Write from the start - Pen control

[Reallytired]

I wanted to share this link

www.amazon.co.uk/Write-Start-Programme-Perceptual-Handwriting/dp/1855032457

I have been using this book for 10 minutes a day with my son since June. The results have been absolutely amazing.

My son is a five and half years old and his pen control was completely hopeless. What is even more impressive is that my son has actually enjoyed it!

Ah yes, I second DS and PSP's for building up hand strength!

I have ordered both books for Ds2 who is 8. I'm going to take a look at them and see which will be best and whether the early book is too young for him. Will report back.

The Nintendo DS looks good. Its a pity about the price tag.

Hello, feeling a bit down tonight because i have had my first parents evening and been told DS has NO pen control, even worse than what they would except, he is the WORST in the class and he will fail to meet all his targets if he does not improve. I feel so i had no idea he was like this, but i shall try these books, thank you for posting about them and your experiences. XXX ps he is only just 5, i cant believe they could make such a harsh judgment at this stage!!

Haven't checked this thread for ages! There are several links on
make-the-grade-ot.com
where you can do your own tracer pages, find pictures and mazes. Suggest a really chunky felt tip and the writing or puzzles made as big as you can.
OT told us to make sure there is at least 1cm between the lines on a maze. DS to start with was rewarded for any 5cm stretch achieved without touching the lines (the length of his 'magic string'!!)
Then the string 'tester' was lengthened a little bit ...eventually I made the mazes a bit narrower. Handwriting patterns had such a stigma of failure that they were a no-go area.
Have you tried making 'roads' with lolly sticks, then child draws own free-hand line each side - reward is to drive toy car down the road?! DS loved that one - drew miles of roads on cheap wallpaper lining (from B&Q about £3 for big roll)
Pictures rather than writing - a boat on a sea of 'w's, a girl with long hair made of 'c's, trees made of 'o's with grass of 'l's?
Really chunky pencil grips (either-handed) from don't know full address.
Sorry for long post!

Well we got the book or so we thought but Amazon only included the teachers manual - no actual worksheets. It had to go back!! mumsnetters beware - it was very disappointing. I just dont trust Amazon - recon i could order it from Waterstones anyone?? Today they were all sitting on floor copying the letter'l' supposedly onto little whiteboards,everyone did it apart from my ds allegedly who did a scribble and then guiltily rubbed it out, despite the teacher telling him not to. I fear for the future right now - his pen control is non- existent - it feels worse because i personally had terrible trouble at school because i was left handed and i did mirror writing. i was constantly told i was naughty and lazy - i just cant separate my own experiences and objectively help him. Find myself constantly saying 'dont worry it is not important'because i never want him to feel unsupported and 'got at' by all these adults. But it is important. And i dont know what to do. With best of intentions my dh has bought another book - 'fine motor skills and handwriting activities for young children' - but i fear it is not as good as the first one would have been. And he has scribbled on it. So i cannot return it. Can't afford first one now. Possibly can next month.

And as i have just said i just dont know what to do, i feel like i cant control him being marked out as bottom of the class like I was.

I don't know what you ordered from Amazon. You should have got two workbooks and the teacher's manual. Prehaps Amazon messed up.

Is this exactly what you ordered?

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/2407/377065

I agree that the teacher's manual would be a bit useless on its own.

How old is your lo?

If I was you I would carry on with the book your husband has bought. To improve your son's fine motor skills requires 10 to 15 minutes a day. If you are persistant with getting him to practice his fine motor skills he will improve.

Sad to say, pushing your son to practice for 10 minutes a day even if he is not in the mood will make a difference. I used a star chart with my son as bribary.

It might help getting him a pencil grip to encourage a good pencil grip.

You could get a plastic box, like the boxes used for pack lunches or chinese take ways. Put some flour in the bottom and get him to make the shape of the letters with his finger in the flour.

Is your son in year 1 yet?

Has anyone tried using different ergonomically designed pens to help slightly older children improve their grip and pen control? I have just ordered a yoropen and a penagain pen for a y5 pupil to try. Looking for a ring pen but I can't find a stockist. Can anyone help or suggest another pen design that has helped their child? I am running out of ideas to help this lovely boy.

So that would be a "no" then?

OT recommended a pencil grip on a regular pen for ds ( Yr 5) Also she suggested having several different types of pen in his pencil case might help him so when he gets tired with one he can use another. Just got him the Stabilo Handwriting Pen .

Has anyone's dc used a sloping board and/or could recommend one which isn't £££ and is portable (he moves frm oen room ot another during the day)

We have a friendly wood working dad who makes lovely ones for us. I have also used very firm lever arch files in an emergency. Agree that the commercially produced slopes are a disgusting price.

That's a really good idea ! . What angle are they set at roughly?

write fro the start is excellent for writing where the underlying difficulties are predominantly of a visual perceptual nature. It is a good programme generally, but you may want to consider handwriting without tears as another alternative.
4.3 is very young to be concerned about fine motor skills (pen control in particular) unless there is overall developmental delay of all of his fine motor skills, for instance if he only finger feeds, cannot assist with dressing (fasten velcro straps on shoes), cannot pick up small beads with a pincer grip, cannot hold a toothbrush, does not know how to use a paintbrush etc.
My ds has only just moved away from a pronate palmar grasp (4.2) for writing, he is reading level 3 ORT and has all age appropriate fine/gross motor skills. They get things at different stages ime

The dad has made them to measure for specific children over the past few years. Different children are comfortable with different boards. Angles vary quite a lot - average of maybe 20-30 degrees?(guessing).
The files are only used in the short term. They are a bit light weight and can slide about too easily.

I've tried yoropens but have better results with the pelikano pen i mentioned earlier in this thread with my Y5 DS, partly beacause yoropens LOOk different and he doesn't want to stand out in school.
Angled slope rises about 12 cm over a depth of about 45-50 cm.
The link I put up earlier has some good ideas for early motor skills support..

Hello reallytired - couldnt get back last night - Amazon must have messed up and what was very frustrating was the programme looks so good. Will try the links catok suggests too. I felt a bit daft today when i read my post from lastnight. Was feeling very sorry for myself and that is not going to help. I can see an improvement - he is reception aged 5.2 - he couldn't even write on the line a few weeks ago. He is making progress just not at the rate his teacher expects. Thanks for all the help everyone.