Handwriting Terrible 10yo

cars701

Hi All

My son, age 10 (4th Class), has terrible handwriting. I have spoken to his teacher and I am getting him to do one page a night from a 2nd Class handwriting workbook as well as his other homework. Would greatly appreciate any comments / suggestions to try and help him improve. Has anyone else had this problem ? Thanks in advance.

byhookorbycrook

How are his gross and fine motor skills?Unless both are good, a handwriting book won't be much use.

E.T.

As byhookorbycrook says above, if there are any weaknesses with motor skills then just doing more work in a book won't be of great benefit. With infants a lot of the work we do is based on trying to increase fine and gross motor skills before beginning any writing activities formally. This includes toys like jigsaws, pegboards, marla, threading buttons, beads etc.

I find more and more children have little to no experience with anything like this, and it's getting more and more common. Some of them have never used a scissors, buttoned/zipped their own cardigans/coats etc. If children don't have a proper foundation in these skills, and build up the strength, then it's very difficult for them to have the control and stamina for any kind of extended writing, as would be expected from a ten year old.

cars701

Thanks byhookorbycrook and ET; I don't really know how to assess his fine or gross motor skills; he appears to hold the pencil correctly and can trace letters in the handwriting copybook fine. Although sometimes I notice he holds the pencil lightly and writes lightly on the paper.

E.T.

This link shows correct and incorrect pencil grip, it might be worth a look to check out your son's grip.

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:eYrgagx1V7kJ:www.thepencilgrip.com/media/File/43:06_CHART.pdf+&hl=en&gl=ie&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEEShfdQV4HEFZr1a80PAMEBunkBaqexz-QzYj1hOZLF9Q215NZvLwbPfEHYx56oOSMA7nv-mQsTrU3pJgdOxr4wt7uJ9b7iQF-KiQtNCFTbe2cKKBiaVgZ5tFEdJK0Cg-exWmL6z_&sig=AHIEtbR2ZwHEZEANTMHQN8P4iznBSnJt0Q

Hi cars701, Fine motor skills are the smaller movements using smaller muscles eg fingers. Gross motor skills refer to larger movements and muscles, but they're also involved in the smaller movements at times. Some children might have trouble writing because of weak finger muscles, but trouble with muscles in the shoulders can also contribute too.

One exercise that I've seen recommended a number of times by an Occupational Therapist is to draw or write on a surface attached to a wall eg whiteboard in school. Parents have bought small whiteboards or blackboards, or just blu-tacked pages to a wall. This helps strengthen shoulder muscles that are involved in writing and has definitely helped children I've taught.

Jigsaws are a great activity for any child, of any age and marla is brilliant for strengthening fingers. I recommend these toys even if your child isn't having any trouble with fine motor skills, they're fantastic for so many other reasons like concentration, imagination, patience, co-ordination!

There's some good advice about motor skills on these links.

http://www.squidoo.com/helping-children-develop-strong-fine-motor-skills#module156470727

http://www.ot-mom-learning-activities.com/fine-motor-activities.html

byhookorbycrook

http://collingswood.enschool.org/ourpages/auto/2009/10/5/48130571/Occupational%20Therapy%20Resources.pdf

Might be worth having a look here.

yoda2001

My child has always had a great pencil grip (unlike her older left-handed brother). I was so disappointed when she started writing. Following a visit to an occupational therapist it turns out that she has very poor strength in her shoulders. We were given exercises like wheelbarrow racing, frog jumps, crab walking - difficult to explain these but they all involve taking weight on the arms.

cars701

Thanks all for your very helpful comments and links. Have looked at all links and taken on board info. He's progressing very slowly at the moment but I can see a slight improvement. Thanks a mill everyone. C