Category Archives: Handwriting

Getting it Write: Wrist Extension in Handwriting

Fine Motor, Handwriting, ,

gettingitwriteHere at Therapro we have a BIG focus on handwriting – from Programs, to Practice Worksheets, to Grips and Tools for maintaining proper positioning. Since positioning is the foundation for good handwriting, we recommend emphasizing these skills right from the beginning.

The best position for handwriting is with the wrist in extension. This extension provides the support necessary to get the hand into a tripod position to hold the pencil.

We’ve noticed two trends recently that can hinder proper handwriting development:

  • Children have been learning to write, and using pencils much earlier
  • Children have a tendency to “hunch” their shoulders due to poor muscle tone
  • People don’t put babies on their stomachs anymore, meaning they don’t learn to push up – leading to weaker arm and shoulder muscles

The reason these can be an issue is because they’re using the wrong muscles of the hand – what happens is they get a “death grip” on the pencil from holding it wrong, and keeping the wrist in the wrong position.

If babies don’t gain arm and shoulder strength, this can manifest itself when first grade teachers introduce handwriting. Low muscle tone leads to poor posture and grip, which become evident when the child first learns writing skills.

The way to get out of these bad habits is to put the wrist into extension. Since you don’t want them writing all over your walls (we don’t, at least!), the solution is a slanted surface. Having an incline of at least 20 degrees is the ideal angle for wrist extension and proper handwriting technique. Getting the writing surface more toward vertical will straighten the wrist and provide the support needed to hold a pencil correctly.

Our Write Slant Boards were first developed for the adult market, but are great to use with kids, and in the classroom. The slant board not only puts the wrist in extension, but it is also good for vision, visual tracking, and strengthening posture.

In the same vein as our Write Slant Boards is the Preschool Board, which not only is excellent for learning handwriting, but is also a versatile desktop tool. The idea was developed by an Occupational Therapist. It can be converted from a 30 degree angle for handwriting, to a 60 degree angle to be used as an art easel. The Preschool Board also comes with built-in storage for all of your writing and art supplies!

From Rattles to Writing: a guest post by Barbara A. Smith, MS, OTR/L

Fine Motor, Handwriting, Visual, , ,

Barbara Smith, MS, OTR/L, author of From Rattles to Writing: A Parent’s Guide to Hand Skills, recently wrote a post about her book on the blog Two Peds in a Pod.

This groundbreaking guide describes the songs, games, toys, activities, and adaptations that help children develop the visual-perceptual skills needed to read and the eye-hand coordination to write.

Blocks and stacking are especially important in early development – read more on the blog.

from-rattles-to-writing

Find From Rattles to Writing, and other Fine Motor activities, at therapro.com.

Solving Visual Tracking Problems

Handwriting, Visual,

Current research shows that up to half of children in classrooms have visual problems – most often with eye tracking. This affects reading and writing, especially during the early stages of learning handwriting.

To solve this problem, therapists were highlighting the bottom line of regular lined paper – where the letter goes. Therapro decided to provide a solution, and created Highlighter Paper.

highlighter-paper

Since children are sometimes confused about where to begin, the Highlighter Paper is indented – with a little star next to where they should start writing.

Some types are wider, for those just beginning handwriting, and some have thinner spaces (for the more advanced). There is even room for a picture in some styles – with space underneath to write about the picture:

Which size should my child use?

Highlighter Paper comes in yellow and blue. There are 4 different sizes of paper. The lines on each get progressively thinner as the child develops handwriting skills:

  • Kindergarten Story Paper is landscape with space for a story and 2 lines for writing
  • Kindergarten Writing Paper is landscape with 5 lines per page
  • WideLine Writing Paper is landscape with 7 lines
  • NarrowLines Writing Paper is portrait with 13 lines per page.

For the first half of first grade, we recommend a wider lined paper. For the second half of first grade, the hand skills should have progressed enough to use a narrower lined paper. As handwriting skills develop, children will have better control and don’t need the wider spaced papers – they can gradually move up to narrowed lined paper.

We also offer Reading Guide Strips, which allow you to easily track print through a transparent tinted window.