Handwriting advice

[Ecrire]

Once again, DS (9) has received a school report that is absolutely glowing with “Greater Depth” in every category.

with the exception of: Handwriting which is right at the bottom of the scale.

All else - maths, spelling, grammar, creative writing is GD/exceeding end of year expectations - and he’s in an Advanced Maths group but repeatedly year upon year we get handwriting flagged up and we know this - DS just doesn’t apply himself to the actual formation of letters and will write the bare minimum for even cards. Give him MS word - and he’s written fabulous stories and won prizes at school regularly. The actual writing/debate/reading (he’s a voracious reader) isn’t the issue it’s the formation of the letters and the patience and willingness and pride in neat and pretty work.

im beginning to worry now that all the GDs of the world in all his other subjects will be affected with the handwriting when things come to tests and so on.

Any advice? The school had prohibited printing - it must be cursive - and he detests cursive and just never got it.

Have you looked into dyspraxia? My son was very similar to yours; great at many things but constantly pulled up for his handwriting. Long story short...he has dyspraxia and struggles with the fine motor skills needed to improve his handwriting. He now uses a laptop at school for any extended writing pieces.

My son is 17 and has pretty terrible handwriting and never really writes cursive. He's got 9 good GCSEs grade 6 or above. He is studying Aviation and ALL his assignments are typed!
Practising writing is important for GCSEs and A levels (and other external exams).
Although by the time your son takes these - they might well have the option to use a laptop!
I'd concentrate on just making sure his handwriting is legible not 'joined up'.

I was exactly the same ; still am tbh. Luckily no examiners care about how pretty a paper looks, as long as his work is legible ( in my case, barely) he will be fine especially if he chooses to study medicine.

It’s such a relief to hear this. His printed writing is perfectly legible and he can write great lengths in print but unfortunately cursive is enforced at school and his cursive sadly is tearfully (for him, as he hates it) bad…

I wouldn't stress, mine has just done mock
SATs & got GD in almost everything. Writing has improved to expected 😆.

I would push for him to be assessed for dyspraxia/dysgraphia. If he struggles to write but is very bright, he won’t be achieving to his potential, he will be getting bored and frustrated, and it will effect his self esteem. He may need to use a laptop or print. He may need extra time in exams.

We had a nightmare getting primary school to stop pushing cursive writing, even with a diagnosis, for my DC. Secondary schools don’t care as long as work is legible.

Said DC’s writing is still terrible but they have a first class degree and a professional career.

This was me. Every single time the feedback was 'handwriting needs improving'. I think I was in my last year at primary before anyone clarified that I was actually clever and the content of my work was really good, just the physical delivery wasn't.
I would love to say X, Y or Z worked and I now write beautifully, but I don't. I still have to really concentrate to make it legible, in my 40s. Hopefully there have been improvements in teaching that might help with the writing, but I would say just keep stressing to him that he is smart, capable, creative etc because it's hard going when you just hear about the one bit you aren't good at.

At secondary a laptop can be used for exams if it’s his normal way of working so flag it early. Several exam boards are trialling laptops but the school infrastructure largely doesn’t exist for all to use them.
we have quite a few whose handwriting would be problematic so use laptops. No other send

I excelled at school, particularly maths at 9 except my cursive handwriting was apparently appalling. Several people have even declared it as like the handwriting of a psychopath. I don't see anything wrong with it myself but then I can't really read anything in cursive handwriting anyway however neat, I thought that was normal.

30 years later I was diagnised as dyslexic, it's worth checking for dyslexia and the other suggestions.