Handwriting

wotsitagain · Handwriting

I have a reasonably able child in my class for whom handwriting is a serious issue. It is a real mess, badly formed, uneven and he rarely leaves spaces between words. It does look more like a 5 year old than a 10 year old. I have given him extra handwriting practice at home, believing that if he can become more comfortable with the process of writing, he will start to produce more and be more willing to write in school.

Anyway, when we were doing tennis on Friday, I noticed that he was preferring to play with his left hand, not his right. So I asked him about this and he said he didn't really know if he were right or left handed. I asked if he had ever tried writing with his left hand, to which he replied, and it made me chuckle, "No, but if I did I would call it lefting!"

Can you see any problem with me suggesting he tries writing (lefting) with his left hand this week, just for whiteboard work or something? He is Y5, so this issue should have been addressed years ago, but it has reminded me of my youngest son who has appalling writing. He was unsure whether to use left or right hand when he started school and his reception teacher said she couldn't be doing with him still making his mind up so he would be right handed.

JD1970

Interesting. It has to be worth trying, I reckon.

wotton

Don't think it would do any harm. My youngest used both hands when younger. He'd start the sentence with one hand and finish with other. Today he writes with his left hand but uses the computer mouse in his right.

Night Garden

I play most sports with my left hand but write with my right. So does my dad. I always thought maybe I should have tried to write with my left hand but my primary school teacher was left handed herself so I assumed she would have tried to teach me.

How is his co ordination?

mugsie

My boy writes with his right hand and does his laces up and eats with knife and fork left handed. Why did I tell you that. No idea. Not helpful at all.

Knightrider

Do you do any warm up exercises to get the sensory thing going before he writes?

wotsitagain

NG - his gross motor skills are fine, but his fine motor skills are poor.

queenlit

Write from the Start intervention:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Write-sta...ceptual-Handwriting/dp/1855032457

or Letter Layers:

http://www.letterlayers.co.uk/
Or:

http://www.thedyslexiashop.co.uk/...o-develop-fluent-handwriting.html