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Primary education

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Reception DC's handwriting is getting worse! Any advice?

2 replies

SaveTheMockingBird · 19/06/2014 11:24

He used to write much more legibly, and now I can hardly read what he's written. He starts almost every letter at the wrong point (i.e say, from the bottom rather than from the top), he adds unnecessary flourishes to the ends of letters, making them illegible. It's like he has gotten lazy and can't be bothered anymore. I have talked to his teacher, who said that she thinks that he is taking in so much at the moment (his reading is improving rapidly in contrast) and his writing is becoming lazy and he's not taking care to form his letters properly. Is this normal?

He hates being corrected, absolutely loaths being told that he is wrong. He used to write mini stories etc and now he barely writes anything, and when he does he makes mistakes that he never used to. It is very frustrating to see and it is hard to stop myself from correcting him when he seems unable to write a "t" properly when there are 2 of them in his name and he used to do it perfectly well before!

I have tried handwriting sheets, and he will write 20 of the same letter properly under supervision and the 21st time will write it incorrectly. His teacher said the same thing actually and that it's not just him that's doing it apparently.

What can I do to improve his handwriting? On one hand I think he is only in Reception, but then if he doesn't form his letters properly now it'll get worse and worse and much harder to correct later on.

We have a black board, but he has no interest in writing on it. I get him to write shopping lists, cards etc and it ends in frustration for both me and him. Should I just leave him be for the moment and not push it?

OP posts:
BrieAndChilli · 19/06/2014 11:29

It could be a strength problem, when you are writing just you name etc it's easy to keep it near but when you are writing a whole page your hand gets tired
Ds1 was behind with writing and the occupational therapist gave us hand gym exercises plus he has a special large pencil grip and a sloping desk which have made a big difference, but he had never had neat writing

WaffleWiffle · 19/06/2014 11:30

If his handwriting is causing him or you to be frustrated, then maybe don't push it just now. Learning should be fun at this age, not a chore.

BTW - the flourishes at the end of the letter could be the teacher beginning to start to teach the concept of joined up handwriting. Most letters have 'tails' that later lead to joined up writing.

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