Help my son's handwriting

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Forum -> Parenting our children -> School age children

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groovy1224

Tue, Oct 27 2020, 6:30 pm

My son is in 3rd grade and his handwriting is basically illegible. I'm sure zoom school for much of last year and this year hasn't helped.

Does anyone know of a good workbook I can get for him to practice with? I see a bunch on Amazon but im wondering if anyone has experience with a specific one.

Thank you!!

Stars

Tue, Oct 27 2020, 6:43 pm

If you can get him some OT that would be amazing, since a good provider would target specific problem areas.

Coke Slurpee

Tue, Oct 27 2020, 6:48 pm

My kids OT used to recommend "handwriting without Tears".

amother

Maroon

Tue, Oct 27 2020, 6:49 pm

Coke Slurpee wrote:

My kids OT used to recommend "handwriting without Tears".

I'm an OT and I agree with this recommendation. But be prepared for not seeing much improvement if he's not motivated.

groovy1224

Tue, Oct 27 2020, 7:01 pm

Okay thanks will check out this book. Interestingly my sister in an OT and she didn't think there was much an OT could do for him because he CAN write neatly when he wants to and when he slows down. She said he is probably just hurrying and should practice writing passages. I just think he'll be more motivated to complete a workbook than to just write down random sentences.

amother

Tangerine

Tue, Oct 27 2020, 7:37 pm

There could be underlying reasons why he can only write a few sentences neatly when very motivated. I am an OT as well and I test kiddos for this kind of stuff all the time. It could be related to hand or finger strength, how he holds his pencil, what muscles he is using when he writes, his visual tracking skills, his visual motor skills, visual perception skills or fine motor ability in general. Or it could be none of those things and he just doesn't want to bother (I have met quite a few of those!)

Or it could be related to academic/ phonological skills, like not understanding what letters belong together in a word to space appropriately.

May be worth getting it checked out!

Chana Miriam S

Tue, Oct 27 2020, 9:48 pm

When my son was in grade 8 his OT basically said, he’s always going to write like he’s in primary school. But keyboarding is the future. He writes novels but when we need to write a list on paper, we usually do it otherwise we won’t be able to read. Just to make it clear, he is on the autism spectrum, he’s 24 and his spelling and grammar are better than mine. And I have an English degree. He just can’t write by hand well. I know I didn’t write this well, because exhaustion.

amother

Green

Tue, Oct 27 2020, 10:40 pm

I struggled with handwriting growing up. It was in the days before people suggested OT for handwriting issues. I wish I’d had OT- I have hand fatigue - even writing a Mitzvah note can tire my hand, and I’m sure I didn’t hold the pen right.
Please look into OT

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