Can you improve handwriting?

AlexLK

Does he WANT to improve his handwriting? If he wants to improve, it will be easy. However, if he shows no interest in self improvement he is most likely doomed to have terrible handwriting for the rest of his life.

Perhaps, the prospect of a fine pen to write with (not for school) may tempt him to improve? I detest writing with biros on the odd occasion I have to my handwriting is no where near so nice as when I usually write.

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

The most agonising lessons I ever experienced in school (apart from PE) were the handwriting ones. I hated them and never, ever managed to write the way I was supposed to do.


However, once I was writing 'from my head' instead of the usual school repeat-what-was-in-the-book, my writing became very legible. Because I wasn't being forced to do it and because I was expressing myself. And I was able to use decent fine marker pens, write as big as I wanted or use cartoon style printing if my fingers hurt, which they often did/do due to hypermobile joints.

The worst thing anybody could have done was force me to do more of the same, because the stress and having to restrict my writing to teeny little lines and shapes made it a hundred times worse.

fluffnutter

There's only one thing for it - he needs a career as a doctor

Does it really matter that much? If it does (and that's up to him) then he needs to practise. A lot. Pen grip probably doesn't make that much difference, tbh. I hold my pen in a bizarre way but it doesn't prevent my forming letters legibly.

Spendless

Thanks for the suggestions so far.:)

His handwriting is horrible whether it's in his own ramblings, or schoolwork. HE wants to improve because as mentioned he was worried about the standard of his writing when filling out an application form that it just wouldn't look neat and yes it matters. If a teacher can't read his handwriting, then how can s/he mark his work?

lostinrates

I spent quite a bit of time of primary years in the American school system where it seems more emphasis was put on writing standardised 'cursive'. When I came to uk people at school struggle with my funny joined up 'r's 's's and letters with tails in particular.

We quickly established it was better for me to print. I have a fairly apologetic script as a result. Its tall and thin, and and spidery and leans as if a strong wind has blown hard upon it.

Practise and a new, legible script can certainly be learned.

liney

As a trainee teacher I had to improve my print for KS1 and re-learn how to join correctly for KS2 who wrote in cursive. My joined up writing had become very sloppy.

I practiced at home, referred to a handwriting practice book, and wrote out poems and rhymes: it took about a week.

andygb

Spendless wrote: »

Thanks for the suggestions so far.:)

His handwriting is horrible whether it's in his own ramblings, or schoolwork. HE wants to improve because as mentioned he was worried about the standard of his writing when filling out an application form that it just wouldn't look neat and yes it matters. If a teacher can't read his handwriting, then how can s/he mark his work?

How about buying him a caligraphy set - just a basic one from somewhere like "The Works" would do. Sit down and follow the instructions and practice together. I reckon this would be better than getting stressed at school.
I bet his teachers have never really tried to show him how to form the letters, and I wouldn't be too worried about how he holds the pen, I was pretty cackhanded and it didn't hold me back;)

liney

Sorry, but holding the pen correctly is important. Holding a pen incorrectly effects how quickly one can write, causes cramps, and makes smooth rounds difficult to form.

dibuzz

My son has terrible handwriting not helped by the fact he is left handed so it always smudged when he used a proper pen.
He had to see the school nurse, can't remember if it was a general thing or not, but she commented on the way he held his pencil and asked me to show him then said I was wrong too so I asked her to show us and she said she couldn't because she wasn't left handed. I replied that neither was I and she said I shouldn't have had a left handed child then!
He had extra lessons at high school but they didn't make any difference. He is very clumsy and uncoordinated which may be a factor.
It doesn't bother him now as he works in IT and he sends his friends e-cards so he doesn't have to write in them.

Spendless

liney wrote: »

Sorry, but holding the pen correctly is important. Holding a pen incorrectly effects how quickly one can write, causes cramps, and makes smooth rounds difficult to form.

I always thought it was a contributory factor until my friend whose daughter attends same Secondary school but went to a different Primary to son, said her DD doesn't hold the pen correctly either but has neat handwriting. Son only brought it up himself in yr6 and I mentioned it to class teacher at parents evening and she said she'd look at what he was doing the following day. That's what led to him being given one of those 'funny shaped' pens.