Handwriting Instruction: - PowerPoint Presentation

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Handwriting Instruction:Key to the futureor Subject of the Past

Tara Kulak OTR/LOTD ProgramChatham University

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Learning Objectives

Participants will:Gain knowledge about the importance of consistent handwriting instruction.Gain knowledge about handwriting and the skills needed in successful development of handwriting.Understand the role handwriting plays in acquisition of further academic skills.Understand and compare the roles of the teacher and occupational therapist in handwriting instruction.Review Handwriting Without Tears handwriting curriculum and how it supports development of handwriting skills.Assess current knowledge of handwriting instruction and new information gained from presentation.

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Handwriting Facts

Handwriting is an essential skill.30-60% of academic day in elementary school is spent on fine motor activities including handwriting.85 % of all fine motor time in 2nd,4th & 6th grade classrooms was spent on paper and pencil activities.42% of kindergartner’s fine motor time is spent on paper and pencil activities.37% of preschool student’s day is spent on FM activities with only 10% spent on paper/pencil.(McHale & Cermak, 1992) (Marr, Cermak, Cohn & Henderson, 2003)

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Handwriting Facts

10-30% of elementary school students struggle with handwriting (Karlsdottir & Stephansson, 2002 as cited in Feder & Majnemer, 2007)Poor handwriting can lead to decreased academic success and low self esteem (Feder & Majnemer, 2007)98% of occupational therapy referrals in the school are related to student difficulties with handwriting. (Tait, 1998 as cited in Marr & Dimeo, 2006)

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Handwriting in the Classroom

Teachers do not feel adequately prepared for handwriting instruction in the classroom. (Graham et al., 2008)Handwriting instruction in the classroom is often overlooked to focus on other areas of the curriculum (Cahill, 2009) Handwriting instruction in the classroom is important for student success (Cahill, 2009; Daly et al., 2003; Edwards, 2003; MacKay et al., 2010; McHale & Cermak, 1992; Olsen, 2008; and Schneck & Amundson, 2010)

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Expectations and Skill Acquisition of Handwriting

Expectations of pre-k & kindergarten students has increased.Important for teachers to give students opportunities to acquire prerequisite skills for writing.Lack of automaticity will slow down a student’s ability to generate writings.

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Role of Teacher and OT

TeacherFacilitator of Daily Handwriting InstructionExpert in Student PerformanceCollaborator with OT if problems ariseOccupational TherapistSupport to students in the classroomExpert on skills needed for acquisition of handwriting skillsCollaborator with Teacher

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Overview of HWT

Multi-sensory handwriting programCreated by Jan Olsen, occupational therapist.HWT curriculum draws from years of research to provide developmentally appropriate, multisensory tools ands strategies for the classrooms to utilize (Lust & Donica, 2011; Marr & Dimeo, 2006; and Olsen, 2008) “Handwriting Without Tears is suitable for children of all abilities and learning styles,” and the incorporation of “manipulatives, instructional exercises, and workbook format ensures success for all children” (Olsen, 2008, p. 6) HWT “teaches the easiest skills first and then builds on what the children have learned. Such instruction helps children develop good consistent habits for size, letter formation, and letter placement. Thus, they will master handwriting more quickly” (Olsen, 2008, p. 5).Explore website of Handwriting without Tears: www.hwtears.com

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Handwriting in the Preschool Classroom

Get Set For SchoolInformal readiness handwriting programEmphasizes readiness skills to prepare for formal handwriting instruction.Helps get preschool students ready for kindergarten.Helps develop:Language proficiencySocial skillsFine and gross motor controlColor and shape awarenessLetter & number recognitionCounting

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Essential Components

Time ManagementBuildingMusic, Circle Time and FingerplaysPlaying with DoughDrawing & PaintingColor and ColoringGet Set for School Workbook

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Get Set for School Workbooks

Large step-by-step models easy to teach and finger trace

Page design is lefty friendly with multiple modelsBlack/white pages with left-to-right illustrations avoid confusionEmphasizes developing those foundational skills needed for formal handwriting instruction.

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Mat Man & Wood Pieces

Letter Building Kit- Wood PiecesBig linesBig curvesLittle linesLittle curves Letter cards Blue mat Mat ManTeaches body awareness Develops counting skills Develops drawing skills Promotes social skills

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Music, Circle Time & Fingerplays

CD that incorporates concepts of preschool programHelps engage childrenUnlocks languageProvides motor component

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Roll A Dough

Helps develop small muscles in the hands.Feel & see size and shape differences.Children enjoy playing with the dough.

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Colors and Coloring

Help recognize colorsNaturally promote a good grip and finger strength.Delight children and encourage them to move their fingers to flip the crayon to a new color.

