• Handwriting Practice

                                        Handwriting progresses from imitation to copying to independence.              

                                Good habits and handwriting fluency (automaticity and speed) promote good writers!

                                         To develop fluency and muscle memory, children need practice- lots of it!

    Teacher/parent guided lessons- letter forms should be supervised and step by step instruction provided (across grade levels) to make sure proper formation is used.  Young children need to focus on letter formation (how the letters are formed, step by step, to prevent bad habits from developing. 

                                       Try practicing in some form about 5 times per week for 10-15 minutes. 

                                         Vary the activity to keep it fun. Below are some suggestions:

     1- Rainbow writing - trace letters in multiple colors 

     

     

     

    2-  Tracing pages- make sure letters begin at the proper location (i.e. “at the top” for all capitals).

    3 - Air writing - Children air write -whole arm- while saying what they are doing!

    4- “Wet- Dry -Try”-  use  chalk boards- write a letter, erase with a 1/2 inch piece of a wet sponge, then dry with a cotton ball ( letter form is practiced 3 times). See link under Website Links- handwriting or here:  https://youtu.be/uuYGmB75ue4  

     

     

    5- Dry erase boards- write and erase using appropriate letter formation 

    6- Sand paper letters:

                                                  Write letters on various sandpaper grits  -    use colored pencils   -    Provides lots of feedback                                                

                     See my weblink under Handwriting or click here:

        https://www.theottoolbox.com/sandpaper-letter-formation-trick/ 

     

    7- Form letters in salt, shaving cream, paint, sand, on carpet squares, paint with water 

    8- Play games - “draw” letters on one another's backs and guess the letter; hangman, letter bingo, cryptograms, etc.

     

        DO NOT PRACTICE LETTERS WHILE GENERATING THOUGHTS OR IDEAS SUCH AS FORMING SENTENCES OR WRITNG A PARAGRAPH UNTIL LETTERS ARE FORMED QUICKLY AND CORRECTLY