Year 4 - How to improve writing and drawing quality?

[ArcticArchitect]

Hi all,

Just looking for advice really. DS draws and writes a little messily. The teachers don't offer advice - as they're too busy to talk to parents at school drop off / pick up

It's now causing lots of anxiety and tears at homework time as he's worried about upsetting his teacher. The class TA binned his work last week and he now he lacks confidence.

Strangely, when he's at home doing home stuff - his writing, colouring and drawing are lovely.

Thanks :)

Did they actually bin his work? If that how he has interpreted it (if it happened or not) then no wonder he lacks confidence

Yes they did. A parent helper witnessed it and sent me a message to ask if DS was OK.

All the local schools are full with waiting lists on top. 😔

Anyway, it's made homework unbearable!

Firstly, the TA should not have binned his work, that's awful!

Secondly, I have used these books, they focus on pen control, consistency, pattern etc. rather than actual letter formation but seem to help, might be worth a try but they're not cheap to buy.

www.amazon.co.uk/Write-start-Programme-Perceptual-Handwriting/dp/1855032457/ref=asc_df_1855032457/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=311266996946&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=13840139750753229281&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1006766&hvtargid=pla-466623723023&psc=1&th=1&psc=1

Firstly, have a meeting with the school to complain about your sons work being binned, that shouldn’t have happened.

Then talk to them about how they will be better supporting your son. Is his writing readable but a bit messy, or actually not readable?

Firstly, it's appalling that they binned his work - I would definitely put in a complaint.

Secondly, it would be worth seeing if there's some kind of competitiveness being encouraged at the school for finishing work first? This might be causing him to rush and have untidy work.

My son's work was very untidy (he is in year 1) to the point that it was unreadable and he was getting really bad marks. His tutor specifically worked on this with him for a few weeks over the summer and now it's much neater and as such is getting much better marks - it's also improved his confidence a lot as he too was getting very upset. Let me know if you want their details X

You say it’s fine when he’s doing home stuff - is he feeling the need to write faster at school and that’s making him messier? Most of us get dodgy handwriting when we’re going at speed

Thanks everyone! I have requested to see the head teacher and the receptionist has passed on our request but said "the head teacher is very busy!"

@OopsTooLate fab. those look great! Thank you

@BuffaloCauliflower perfectly readable, just a little scruffy but they want cursive which DS finds difficult when labelling diagrams and sometimes finds it difficult staying on the line. The teacher said it isn't good enough for Ofsted.

Yes just asked him and the teacher sets a timer and an alarm goes off when the times up. He's noise sensitive so probably finds this method quite stressful...

So each written piece of work is rushed as they're all frightened of being in trouble!

Try using plasticine and a clay tool, to make the activity fun, and get better co-ordination with a tool / different writing surface, or using brush pens on coloured paper, to bring joy back to writing. Look out for better pencils (cheap pencils drag on paper and are a nightmare to erase, so a good quality HB can make a great deal of difference) and pens too, what about trying shorter, larger body pens that can change colour, again to bring fun to the activity and those that are designed to help grip. You can get ruled practice pads, that are great for learning to space characters. Also check, if the issue is that the environment in the class is making him feel rushed or fearful around a member of staff? There are a huge number of free resources on the web that are worth exploring.

@Lovetogarden2022 Are they an online tutor? Sounds fabulous, yes please :)

@TollgateDebs amazing ideas thank you so much. You're right about cheap pencils and he has a few of those!

Just saw our posts crossed, so obviously time is an issue. I can't believe that the teacher thinks the timer is the way to get the best from her class!

Look for a tripod finger grip. Its really helpful to smarten up handwriting.

My ds writing is still as bad as a 5 year old at 18, he has hypotonia, he did all his written work on a laptop from being 9 & never got a pen licence. Ask to see the SENCO as well as the head, they should not be binning his work as this will break what confidence he has, stuff bloody inspections.

Tripod finger grips!! I had those when I was little. I'll get some straight away.

It's quite a fraught school. It was new about 7 years ago and is an academy. It's been "requires improvement" from the very beginning and we get a new HT each year.

He is on a waiting list for another school but like I say, they are all full and all have waiting lists. :(

Omg I've never heard of hypotonia! But it describes DS very well, he's hypermobile and gets fatigued very quickly.

I'll call the school tomorrow, give a gentle reminder about seeing the Head and ask to see SENCO too.

Thanks Nat x

Email back and say if she's "too busy" you'll direct your concerns directly to offstead if you don't get an appointment this week

That's awful binning his work I'm sure that shouldn't be allowed to happen

Email back and say if she's "too busy" you'll direct your concerns directly to offstead if you don't get an appointment this week

That's not how Ofsted works.

OP, I'd also build in some activities that develop his finger strength and fine motor skills. Things like using a peg to pick up little pom-poms to move from one tray to another or tracing a picture of something that he likes. If you search "Finger Gym", you'll find loads of suggestions. They are aimed at younger children but can be very useful for older children who struggle with handwriting.

Thank you so much @Iamnotthe1 . I got the pegs and pom poms out straight away! I'll set that up now.

I don't think Ofsted listens to complaints until the school has dealt with the complaint directly (I think!)

Thanks everyone. Lots of amazing ideas and support 😊 x

It sounds like an awful environment for a child to be learning in. Fear, alarms going off and unnecessary rules are no good for anyone. Could you consider home education, even for a while?

My hypermobile yr4 DD struggles with scruffy handwriting too. The writing and drawing is slowly improving, but it has only recently stopped being a battle to get her to do it as she finds it hurts her hands and her confidence is low. This year there has been much talk of pen licences and how many of the class are very close to getting theirs, with only 1 child managing it last year. DD knows she is not in this group which has further eroded her confidence, and she's now convinced she will be the last/it will never happen. There is so much pressure to meet the standards.

Things that have been recommended to us and have helped have been the pencil grips (get a pack with mixed styles initially to see which one is the most comfy), using 2B pencils over the usual HB (you don't have to press down as hard with them), loop scissors (if neat scissor work is also an issue), Stabilo Easy Start and gel pens (again require less pressure plus the Stabilo has a comfier wider grip).
Activities like Lego and polymer clay modelling are good for older children, building the finger strength needed for fine motor skills such as writing.

If you get no luck/response from the head, the next step is complaining to the governors.

ArticArchitect Ds was diagnosed after he got his autism diagnosis, he still can't write well age 18 or tie shoelaces, he has to have hickies in any shoes or trainers that would normally have laces. He has just got a diagnosis of hypermobility (EDS) He tried different pen grips & chunky pens but nothing worked, the OT at the hospital said that due to his poor muscle tone it was likely that he would never be able to write correctly as writing causes him pain in his hands & wrists, she wrote to school & from then on he used a laptop for all his work including exams & he could either use a laptop for exams or a scribe & he got extra time as well.

As pp has said if the head doesn't respond next level is the School Governors.
I wouldn't be holding back here. I'd send an email titled 'Complaint', and begin " Prior to submitting a formal complant to the Board of Governors I wish to arrange a meeting with (Headteacher's name) to discuss..."
It's incredibly poor teaching practice to denigrate a student's work like that. Totally unacceptable.
On a practical note Nelson Handwriting books could help, but it's more important to have a stress-free environment and encouragement and support, both at home and at school.

Poor lad, what a knock seeing your work binned. Was there any context for that? Did the TA intentionally bin his work because they thought it wasn't good enough or did they find it and just think it was someone's rubbish? I can see either of those being crushing for him but at least with the latter it was accidental and so might be easier to help him through the upset.

Get some colouring books and tracing paper and trace the lines, also dot to dots.