Posted on: 17/10/2020
Since children have returned to school, we’ve had our ears to the ground, listening for the things that teachers are telling us about the transition from home schooling back into the classroom. One of the things we’ve heard again and again is that children are struggling with their handwriting. This is hardly surprising given that weekly teacher-led practice sessions are unlikely to have happened as before, and the closure of playgrounds and pools will have interrupted the development of children’s gross and fine motor skills (plus, we all know what happens to children’s presentation when they think no-one is watching!).
We can probably all recall the feeling of post-summer holiday hand cramp. But for the youngest children who were yet to develop the muscle memory required to grip a pencil, put pressure on paper and form letters before lockdown, the break in practice is likely to have been most troublesome. Aside from formal handwriting practice, there are lots of things we can do, both in and out of the classroom to help plug the gap. Here are our top 9 suggestions:
1 - Writing on a vertical surface: think chalkboards, whiteboards, lining paper, even windows (appropriate pens only of course!). Vertical writing enables children to use bigger movements with their arms, helping to build strength and flexibility in the shoulders, upper arms and hands. Working upright also encourages natural wrist extension which benefits pencil grip when it comes to writing with a pencil on paper. Not only that, but it can help to develop core strength, spatial awareness, hand-eye coordination and will provide some much-needed fidget time for children who are simply not meant to be sat down all day!
2- Practice letter movements: learning the correct movements to form letters counts more than neatness in the early stages of handwriting. Children will get better at producing the correct letter shapes the more they can practice the movements required - and not just on paper. Get messy and interactive with shaving foam, jelly, sand, paint - really anything that will leave a trail behind a tiny finger - to trace letter shapes. Icing anyone?!
3 - Cross-lateral movements: getting children swinging and sliding, climbing and clambering all help build gross motor control, which in turn develops the core strength required to sit at a desk to write. In fact, any activity that promotes cross-lateral movements will benefit your child’s overall body strength. Involve children in cooking, shopping and cleaning and everyone’s a winner!
4 - The right tools: as adults we all have our favourite writing implements - that smooth pencil, or the pen that feels so nice on the paper? For children learning to handwrite, it’s the same. If your children prefer a felt pen to a ‘handwriting’ pen, or a coloured pencil over an HB, go with it. In fact, some pens billed as official handwriting pens can actually be more difficult for small hands to manipulate.
5 - Varied surfaces: it can be much more fun for children to write on different coloured or textured paper, rather than traditional handwriting lines (although these can help with sizing when children are ready). It may be easier for some to manipulate a pen or pencil over rougher surfaces and the variation is likely to improve engagement. Using a pencil grip may also help improve control.
6 - Sitting right: adopting the correct sitting position will improve control over the shoulders, arms and hands. Encourage children to sit up tall with both feet flat on the floor. If it helps, show children how to turn the paper at an angle so that they can steady the page with their non-dominant hand.
7 - Little and often: 5 minutes a day is better than slogging through 25 minutes of lesser quality practice. Could pencil control be built into the children’s role play time - taking an order, writing a prescription, noting down a shopping list? Get children involved in jobs that require writing, or include some writing in other lessons, for example recording times during a PE lesson.
8 - Puzzles and games: who doesn’t enjoy a good game of hangman, Pictionary or noughts and crosses? Just because children may not be writing actual letters, doesn’t mean games are any less valid. In fact, playing a quick game with a partner could meet points 1, 4, 5 and 7 on the list in one go!
9 - Get crafty: threading beads on to a string, cutting out shapes with scissors, cross-stitch, weaving, collaging, creating mosaic patterns…the opportunities are endless! Tasks which involve manipulating tools on a small scale can be excellent ways to develop fine motor control.
One of our favourite approaches is ‘teaching by stealth’ and, while this list is in no way exhaustive, disguising handwriting practice as something more fun may be just the ticket for getting children’s motor control back on track. So, dig out the shaving foam, raid the stationary cupboard, sit up straight (the children at least) and get creative with where to sneak in those opportunities across your day.
Posted in: Curriculum | Home Learning
