Category Archives: Handwriting

Access comprehensive handwriting improvement strategies that include tools, games, guided programs, and expert tips to enhance letter formation, spacing, writing fluency, and legibility for learners of all ages and abilities.

Tips for Choosing Your Pencil Grip from Gail Kushnir, MA OT, B.Ed

February 22, 2021Handwritingoccupational therapy (OT) tools, parent resources, pencil gripTherapro

On February 2, 2020 Therapro was happy to host another successful webinar, Let’s Do It Write! Writing Readiness presented by Gail Kushnir, MA OT, B.Ed. During this webinar many writing readiness topics were discussed including the use of pencil grips. Gail noted the purpose of a pencil grip is to provide maximum support to the child in order to allow skill, stamina, and speed while handwriting. With a vast array of grips available, choosing the right one can be a daunting task. Gail simplified the process with these basic rules:

Too much pressure… use a soft grip like The Pencil Grip. This soft, molded grip encourages a natural writing position while minimizing finger strain.

Best For: Children and adults needing general support for a dynamic tripod grasp

Pros:

Versatile; works for left and right-handers
Comfortable for extended writing

Cons:

Less structured than other training grips
May not correct more severe grip issues

Ergonomic pencil grip tool for improving handwriting comfort and control

Too much flexibility and instability….use a grip with firm support like the Bulb Grip. The Bulb-Shaped Grip features a round, bulbous design that encourages a natural grasp by positioning the fingers comfortably around the soft contour. It’s especially helpful for young children or those struggling with developing hand strength and control.

Best For: Emerging writers who need substantial support to develop fine motor coordination

Pros:

Promotes a relaxed grip
Offers excellent tactile feedback
Great for children with low tone or motor planning challenges

Cons:

Bulky; may not fit all pencil sizes
May not support finger isolation as precisely as more structured grips

Tremors….use a weighted grip at the top of the pencil and The Pencil Grip near the point. Weights add subtle weight to the pencil, improving feedback and hand control.

Best For: Students with tremors, poor proprioception, or sensory processing challenges.

Pros:

Enhances body awareness
Can reduce tremors or shaky writing

Cons:

Heavier than standard grips
May cause fatigue if overused

Ectopic Dermatitis or physical anomalies….use a tube that increases the circumference of the pencil. This foam tubing can be cut to size and slipped over a pencil to create a larger, cushioned grip. It’s especially useful for clients with arthritis, decreased grip strength, or tactile sensitivity. Unlike traditional pre-formed grips, this option offers full-barrel coverage, enhancing stability and comfort.

Best For: Individuals needing a custom or wider grip diameter for improved comfort and control.

Pros:

Customizable fit and length
Lightweight and soft
Ideal for users with joint pain or limited fine motor coordination

Cons:

Less structured; doesn’t guide finger placement
May not appeal to users needing visual or tactile prompts for finger positioning

In most situations, a slanted surface is crucial! Slant boards promote an optimal writing angle, encouraging better wrist extension, upright posture, and proper eye-hand alignment. When used in combination with the right pencil grip, slant boards reduce fatigue and support more controlled, legible handwriting. Therapro offers a range of options—collapsible, adjustable, rigid, and lightweight—to meet the diverse needs of students and clients.

Best For: Enhancing posture, visual tracking, and hand positioning during writing tasks

Pros:

Promotes ergonomic writing posture
Improves line of sight and reduces neck strain
Supports hand and wrist positioning for improved fine motor control

Cons:

Bulky to transport (depending on the model)
May require space considerations in smaller classrooms

Still not sure, check out Therapro’s Get a Grip on Grips Handy Guide!

