handwriting - how much does it matter?

[aegeansky]

DC has just finished infants with a lovely report and we have no concerns academically.

However, I've noted that handwriting isn't a strong point, and the school hasn't really done anything about it. We're looking at letters that occupy the whole space between two lines instead of one, and letters that should sit on the line that float well above it. The writing is also large and erratic. DC has excellent fine motor control and showed early talent for observational drawing, which continues.

This is a summer-born child, so when I say that I have seen better handwriting in children in year 1, that's probably something to bear in mind.

But I'm just wondering, as DC goes into year 3, whether some teachers may be frustrated when handwriting lags writing ability. I note that handwriting is actually an evaluated component in statutory tests, for example.

I guess what I'm saying is, try and fix it now, starting over the holidays, or see what happens next year? Oh, another worry is that that's when cursive writing gets serious and I can't see that he could deal with that when the letters are the wrong proportions.

I bought the "Handwriting For Windows" CD Rom which has the cursive fonts, including dotted lines, both single letters and joined up. Planning on bringing DD2 up to scratch before moving up to Juniors in September. It's not cheap though at £30 (its the same fonts as that Promethean Trust website above)

I think a lead in stroke can be helpful for children who have b - d - p - q confusion and I think teaching correct formation early so it becomes automatic helps all children. Once children start forming letters from the bottom up or clockwise rather than anti clockwise they struggle.

Leading in stroke is very hard for left handers to do.

When you are looking at how to teach handwriting, please, please, please, don't forget to teach left handers how to position their paper correctly.

A soft pencil 2B rather than HB can help left handed children when they are starting to write and it's ok to form cross strokes right to left so the child pulls the pencil across the paper rather than left to right which can push a hole in the paper.

MAverick, thank you. I have downloaded and printed the handwriting sheets - look excellent!

Thanks aalso sarahfreck and mrz for your latest contributions - will investigate.

yes, thanks mrz and IndigoBell - very useful.

Pekkala Aggh! I wish I'd been taught this as an LHer.

Never mind, things have changed for the better!

But it's the holidays. Do nothing about it at all for now?
FWIW, school "threatened" me with remedial handwriting classes when i was 9ish, as mine was said to be so bad. It's not now; I got an oxbridge degree (and am old enough that i handwrote everything needed to get said degree), was complimented on my writing then and now still have it remarked upon how neatly and legibly I write. Had other issues as a "clumsy" child and suspect it took me a while to develop sufficient proper coordination.

wearymum200, don't worry, I'm not spoiling his holiday! He is a complete power-house of mental and physical energy from dawn till dusk, and 5 mins of handwriting is one of the only quiet activities in an otherwise hurly-burly day based around physical and play activity.