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Online Tools

Link to access online tools- http://www.hwtears.com/hwt/online-toolsDigital Teaching ToolsScreener of Handwriting ProficiencyA+ Worksheet Maker LiteA Click Away- ExpandedVideo LibraryClassroom DownloadsOnline Seminars

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Handwriting Web Sources & Videos

Check Readiness Pre-writing and writing readiness assessment:http://www.hwtears.com/files/pre-kassessment/Check_Readiness_Assessments_WB.pdf Check Readiness Classroom Observation Checklist: http://www.hwtears.com/files/pre-kassessment/Readiness_checklist_AK_Dec30.pdf Video using Wood Pieces:http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=lxE2b2lrBfQ Overview Video of Get Set for Schoolhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=QsRUkNN_IWs

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What have you learned?

What percentage of time is taken up by fine motor activities in the preschool classroom?True or False- Handwriting difficulties is the most common reason for occupational therapy referral in the school setting.How much time should be spent on handwriting instruction in the classroom?Name 3 roles the teacher and occupational therapist play in handwriting instruction.Who created the Handwriting Without Tears curriculum?Name 3 types of media that can be used to teach the readiness skills needed for formal handwriting instruction using the Get Set for School Program.

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Conclusion

Handwriting is still an important aspect of our lives.Studies support that handwriting practice is beneficial to developing overall handwriting skills.Handwriting practice can be supported through daily practice in the classroom.Important to incorporate handwriting into curriculum to allow for adequate acquisition of handwriting skills.The key to success is building a strong foundation through the use of a readiness program

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Survey

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References

Cahill, S.M. (2009). Where does handwriting fit

in

? : Strategies to

support academic achievement.

Intervention in School and Clinic

,

44

(4), 223- 228.

Daly

, C.J., Kelley, G.T., & Krauss, A. (2003). Relationship between

visual-motor integration

and handwriting skills of children in

kindergarten

: A

modified

replication study.

The American Journal

of

Occupational

Therapy

, 57

(4), 459-462.

Edwards

, L. (2003). Writing instruction in kindergarten: Examining an

emerging

area of Research for children with writing and reading

difficulties

.

Journal of Learning Disabilities, 36

(2

), 136-148

.

Feder

, K.P., &

Majnemer

, A. (2007). Handwriting

development

,

competency

,

and

intervention.

Developmental

Medicine

&

Child

Neurology

, 49

, 312-317.

Graham

, S., Harris, K. R., Mason, L., Fink-

Chorzempa

, B., Moran, S., & Saddler,

B

. (2008).

How

do primary grade teachers teach handwriting? A

national

survey

. Reading

and

Writing: An Interdisciplinary Journal,

21

, 49-69.

doi

:

10.1007/s11145-007-9064-z

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References

Lust, C., &

Donica

, D. (2011). Effectiveness of a handwriting readiness program in head start: A two-group controlled trial.

The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 65

(5), 560-568.

Mackay, N.,

McCluskey

, A., & Mayes, R. (2010). The log handwriting program

improved

children’s writing legibility: A pretest-posttest

study

.

The

American

Journal of Occupational Therapy, 64

, 30-36.

Marr

, D.,

Cermack

, S.A., Cohn, E.S., & Henderson, A. (2003). Fine

motor activities

in head start and kindergarten

classrooms

.

American

Journal

of Occupational Therapy,

57

, 550-557.

Marr, D., &

Dimeo

, S.B. (2006). Outcomes associated with a summer

handwriting course

for elementary students.

American Journal of

Occupational Therapy

, 60

(1), 10-15.

McHale, K., &

Cermak

, S. (1992). Fine motor activities in elementary school:

Preliminary

findings and provisional implications for children with

fine motor

problems.

American Journal of Occupational Therapy,

46

, 898-903

.

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References

Olsen, J.Z. (2008). Handwriting Without Tears Research Review

. Handwriting Without Tears

. Retrieved January 28,

2013,

from http://www.hwtears.com/hwt/why-it-works/research

Olsen

, J.Z. &

Knapton

, E.F. (2008).

Handwriting

without

tears

:

Pre

-K

teacher’s

guide

.

Cabin

John, MD: Handwriting

Without

Tears

.

Roth, K. &

Guinee

, K. (2011).

Ten

minutes a

day

: The impact of

interactive

writing

instruction on first graders’

independent

writing

.

Journal

of

Early

Childhood

Literacy

, 11

(3), 331-361.

Schneck

, C. &

Amundson

, S. (2010).

Prewriting

and

handwriting

skills

.

In J

. Case-Smith & J. C. O’Brien (

Eds

.),

Occupational

therapy

for

children

(6th—

ed

., pp. 555-580). Maryland

Heights

, MO:

Mosby

Elsevier.