muted that he might need to use a computer for all his writing topics. It was suggested that he might benefit from using a 'yoropen'. It is said that the design of the pen/pencil helps with positioning and allows the writer to see more easily the words they are writing. This did help my son....now he uses a normal pen and has very legible writing (if a bit small) The expectation from his teachers as to the standard he should achieve also helped as he will 'get away' with what he can.
Hi all
My son also has poor handwriting - mostly due to writing too quickly. He can produce lovely, neat writing when writing a birthday card or something he takes care of, but his school work if generally untidy. He has recently swapped to a roller ball, rather than a fountain pen, and his handwriting has improved a little.
In the school where I work they provide handwriting pens with a triangular-type grip for the poorer handwriters to try and encourage the correct grip. Perhaps you could try one of those - they are freely available in the shops.
My son also has poor handwriting - mostly due to writing too quickly. He can produce lovely, neat writing when writing a birthday card or something he takes care of, but his school work if generally untidy. He has recently swapped to a roller ball, rather than a fountain pen, and his handwriting has improved a little.
In the school where I work they provide handwriting pens with a triangular-type grip for the poorer handwriters to try and encourage the correct grip. Perhaps you could try one of those - they are freely available in the shops.