Poor handwriting is a major
barrier for life.

Many children try very hard
to make the characters
to their parents' satisfaction.

It's usually not enough.

Some students take several hours
to write their homework.

Why?
--------------------

REASONS FOR
POOR HANDWRITING

A negative response
to constructive criticism
in toddler and preschool years.

"Color between the lines"
and other disparaging remarks
limit necessary practices.

Children also have poor handwriting
because of:

Limited practice

Competing activities

Television and computer games.

Lack of handwriting success
causes writing avoidance.

Competing verbal time
limits writing practice.
----------------

OUR RESULTS:

All our students
make major improvements
in their handwriting skills.

How?

Handwriting is taught
with high speed note taking
copying and tracing practices.
----------------


COMMON PROBLEM
WRITING AVOIDANCE

Early attempts to write are
a painful experience.

Children have unpleasant reactions
to constructive criticism.

Writing becomes associated
with embarrassing experiences.

Avoidance is usually a reaction
to previous:

Constructive criticism
Public putdowns
Feelings of inadequacy
Unable to please parents
Low self-esteem
Low self-concept.
Apologizing for handwriting.

Writing quality is easily measured.

Students know this
and are unlikely to try properly.

There is an absence of reward.

Writing behavior
is unlikely to be repeated.
---------------------


SPEED HELPS

High speed interaction
limits time required
for homework.

30 word per minute rate
1800 words per hour.

15 words per minute
900 words per hour

10 words per minute
600 words per hour
-------------------

CAUSES OF POOR HANDWRITING Students that attempt to write earn a lot of criticism from parents and peers. Correcting their errors is criticism. SELF CORRECTION AVOIDS DESTRUCTIVE CRITICISM Tracing and copying gives the child immediate feedback rather than "helpful criticism." Students correct most errors as they make them. Self-correction develops critical thinking skills. The child will eventually make the right decisions without parental help. -----------------

HIGH SPEED WORKS BETTER

Slow practices allow too much time
for the student
to be self critical.

Intermittent practices
allow intermittent progress
or no progress.

The child needs to see
a solution within months not years.

Problems go away quickly
after daily hours
of high speed practices.
---------------------

DEFINITIONS


Print - letters are separated
Cursive - letters joined together
-------------------

CONTEXT LEARNING

Tracing of phrases or sentences
rather than word by word
or letter by letter.
----------------------------

PRINTING OR CURSIVE?

Printing practice helps the student
match the letters
in printed materials.

Learning cursive is helpful for speed.

Students almost always write faster
if they can write cursive.

Cursive word counts
are consistently higher.

Why?

A.
The pen doesn't have to
leave the paper as much.

A.
It may be easier
to establish a rhythm.
-------------------


CURSIVE PHRASES

We print some
of the meaning phrase books
with a cursive style.

We mix both styles in the drills
until the cursive habit is learned.

Students usually choose cursive
once they find it is faster
for them.

Stop using our cursive
books when adequate
cursive writing style is learned.
---------------------


TYPING SIZE PROBLEM

Tracing in other printed books
can be difficult.

Less than 14 point type
is too small to easily trace
or read.


SOLUTION

Larger type helps
easy recognition
for easy tracing.

We use 16 point bold.

PROBLEM

Most handwriting practice texts
are not very interesting.

SOLUTION

Clustered meaning phrases
add interest
while learning handwriting.

Most students will go along
with the class
and even enjoy
the timed speed drills.

Students like the winning.

No teacher criticism is allowed.
--------------------


PROBLEM

Word processing on computers
has replaced many forms
of handwriting.

High speed writing
is essential for note taking.

We need to take notes
to remember.

A computer
is not always available.

Hand-held computer note-taking
is too slow.

Palm pilots require users
to learn different
slow printing styles.
---------------


QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Q.
Ability too low?

A.
Unlikely.

Even developmental lag students
seldom need dot to dot pictures.

Enlarged letters work well.

SERIFS OR NOT?

A.
Printed letters mean the same
with or without serifs.

You could choose
to start without serifs.

The child's mind
will quickly recognize
that each style
means the same thing.

The child is simply told
they don't have
to trace or copy the serifs.
------------------


COORDINATION PROBLEMS?

Early writing failures
might have been exacerbated
by a slight developmental delay
of coordination skills.

The good news.

With proper practices
most coordination problems disappear
before kindergarten.

The bad news.

The psychological reaction
to early criticisms
usually lasts forever.
-------------------


LABELED A 504 DISABILITY

Some 504 students need to spend
a short amount of time
working on large motor skills.

Few of our students continue
to be dyslexic or dysgraphic.

Why?

A.
The real problem is most likely
a child's response
to early parental dismay
and constructive criticism.

This can be corrected
in our classrooms
with parental cooperation.

How?

A.
Many successes followed by
encouraging reinforcers.

Short phrases eliminate
wide line tracking failures.

A.
Pages are easily enlarged
if student needs
large motor practices.

A.
Auditory input
gets the student used
to paying attention.
--------------------