Learning to form letters automatically and adequately is vitally important. It is a foundational skill that is needed for reading success as well as lifelong learning.
Some kids learn to form letters pretty quickly, while others need more explicit instruction.
Today, I want to share some tips and tricks to help your child master letter formations.
You want to ensure your child understands certain concepts as they begin writing their letters. You can read this blog post to learn more.
Practice forming letters with similar strokes
While learning any skill is best understood when you can connect and build off that idea or situation. Making connections is why, when teaching my kids to form their letters correctly, I will select a stroke and then teach the letters related to that pre-writing stroke. For example, the curly c can make the letters a, c, d, e, g, q, and s.
Another example would be writing all the short letters. In the lesson, you can teach the letters a, c, e, i, m, n, o, r, s, u, v, w, x, y, and z. You might want to select a few of the letters to target, or you can find different words with all of those letters. It depends on the needs of your child.
Having your child write letters based on a common factor can help them self-regulate by having a common factor to reference. For example, with the ‘curly c,’ your child can remember that you start in the middle and curl around for curly c. Using the unique sayings eliminates the reversals we so commonly see. Furthermore, focusing on the short letters helps them focus on the letter positioning and size.
Lastly, focusing on a targeted stroke will allow multiple practices within a meaningful context. Writing different letters causes more flexible thinking. It also causes the child to get multiple exposures to forming the stoke.
Practice Handwriting by Writing Words
We want to help our kids develop proper writing skills! So when they start writing sentences and more complex text, they can spend their energy on spelling and transcribing their ideas instead of all the technical parts of forming the letters.
Writing words for handwriting practice is one of my favorite approaches because I can integrate other sub-reading skills to help make the learning activity more robust. It also kills two birds with one stone!!
I like using the Kid’s Junior picture cards with my younger kids. I have the kids say each sound within the word. Then, they will build the word with sound tiles. Finally, I will have them write the word as they say each sound.
I will observe their handwriting as they write the word and ensure they form the letters correctly. If they make an error, I will praise them for their effort and then show them how to do it properly. They will then rewrite the letter. If they still struggle, I may have them practice 4 or 5 times before moving on.
For remediation, I will intentionally select words that target a particular letter or prewriting stroke so that the intervention is being tailored for the student and they are getting multiple practices in a meaningful and connected way.
For my older students, vocabulary words or words represent common sound spellings.
Improve Handwriting by Building acceptable motor strength
With all the devices we use, sometimes we must do fewer tasks that require us to use our fine motor muscles. Certain activities can help your child strengthen their fine motor skills, such as beading beads, sorting with tweezers, or playing with playdough. I discuss more in this blog why building fine motor skills is so important.
However, I highly recommend not using these things in place of handwriting if your child shows signs of dysgraphia or lacks endurance.
For many things we learn in life, we must be willing to be brave and jump in and get messy with it until we develop the skills. We can watch videos, use the kit, etc., but we won’t grow until we dive in and start doing the task. So that is why we should encourage handwriting habits and spend time writing, not only building those fine motor muscles.
And you know what?
We actually build our small motor muscles as we write more and more.
Practice Handwriting through games and different mediums.
I know from experience that sometimes sticking with paper and pencil can be cumbersome and boring.
That is why I created a resource that includes games and activities that put a twist on writing. You can target in on a pre-writing stroke and eventually letters. I like to use Uno cards, colored markers, and paint to make it more engaging. I still encourage my kids to write from left to right and correctly form the letters, but they like the spin. We will also take water and paint and practice writing in the driveway. The kids love watching their letters disappear.
Create an ‘I can’ mindset.
Some kids I work with can be scared of failing. They will shut down or act out if they are not confident they can do the task. Or they are not interested in improving even though we know it is a vital skill they need to develop. Knowing kids respond differently is why I like to have a variety of ways to get them to write.
I will just have them practice the prewriting strokes. I created this resource to give parents the verbiage needed to help kids form the prewriting strokes and other resources. Simplifying the expectation helps them focus on a straightforward task and reduces cognitive load. Typically, some of my older students need this explicit practice a few times before they start writing correctly. When I teach my students the handwriting marks, we use the handwriting boxes to help with letter size and learning to write top to bottom, left to right.
As they tackle their tasks, I ALWAYS praise them for their effort and attention. My students ask questions like “How do I make the g?” or “Do I start with ‘curly c’ or ‘hook around’?” Asking questions and being aware helps students become active learners and transfer critical thinking into other areas of their learning and life!
Being proactive helps avoid learned helplessness and gives them the resources and courage to do things well. As well as overcome the struggles along the way.
Things to Remember:
Every child is unique and different. Some kids will start wanting to write sooner than others. Some kids will love writing! While others will just want to finish the task and do something that interests them more, like building or discovering.
And you know what? That is okay.
The important thing is that we lay a solid foundation with good habits.
*We do this by being intentional and consistent.
*As well as pushing each child to the next level appropriate to their needs and interests.
*Finally, have them examine their work and discuss what they like or need to improve.
When we let our kids take more ownership, this helps them take more control of their learning. With time, we will see the fruition of our efforts, and children will have the proper skills to continue improving and spend energy on other tasks.
If your child struggles with handwriting and is getting accommodations at school, I recommend you still spend 10-15 minutes practicing writing. Adjust it based on your child’s level, but having them write often will make sure they have those fine motor skills to write. Then, as they advance, they can write more accurately.
What to do next…
If handwriting is difficult for your child and their school work is suffering, start applying some of these tips, and you will see a lot of improvement.
If you are tired of the struggle and would like some extra support, check out my small handwriting group classes or email me about 1:1 tutoring, where I help students achieve their next reading level while integrating handwriting into my lessons.
Click the button below to schedule a Discovery Call. During the call, we can discuss your child’s current reading abilities and the best course of action to take to move forward to help close any gaps and give the tools needed to be successful.
Check out this blog post where I showcase my students’ transformation.