My 5, soon to be 6 y/o is struggling with writing and cutting. I am struggling with trying to figure out how to improve these skills. Does anyone know of a good book? Hand Writing Without Tears is for what age? Does anyone use this with a child this young? What are you doing with our Kinder? How much seat work do you do? I am still stuck in that school frame of mind. I just keep thinking I am not doing enough. :shock:
My son, now 7, struggled (and to some degree still does) with both handwriting and cutting. I've never used handwriting without tears. What I DID do in kinder and in 1st (a little less this year b/c he's in 2nd) is that his handwriting sheets were ALL trace. I used www.handwritingforkids.com (free for manuscript worksheets). Forcing him to trace, I think, forced him to focus attention on those muscles precisely in his hand. (Force sounds like such an awful word, it's not like I sat on him - okay, not often anyway!). This year, I'm using Horizon's penmenship and he's doing very well. There seems to be the right combination of tracing, free writing for him. His handwriting has improved dramatically this school year. And his cutting is getting better as a result of better muscle control in his hands. Hope this helps! OH...for the worksheets, i used their sheets AND I used their manuscript page creator thing and would type something meaningful to him to trace. Like his name and address, or phone number, a verse we were learning, a poem we were learning, stuff like that. Random usually. For my oldest I had done this as well, but I used the handwriting generator from www.edhelper.com, it USED to be free, but I'm a member now and don't know if it still is free or if I get it b/c I'm a member. With my oldest I actually did a journal sheet for each day. It always started out "My name is..., today is...(I'd inserte the day of the week and the full date). My address iss...my phone is..... And then a meaningful sentence about her day. This helped her learn all that important stuff like address, phone, etc. AND I have a chronicle of that year b/c she helped me write the last few sentences!
Kumon has a cute cutting book I bought for the little girl I babysit for because shes also having trouble with cutting. It has fun pictures with different lines/shapes to cut out and so far she loves it. I also do a lot of crafts with the kids involving cutting up old magazines and gluing things to paper. I use those dry eraser/wipe clean writing books (Priddy makes some that we have) to help my dd get better at writing. I've also been helping her write thank you cards for her Christmas presents...that way there's a *point* to her practicing her writing and not just tracing/copying.
I was going to suggest the Kumon cutting book, too. My boys (ages 4 and 7) are both using it right now and love it. I make them stop after one page a day or they would have it all done in one day. I have liked all the Kumon books I have used. I think the maze books have helped my oldest with his fine motor skills alot without him thinking it was writing practice. http://www.kumonbooks.com/catalog/catalog_workbooks-crafts.aspx
My son has some problems. I chalk it up to the fact that he's only just turned 7 and he's just not ready developmentally but in the meantime hedoes mazes, dot-to-dots and some tracing exercises. Nothing formal or forced, just odd stuff.
We essentially unschool at the K & 1 level. My DD is just now in 2nd grade and we are starting very lightly on the schoolwork. My 5 yo son has very messy handwriting and never writes on the lines (and rarely on lined paper) - but he loves to write and is at it all the time. Periodically I'll comment that he has this letter flipped around, but since he also gets a lot of exposure to books and being read to, I figure he'll self-correct. In fact, that's what we did with my 7 yo and she has self-corrected and loves to write. I'm not a big fan of seat work at young ages, but that's just my educational perspective. Take from it what you will! SG
I used Handwriting without Tears for my son who couldn't even hold the pencil properly when he started at age 5. It is a wonderful program. My son really enjoyed it and writes beautifully in cursive now at age 8.
I'm glad I opened this thread.I plan on using Handwriting Without Tears next year for my DDs.My oldest writes ok,for a kindergartener.She just wasn't happy with the handwriting program we used this year.Not enough repition for her.
