Tips For Making Handwriting Fun!

Here are some great tips from a HomeSchool mom shares how she makes practicing handwriting fun!

http://www.whatdowedoallday.com/2016/02/ways-to-make-handwriting-practice-fun.html

A New Script for Teaching Handwriting by the Washington Post

Over the past couple of years I have had to make changes in my approach on handwriting.  Occupational therapists would start supporting cursive handwriting in a public school setting, often creating IEP goals to support cursive writing.  However now that we have adopted the Common Core Standards in our state of Rhode Island, cursive handwriting is no longer supported.  We know teach keyboarding skills to get them ready to participate in standardized tests such as the PARCC assessment.

http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424127887323644904578272151551627948

Should We Still Teach Cursive Handwriting?

This a topic that teachers often bring up to me.  Teachers will often times say that teaching handwriting is no longer in the curriculum, especially cursive handwriting.  I have been an OT for 23 years and I still believe that teaching handwriting is very important.  Not only do children need to understand the formation of letters but they need to refine the small muscles on the hand for improved fine motor coordination.  Learning to write also improves visual motor integration skills, literacy skills and perceptual skills.  What are your thoughts?  Do you think handwriting should be taught in school?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rae-pica/should-we-teach-handwriti_b_905721.html

Where Do You Start Your Letters At The Top Song

I love making handwriting fun!  I will play this video to the Kindergarten class when they are first introduced to the Handwriting Without Tears curriculum.  They are able to get up and move before writing, what's better then that!

Handwriting Without Tears Screencast

Check out this screencast that I did on how to use the Handwriting Without Tears online tools.  I love the resources that Handwriting Without Tears has to offer!  I use the digital teaching tools right on the SMART board to teach letter formation before the students practice in their workbooks.  Teachers love it too!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9w2l8w6mLe0eE9UZy1LTDA0c3c/view?usp=sharing