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1 Tips To Improve Handwriting

Children that write well perform better in school. Poor handwriting can lead to lower grades even if the content is good. Simple techniques like warming up muscles before writing, using vertical surfaces for activities, and proper positioning can significantly improve children's handwriting. The document provides specific exercises and positioning tips that teachers can easily implement to help develop handwriting skills.

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Carlo Precioso
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240 views1 page

1 Tips To Improve Handwriting

Children that write well perform better in school. Poor handwriting can lead to lower grades even if the content is good. Simple techniques like warming up muscles before writing, using vertical surfaces for activities, and proper positioning can significantly improve children's handwriting. The document provides specific exercises and positioning tips that teachers can easily implement to help develop handwriting skills.

Uploaded by

Carlo Precioso
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Quick Classroom Tips to Improve Handwriting

by Tara Calder, OTR/L

Children over age 5 spend most of the school day writing. Generally, children that write well perform
better in school. In fact, studies show that young children with poor handwriting skills produce shorter,
less complex written assignments than their classmates with good handwriting. The same studies
also note that when children improve their handwriting, they also improve the length and complexity
of their written assignments. Although teachers in older grades do not give a separate grade for
handwriting, poor handwriting can lead to lower grades on written work. When given two identical
papers, one written with good handwriting and one written with poor handwriting, people consistently
rate the messier papers lower in quality and content. Today’s classrooms are very busy places. It can
be hard to fit one more thing in your busy day. However, a few minor changes can make a big
difference. Here are some suggestions:

Warm Up
Many children need to warm up their hands and bodies prior to handwriting. Warming up prepares the
body and encourages the brain and muscles to work together as a team. A good warm-up only needs
to last 2–4 minutes. Do the following exercises for 30 to 60 seconds each:

• Jumping jacks
• Chair, desk, or wall push-ups
• Make tight fists, then open fingers wide
• Touch thumb to each finger

Vertical Surfaces
Coloring, painting, or drawing on an easel (or other vertical surface) develops the muscles used
during handwriting. Whenever possible, take painting, coloring, or drawing activities off the tabletop
and onto the wall or easel. This suggestion takes very little time but produces big results.
What Can Y
Do?
Positioning
Many children can complete legible writing assignments from almost any position.
However, for the child with poor handwriting, poor positioning just makes handwriting harder. For
proper positioning, follow these steps:

• Feet flat on the ground with ankles, knees, and hips bent at 90°. If needed, place a telephone book
under the child’s feet.
• Desk or table no higher than child’s elbow (when sitting).
• Tilt paper to the left for right-handed students.
• Tilt paper to the right for left-handed students.
• Use a 20° angled writing surface (such as a large three ring binder or slant board).
• Hold the pencil in the pads of the index finger and thumb. Rest the pencil on the side of the middle
finger. Small changes in your classroom and daily routine can make big changes in a child’s
handwriting. If you still have concerns about a student’s handwriting, contact your school’s
occupational therapist for further suggestions.

PRECIOUS CHILD LEARNING CENTER


Handy Handouts - #1

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