A group designed for children who need help with handwriting as well as children

who want to strengthen their handwriting skills. Handy Handwriter Group will combine

sensory based activities, The Handwriting Without Tears® theory and

fine motor skill development for improved handwriting. 

Ages 3-10 (groups will be organized based on skill level)

If you have noticed any of the following with your child, then this group is perfect for them.

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During writing tasks does your child?:

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•  Not want to write, give up or losing motivation quickly

•  Become easily frustrated

•  Struggle with manipulating objects to match patterns/ shapes

•  Struggle with forming letters and shapes correctly

•  Lock their elbows into their side or push against their body for support while cutting or
   manipulating objects

•  Squirm on their chair, kneeling or standing, fall off chair

•  Complete table top tasks incorrectly or at a slow pace
   

This group will be fun and interactive. The children will engage in activities that will support their development and mastering of foundational skills needed for the task of handwriting. Handwriting Without Tears curriculum and beliefs will be incorporated.

 

• Gross motor and sensory play time to help “warm up” gross motor muscles

• Sensory and fine motor games to improve hand strength, finger manipulation and other underlying
  components of fine motor skills

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Our experienced Occupational Therapist will perform an initial assessment of each child’s writing.  Children will be grouped based on age and caregiver input.

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Some of the processes necessary for handwriting include:

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• sensory processing

• sensory modulation/attention

• visual perception

• visual motor skills

• gross motor and core strength

• fine motor grasp/prehension

• hand strength/manual dexterity

• tool use

• sizing

• spacing

• formation

• directionality

• sequencing skills

• recall

• letter recognition

• lines

• core strength/seated posture

• paper position

• tracing and copying

 

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IS A HANDWRITING SUPPORT APPROPRIATE FOR YOUR CHILD?
 

• Forward or backward, sloped leaning posture-
  Does your fall off their chair a lot? Does your child support their head with their hand when they are writing?
   

• Poor or abnormal pencil grip-
  Does your child hold their marker likes it’s a hammer? Does your child hold their pencil like it is a feather? Does your child not want to hold a pencil?
   

• Difficulty understanding concepts of shape, size and form-
  Does your child not use the whole page when writing? Does your child use only a small portion of the page when writing? Does your child’s words run together or off the page?
   

• Struggles to paint or draw at a level similar to classmates-
  Does your child have no interest in writing or coloring? Does your child only scribble briefly?
   

• Has increased pressure when writing, drawing or painting-
  Does your child’s paint brush bristles bend/break off? Does your child break pencil points and crayons from pushing too hard?
   

• Has decreased pressure when writing, drawing or painting-
  Does your child hold their pencil very lightly? Do letters come out very light on paper?
   

• Writing is painful, slow or looks labored-
  Does your child avoid table time/writing activities?
   

• Difficulty forming letters correctly-
  Does your child form letters backwards? Does your child write too small or too large?
   

• Difficulty copying patterns-
  Does your child copy shapes in the wrong position/upside down?
   

• Messy coloring-
  Does your child have a hard time coloring within boundaries?

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If you answered YES to any of the above questions, our handwriting sessions are for you!

 

Session Format and Sample Activities

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1. Gross Motor Warm-up Activities 
    

   • Do jumping jacks

   • Do crab walk

   • Perform push ups on floor

   • Chair push-ups

     1. Seated student places hands on either side of chair next to thighs.

     2. Straightens arms and lifts bottom off the chair

   • Balance on one leg with eyes closed

   • Walk toe-to-heel on a masking tape line on the floor
      

2. Fine Motor/Sensory Warm-up Activities 
    

   • Rub hands together

   • Squeeze tennis balls

   • Rub hands in circles on the carpet

   • Play with Wikki Stix

   • Build with small Lego blocks

   • String small beads

   • Roll clay between fingers

   • "Walk" fingers up and down the pencil
      

3. Handwriting without Tears ® foundation teaching points:
    

4. Writing Introduction 
       Write on board (white or chalk) while wearing wrist weights.
       Write on another student's back and have him or her guess the letter.

   • Color change markers

   • Scented markers

   • Magna Doodle™

   • Battery-operated pens

   • Paint Chalk on sidewalk

   • Finger paint

   • Pudding, shaving cream

   • Clay tray,salt, rice, gel bags, or sand tray
      

5. Semi-independent Practice 

   • Students write in their handwriting journal
      

6. Independent Practice
    

7. Additional Activities

   • Writing for a purpose (i.e., make holiday cards, cards for the ill (Joan's Monarch Wishes) or write thank-you notes)

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WHY THE HANDWRITING WITHOUT TEARS ® CURRICULUM WORKS:

 

Developmentally Appropriate

• Developmentally appropriate lessons promote quick success.

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It draws from years of innovation and research to provide developmentally appropriate,

• The program follows research of how children learn best and includes materials that address all styles of learning.

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Multisensory strategies for early writing.

• Multisensory teaching addresses all learning styles.

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Unique Letter Order

• Innovative letter order promotes easy learning.

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Physical Approach

• Unique physical approach builds good writing habits

 

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