SPECIALIZED INSTRUCTION IN WRITTEN EXPRESSION: HANDWRITING

ObjectivesParticipants will be able

to orally explain best practice instructional strategies that support handwriting development and be able to explain the roles of keyboarding and handwriting using academic vocabulary after

-Academic review of handwriting research using visuals

Handwriting Basics

Research

When students automatism correct letter formation early in writing development, their spelling skills are likely ot be stronger

-Beringer and Wolf ,2009; Graham, 1999;

Graham, Beringer, Abbott, Abott and Whitaker 1997

Dysgraphia

A specific learning disability that affects the production of handwritingBoys struggle more that girls

Can have normal cognitive skills

Lack of instruction is not dysgraphia

Visual-Spatial Processing Visual Spatial

• Form mental images of observed objects

• Observe fine details of fine objects • Make connections between real objects and drawings, photographs

and media images • Storage and retrieval of mental

images• Communicating descriptions of

previously perceived objects • Visualize objects based on verbal

descriptions

Motor Planning

The process of taking in sensory information about one's environment as well as one's own place in space, movement, force, and so on in order to successfully imagine and complete a motoric task

John Olsen in First Grade

John Olsen After a Few Weeks

Posture and Pencil Grip

Handwriting Principles

Clear the desk of books and materials not needed

Hips against the back of the chair, feet flat on floor, back straight, head high Forearms on the desk

with elbow are off the edge

Wrist should be straight and whole hand is below the base line

The hand that does not write holds the paper

Handwriting lessons should never be on the floor or standing

The Correct Grip

Tripod Grip

Quadropod Grip

Writing Tool Size

Type of Handwriting System

Type of handwriting system

Print to Cursive – Keep it Simple, Keep it Familiar

Handwriting Without Tears

Other Method

Scope and Sequence

Upper Vs Lower Case

Bb

Capitals with Letter Cards

Let’s Do the Math

Developmental Order of Teaching Capitals

• Some have more than one diagonal stroke

• Some can be reversed• Some change direction during the

stroke

Some Capitals Are Easier than Others:

2-3 year olds

3-4 year olds

4-6 year olds

Capitol Clock Letters

C G O Q S

C G

Capitol Begins with a Line

A B D E F H IJ K L M N P RTUY

Capitol Begins with a diagonal line

V W X Z

Lower Case Clock Letters

a c d f g o s qu a d

Lower Case Begin with lines

b e h j m n p r u yb m

1, 2 or 3 Lines?

Handwriting Principles

Teach the labels to the handwriting grid

I prefer more technical terms… top, middle, bottom, under the bottom along with mnemonics

The clock mnemonic might be helpful

Top

Middle

Bottom

Under

Handwriting Principles

10

2

44

8

2

10

8

Do You See the Problem?The More You Do, The Worse You Get Phenomena!

HWT Double Lines

Take a look at space…

Why Double Lines?Because double lines help children develop an innate sense of letter size and placement. Double lines make all lines easy!

Why Double Lines Work

the b d reversal issue

b db d

Keyboarding- qwerty

Why do we use a qwertykeybaord?

Keyboard VS Handwriting

Designed for adult hands

Designed to slow down typing

Must be taught for efficiency

Best used after 7th grade

Uses motor memory to develop spelling skills (say sound while writing)

PK-6th grade will write more words by hand then type

Keyboarding Handwriting

Beringer and Wolf