Hi My son had hard time (and still does sometimes) with his fine motor skills. My son needed to work on strengthening his hand muscles. He didn't care for cut, paste and writing activities all the time, so we played games and did exercises with his hands/fingers. We played with clay and play-doh, picked up cotton balls and put them in a jar with a tweezers, practiced opening up clothespins and played the games Perfection and Lite Brite. Also, I've heard this website gives some good ideas and worksheets http://www.kidzone.ws/kindergarten/index-begins2.htm http://www.kidzone.ws/prek_wrksht/cutpaste-seasons.htm
My son (6) also really struggles with fine motor stuff. He had an interview sheet to fill in this week. I offered to "take dictation," but he wanted to do it - it took nearly an HOUR for him to fill it in. I do what kbabe does - trace, trace, trace. He has "graduated" to trace, then write, trace again ,then write. I contasntly remind him of the "correct" way to form the letters, tell him we're teaching his muscles, and stress that it's not how many or how fast, but how well formed they are. For most things that are supposed to be written out, we use other alternatives: * spelling with blocks or foam letters * drawing * I write what he has to say - or his current favorite, I write lightly what he wants, then he traces it.
I have one suggestion for yoru age child... dot to dots and find a words! This takes focus and control and is fun so your child wont know that he is learning fine motor control at the same time!~
Here are some excerpts from an article I submitted to a homeschool magazine about our son. We had a similar problem and I had to do some research. This mostly applies to older kids, but you might find some use in it. My son has terrible handwriting. Not just bad printing, but poor cursive, poor numbers, and difficulty with drawing/cutting. He is 12, in 7th grade, left handed, and until just this past year, printed like a 2nd grader. We tried every program out there: Handwriting without Tears (we still had tears), Pentime, PACES. Nothing helped. this year in 7th grade, he needed to write a title for it at the top of the notebook paper. The title he came up with was: “The Water Project.” What he wrote on the top of his paper was: “th ewat erp rojec t.” Wikipedia says dysgraphia is “a deficiency in the ability to write, regardless of the ability to read, not due to intellectual impairment. People with dysgraphia usually can write on some level, but often lack co-ordination, and may find other fine motor tasks such as tying shoes difficult” The Learning Disabilities Association (LDA) (2009) lists “Signs and Symptoms”: • May have illegible printing and cursive writing (despite appropriate time and attention given the task) • Shows inconsistencies: mixtures of print and cursive, upper and lower case, or irregular sizes, shapes or slant of letters • Has unfinished words or letters, omitted words • Inconsistent spacing between words and letters • Exhibits strange wrist, body or paper position • Has difficulty pre-visualizing letter formation • Copying or writing is slow or labored • Shows poor spatial planning on paper • Has cramped or unusual grip/may complain of sore hand • Has great difficulty thinking and writing at the same time (taking notes, creative writing.) The LDA website also provided some strategies to help: • Suggest use of word processor • Avoid chastising student for sloppy, careless work • Use oral exams • Allow use of tape recorder for lectures • Allow the use of a note taker • Provide notes or outlines to reduce the amount of writing required • Reduce copying aspects of work (pre-printed math problems) • Allow use of wide rule paper and graph paper • Suggest use of pencil grips and /or specially designed writing aids • Provide alternatives to written assignments (video-taped reports, audio-taped reports) We still require our ds to use a penmanship workbook, but only 1-2 days a week. The other days we use Create-a-Sketch by Insight Technical Education, a simplified drafting workbook which allows our son to practice his writing skills, but not with writing. Earlier this year he needed to do a report on “Around the World in 80 Days,” and he used Microsoft PowerPoint to do it. I told him it had to include text, but he could play with the graphics element. What all this does is reduce the stress on the student - it is hard to focus on the project/writing at hand when they are focusing so much just on the technical aspect of writing/cutting. Good luck.
qwnny how does one over come this? I am a believer that most of our children's learning difficulties can be overcome with the right amount of work in the right away.. thats one reason I home school to help them overcome problems that our current government schools would single out and say Bad kid, We have one who writes messy, but is working on it cause his current lessons re online, we have one who hates to write but has beautiful printing and curssive... and one who is middling but writes caps and lower case "on accident". I have worked withthe one who writes sloppy and he has improved. The one who writes "accidental" is just lazy in his writing so I have worked with him and he is coming along. So what do you do with one who has the problem you are talking about ... it sounded to me like its an avoid the problem and make it easier for the child one?
