Poor Writing But Very Able?

[boolifooli]

Her teachers have told me she is particularly gifted academically and has been on the G&T register since Reception. When I see her writing on the wall along with her classmates her's is, at best, nearing average. Some of the children's writing loks neater than mine! How does that work?

Because her brain is going much faster than her hands, and she is writing too fast?

This is very common with gifted children - so much so that it is often quoted as a sign.

Consider the writing skills of the average hospital consultant for example. The worst writing I ever saw belonged to a very clever professor. So there is hope

DD2's writing is supremely messy. She's v bright but chaotic in every way.

Don't worry about it!

My DD was the same. Took to year 5 to be legible and yr6 to be almost neat

Neat writing is a physical skill; has nothing to do with academic content.

Thank you, very good points, I don't feel so worried now. I have been fighting an urge to make her practice at home which I would have felt uncomfortable doing so somehow. It's just alarming how much neater the other kids' writing is. It's clearly a pride thing, because it's so public, shame on me for being so shallow!

My writing is still practically illegible, as is my very clever sisters. This despite being stuck in handwriting classes in break time for a year (that just pissed us off). Hasn't held us back-most assignments etc will be done on a computer soon, so it will be practically irrelevant.

3littlefrogs love that wording "Because her brain is going much faster than her hands"

My dd(Y4)hand writting is fine but she hates writtng. She say their is to much to write and she can't work out where to start. I notice she offen getting very cross because of wronug spellings or she written the wroung word. Your words have just made up the rest of the picture. Thanks she's going wroung because the brain is one step a head of her speed of writting (slow and not help by her last teacher having a thing about neat writting.)

Sorry for the slight hijack their boolifooli.

DS1's writing was always dreadful. His teachers always commented on this in primary school and gave me books about cursive writing (?) so we could help.
He gave up "joined up" writing in secondary school. His main problem with writing has been the unformed numbers he wrote down in Maths, and the poor setting out of answers, rather than inability to read his written text.
He's now 22 in a high paid job with top academic qualifications and his writing is no better!
Good handwriting is not necessarily linked with high achievement (and vice versa).

Yep, I agree, my ds (10) is very bright, but his handwriting is TRULY awful, and I do think it's because the stuff is falling out of his brain much faster than he can commit it to paper.

I want his writing to improve a bit, but accept that PC's/laptops/printers will form a much greater part of his work output in secondary school, which will help, and I'm loath to do anything which may stem the literary flow which emerges from the depths of his brain.