With the invasion of technology in classrooms, the teaching of handwriting has taken a back seat in some classrooms. Don’t get me wrong, technology is fabulous and a massive part of education in schools in today’s society. However, it should not be at the expense of basic practical skills such as handwriting. This blog will outline some useful handwriting tips and resources that can be used both at home or in the classroom to improve and help children with handwriting. The Teach Starter handwriting resources I mention in this blog are available in most fonts.
Pencil grip tips
Pencil grip is always a topic of debate. Does it really matter if a child doesn’t hold the pencil in the ‘correct’ tripod grasp? I am of the opinion that if it is effecting a child’s ability to write, then something needs to be done! Here are some easy, accessible ways to help children to hold the pencil correctly.
Use a small bulldog clip. This encourages the ‘driver’ finger to sit on top and the thumb and index finger to rest on each side of the clip.
Use something for the child to hold in the ring and little fingers. This keeps these fingers from getting in the way of the working fingers. One idea is to have the child hold a clothes peg.
Use the pinch and flip technique to encourage children to place their pointer and thumb fingers at the front.
Improve fine motor
Along with correct pencil grip, students need to develop their fine motor abilities. This set of 18 pre-handwriting sheets are a perfect addition to your handwriting program in the early years. Laminate them and use a skinny whiteboard marker for daily practice.
Spaceman
Cut out and stick the ‘Spaceman’ finger spacing template to a paddle pop stick. A great resource to encourage children to remember to put spaces between their words when they are writing.
Head, body and tail letters
The cat used on lined paper is a great visual way to remind children where the letters sit on the lined paper. It can be very confronting when faced with an empty page full of lines. Draw a cat on a paddle pop stick as an easy, accessible way to assist children when writing. Alternatively, you can use some of our handwriting lines that have the cat printed on each set of lines.
Practice makes perfect
Use our handwriting worksheets to encourage children to practice their handwriting. Handwriting should be a daily task that is part of the classroom routine.
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Need topic specific handwriting sheets? Want to create your own? Check out our ‘make your own’ handwriting worksheets.
Visual reminders
Having visual reminders of how to sit and hold your pencil, how letters should look and how to form the letters is always beneficial in the early years classroom. Here are some beautifully designed posters for your classroom:
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Has anyone got any tips on improving letter formation and grip techniques for a left hander?
Hi Greta, Thanks for your comment! We're looking forward to seeing some tips and tricks from the Teach Starter community! Don't forget, you can request a blog on this topic at our 'Request a Resource' page - https://www.teachstarter.com/request-a-resource/
This is a really helpful post. Thank you. I will use the bulldog clip and clothes peg idea!
Hey Russell, thank you for your lovely feedback. I hope these work well for your classroom.