TeacherMom-I know you asked gwenny, but I found this on a website about dysgraphia. What strategies can help? There are many ways to help a person with dysgraphia achieve success. Generally strategies fall into three categories: Accommodations: providing alternatives to written expression Modifications: changing expectations or tasks to minimize or avoid the area of weakness Remediation: providing instruction for improving handwriting and writing skills Each type of strategy should be considered when planning instruction and support. A person with dysgraphia will benefit from help from both specialists and those who are closest to the person. Finding the most beneficial type of support is a process of trying different ideas and openly exchanging thoughts on what works best. Below are some examples of how to teach individuals with dysgraphia to overcome some of their difficulties with written expression. Early Writers Use paper with raised lines for a sensory guide to staying within the lines. Try different pens and pencils to find one that's most comfortable. Practice writing letters and numbers in the air with big arm movements to improve motor memory of these important shapes. Also practice letters and numbers with smaller hand or finger motions. Encourage proper grip, posture and paper positioning for writing. It's important to reinforce this early as it's difficult for students to unlearn bad habits later on. Use multi-sensory techniques for learning letters, shapes and numbers. For example, speaking through motor sequences, such as "b" is "big stick down, circle away from my body." Introduce a word processor on a computer early; however do not eliminate handwriting for the child. While typing can make it easier to write by alleviating the frustration of forming letters, handwriting is a vital part of a person's ability to function in the world. Be patient and positive, encourage practice and praise effort — becoming a good writer takes time and practice. Young Students Allow use of print or cursive — whichever is more comfortable. Use large graph paper for math calculation to keep columns and rows organized. Allow extra time for writing assignments. Begin writing assignments creatively with drawing, or speaking ideas into a tape recorder Alternate focus of writing assignments — put the emphasis on some for neatness and spelling, others for grammar or organization of ideas. Explicitly teach different types of writing — expository and personal essays, short stories, poems, etc. Do not judge timed assignments on neatness and spelling. Have students proofread work after a delay — it's easier to see mistakes after a break. Help students create a checklist for editing work — spelling, neatness, grammar, syntax, clear progression of ideas, etc. Encourage use of a spell checker — speaking spell checkers are available for handwritten work Reduce amount of copying; instead, focus on writing original answers and ideas Have student complete tasks in small steps instead of all at once. Find alternative means of assessing knowledge, such as oral reports or visual projects Encourage practice through low-stress opportunities for writing such as letters, a diary, making household lists or keeping track of sports teams. Teenagers & Adults Provide tape recorders to supplement note taking and to prepare for writing assignments. Create a step-by-step plan that breaks writing assignments into small tasks (see below). When organizing writing projects, create a list of keywords that will be useful. Provide clear, constructive feedback on the quality of work, explaining both the strengths and weaknesses of the project, commenting on the structure as well as the information that is included. Use assistive technology such as voice-activated software if the mechanical aspects of writing remain a major hurdle. Many of these tips can be used by all age groups. It is never too early or too late to reinforce the skills needed to be a good writer. A person with dysgraphia will benefit from help from both specialists and those who are closest to the person. Though teachers and employers are required by law to make "reasonable accommodations" for individuals with learning disabilities, they may not be aware of how to help. Speak to them about dysgraphia, and explain the challenges you face as a result of your learning disability.
THanks! That gives me lots to work with! I have seen improvement over the years, my dh has poor writing and think that could be where it comes from but I am working ot have better writters in my youngest and oldest because he has noticed the dif. So these will give me great ideas ! THANKS SO MUCH ! I should mention that I had "mirror vision" as a child they never said anything tome about being a disablity they just taught me how to write it correctly, with patience and kindness, and I learned. Today they would have labled me and put me in special ed, I like how they did it in the past better! MY mom informed me when I had begun teaching Home school to my kids to watch for it and to just overcome it with them, thats how I learned why I had a problem with those certain things in writing haha!
I love that through homeschooling we can avoid lables for our children and give them the time they need to develop skills. Some children just don't develop fine motor skills until they are older. I would use the suggestions already mentioned and give it time.
I'm glad people found that site info. helpful. I stumbled upon it, so I figured I'd share. I'm pretty sure my son would have been labeled with dysgraphia or some sort of motor planning/perception problem if he would have stayed in school. In public school kindergarten they already wanted him tested for a learning disability because he had trouble with cutting, drawing and writing. Now that I'm homeschooling him I can work with his strengths to accomplish schoolwork, yet we still practice penmanship, drawing and cutting at our own pace.
