| Insecure and/or immature pencil grasp |
- Hand strength/control
- Shoulder/wrist stability
|
- provide short, broken crayons (approximately 1”) when coloring and writing; OR, provide short pieces of chalk (1”) for use on a chalkboard;
- provide thick markers and primary pencils, then mold child’s fingers on pencil with correct grip (monitor to be sure child does not revert to immature grasp);
- provide verbal cue, “Pinch, Pinch”;
- support a proper grasp:
- make sure the child pinches the writing tool towards the end. For visual support, the wavy lines are on the wrapper is best;
- try to have the child rest the writing tool on the middle finger, but resting on the ring finger is ok, too;
- the end of the writing tool points back towards the shoulder of the writing hand;
- look to see that they have a big, open web space like in the picture; the non-dominant hand should be firm on the paper to hold the paper.
- see Handwriting Readiness for information on pencil grips; and/or,
- use small item held in ring and pinky to allow only three fingers on pencil.
|
| Grasps pencil too tightly |
- Hand awareness
- Graded movements
|
- see Handwriting Readiness for information on pencil grips; and/or,
- wrap modeling clay around pencil and have child lightly grip without smashing.
|
| Grasps pencil too loosely |
- Hand Strength/control
- Shoulder/wrist stability
- Hand awareness
|
|
| Presses pencil too hard on paper |
Hand awareness |
- use cardboard, under paper (helps the child learn that the pencil pokes through the paper if they press too hard);
- write on tissue paper or paper towels which require lighter touch;
- watercolor painting with small paintbrush; and/or,
- mechanical pencil.
|
| Presses too lightly on paper |
Hand strength |
- Refer to Suggested Activities for activities to improve hand strength.
- use #4 pencils (softer lead);
- use #1 pencils (softer lead).
- provide verbal cues, such as “use superhuman strength”; and/or,
- markers, sparingly.
|
| Writing with whole arm |
Fine motor skills |
- have child rest forearm on desk during writing;
- coloring/tracing activities; and/or,
- fine motor activities to activate.
|
| Difficulty learning line orientation |
- Fine motor skills
- Visual spatial skills
- Sensory Processing
|
- try a variety of papers, but always use paper with a middle, dotted line;
- multi-Sensory Learning Strategies:
-
visual cues: use color cues (different color lines) on lines (i.e.: top line has sun, bottom line has grass, Cat-in-the Hat paper);
-
verbal cues: “bump the lines,” “letter goes into the basement,” or “go below the line.”;
-
kinesthetic: act out the letters “tall letter, middle letter, hangs down letter,” stencil on Magna-Doodle; and/or
-
tactile: tracing with fingers, raised-line paper. Use laminated paper with Wikki Stix on the lines.
|
| Letter reversals |
- Visual perceptual skills
- Directionality
- Crossing midline
|
- systematic teaching of handwriting in developmental sequence;
- activities for right/left discrimination;
- monitor for top to bottom formations and if the child is struggling, provide more opportunities for practice in small groups;
- kinesthetic large writing; and/or,
- crossing midline activities
|
| Bottom up letter formation |
Visual-perceptual-motor skills |
- often a hard habit to break once started;
- multi-sensory strategies to teach top to bottom formation; and/or,
- large writing on chalkboard and/or easel to over teach proper letter formation.
|
| Slouches over desk when writing |
General postural control |
|
| Left hand hook |
Hand position |
- use slant board or 3 to 4” three ring binder for wrist stability;
- vertical surfaces for writing; and/or,
- have visual model of letters/words on the right side of the paper for child to see.
|