7 year old with handwriting issues

Seanymph

There are lots of handwriting sheets here:

http://www.theschoolrun.com/search/node/handwriting

some you have to pay for, but lots you don't - and it gives tips too. But I wouldn't worry too much, anxiety doesn't help anything does it.

dancingfairy

I would get the Occ. therapist to point out to the school that their approach is not right for your child at this particular time.
Poor child, being torn in two over this , wanting to do what's right by you, by school, by the Occ therapist as well.
You've been given good advice from the other posters and I appreciate it's very important but keep it in perspective. It's not the be all and end all in the world. I fear that it could turn into a psyhologoical battle and be on everyones thoughts all the time if you are not careful. It must be extremely frustrating and trying for all concerned.
Also whilst handwriting is obviously important, some people never learnt joined up writing, some only write in block letters as they find it easier. Also today don't forget that we have word processors which will help in a lot of situations (although I can appreciate that you want him to be able to write neatly as well).
regards
df

mountainofdebt

dancingfairy wrote: »

Also whilst handwriting is obviously important, some people never learnt joined up writing, some only write in block letters as they find it easier.

Can't agree with this more.

Junior has really nice handwriting but its basically print.

Got him once to do it ' joined up' and it looked like a spider had walked through an ink pot

So I told him to stick to print!

mustbemad

Thanks for the responses everyone, you have all given me a lot to think about and some great ideas.

I live in hope that it will just suddenly click like reading did, he was slow to get started but now his reading is brilliant

We had some fun tonight playing hairy letters on the iPad, my little boy really enjoyed it!

MBM x

DigForVictory

It won't help your son or you to fight school, but if they're insisting on cursive without having considered there May Be A Problem, then you are dead right to go & have a chat.

They may reckon cursive is easier - and be able to show you how & why. But if your lad is unhappy, he isn't learning, so be as clear with school as you can be & work with them.

He's 7 - you still have time to gentle him towards legible handwriting.

Good for you for realising there is a physical issue in play!

mustbemad

mountainofdebt wrote: »

Can't agree with this more.

Junior has really nice handwriting but its basically print.

Got him once to do it ' joined up' and it looked like a spider had walked through an ink pot

So I told him to stick to print!

I never actually learnt to write joined up myself, I've always just printed. I've been teaching myself to write cursively because I felt pretty silly trying to help my kids when I couldn't do it myself, it's harder than it looks lol! It goes to show that you can teach an old dog new tricks though so there is hope for my little boy yet!

MBM x

sabretoothtigger

My handwriting was described as a spider drowned in an ink pot staggering across a page.

I realise he has to learn to write anyway but I always wrote my coursework on a computer. Its nice to have a successful alternative to avoid frustration especially when its through no fault of his own. Of course I dont know if typing is any easier so its just an idea for the long term

bluebeary

i dont know if whsmiths still do them back in the day when my brother and i were at primary school my mother used to get these hand writing books where you could write sentences out for your child to copy

like this

http://www.whsmith.co.uk/products/whsmith-handwriting-exercise-books-pack-of-3/product/652612

you write a sentence and your child can copy it on the row underneath, my handwriting was immaculate when i was younger but i wanted to do it too so mother had to buy two at a time

kind of ironic as today my brother has perfect handwriting while mine is totally unreadable, even by myself lol

meritaten

jeez - he is 7! whats wrong with print if he can do that confidently? this is about the age when I learned joined up writing (and at my age it wasn't cursive and hadn't long moved on from 'copperplate'.) some of my classmates weren't ready and weren't pushed until a few years on. print was acceptable!
I think one problem with our education system is that the kids are pushed too far too fast! they are not allowed to take time with the basics. this could be why the uk is so far down the education ladder - its disgraceful. they try to teach too much, in too short a time and the age of the child is often not appropriate to the subject.

laurel7172

If you have a touch screen tablet (or even phone) there are some cool apps available that encourage children to trace over letters using correct formation. I've heard really positive things about how helpful they've been for some children. Google letter formation apps and your device.

Agree the school should be supporting-but it can be very hard to get individual children to print when all the other children are joining...that is, the moment you walk away, they do what their friends are doing because they don't want to be different. There are programmes like Teodorescu (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Write-start-Programme-Perceptual-Handwriting/dp/1855032457) that focus on loops and arches and other pre letter forms-has the OT mentioned anything like this?

How about five minutes a day with a typing tutor? Provides practice in control without making him face the dreaded writing-and perhaps a sense of personal control in that he's learning a skill that will help him bypass writing in the future.

Good luck to you both.