Collaborative Blog Project: Handwriting Evaluations

February 8, 2021Assessments, Handwritingclassroom strategies, handwriting, occupational therapy (OT) toolsAllyson Locke, M.S., OTR/L

January 23 celebrated National Handwriting Day. In honor of a holiday near and dear to many occupational therapists’ hearts, we tasked you all with sending us your best ideas, tips, tricks, and opinions on all things handwriting. We then compiled these comments into Therapro’s first-ever series of collaborative blog posts. Our first topic, handwriting evaluations! Here is what you all had to say:

Favorite & Most Helpful Handwriting Assessment or Evaluation Methods

By far most therapists surveyed relied on non standardized measures and skilled observations to collect information about a students handwriting. When it came down to standardized measures the most popular were The Print Tool, The Evaluation of Children’s Handwriting (ETCH), and the Test of Handwriting Skills Revised.

Handwriting Evaluations: Pros & Cons

When discussing the pros and cons of each of these measures a few common themes emerged:

The Print Tool provides detailed information about a student’s physical approach to handwriting, but it can be time-consuming to administer and score.
Non-standardized measures can be quick and easy, but don’t provide needed normative data.
It is difficult to gain reliable information when a student does not yet know the alphabet.

Other Factors to Consider When Evaluating Handwriting

Therapists surveyed indicated that evaluating a student’s motor performance as well as visual perceptual skills was a critical aspect of the handwriting assessment process. Sensory, environmental, and psychosocial factors were also identified as areas to include when assessing a student’s handwriting.

Helpful Hints & Suggestions for Evaluating Handwriting

Include both a near-point and far-point copy task.
Include observations of the student performing both preferred and nonpreferred tasks.
When observing a child writing, position yourself for an optimal view of the student’s writing hand.
Eliminate distraction.
Have grips, different seating options, adaptive paper, and a variety of writing tools available to try.
Have letter strips available for visual reference.
Choose a topic that is of interest to the student to write about.

Thank you to all of the therapists who shared their knowledge and expertise!

Feifer Assessment of Writing

January 11, 2021Assessments, Handwritinghandwriting, occupational therapy (OT) toolsTherapro

The Feifer Assessment of Writing (FAW) goes beyond standard handwriting measures to help practitioners truly understand the factors contributing to handwriting difficulty. The FAW allows practitioners to answer the “why”! By understanding the factors contributing to handwriting difficulty, practitioners are better equipped to develop treatment plans that are efficient and that adequately address the underlying cause of difficulty.

Feifer Assessment of Writing: What’s Measured?

The FAW is comprised of ten subtests (and two additional, optional, subtests) designed to identify and differentiate among the three subtypes of dysgraphia. The subsets are: (*indicates subtest used in the Feifer Assessment of Writing Screening Form (FAW-SF))

Alphabet Tracing Fluency*
Motor Sequencing*
Copying Speed
Motor Planning
Executive Working Memory*
Isolated Spelling*
Retrieval Fluency
Sentence Scaffolding
Homophone Spelling
Expository Writing
Copy Editing (optional)
Story Mapping (optional)

FAW vs. FAW-SF

	FW	FAW-SF
Purpose	A diagnostic achievement test used to examine the underlying processes that support written language skills in order to identify the presence of a written language disorder and to identify the specific subtype of dysgraphia.	Identify children at risk for developmental dysgraphia Can be used as progress monitoring tool
Key Areas of Focus	Three subtypes of written language disorder: Graphomotor dysgraphiaDyslexia dysgraphiaExecutive dysgraphia	K-1st grade: Graphomotor demands of the writing process Grade 2 & above: Cognitive-linguistic demands of the writing process
Age Range	Pre-K- College	Grades kindergarten through college
Time	Pre-Kindergarten: 15 minutesGrades K- 1: 20 minutes Grades 2+: 55-65 minutes	K-1st grade:15-20 minuteGrades 2 and above: 20 minutes

Scores Yielded	Provides an overall Total Index & three target index scoresGraphomotor IndexDyslexic IndexExecutive Index	Proves a single index score that indicates the risk for dysgraphia or a written language learning disability and the need for further assessment.