Handwriting and Recording Ideas
Handwriting can be tricky, but don’t worry—everyone can get better at it with some practice! It’s not just about how you hold your pencil—it involves a lot of things like how your brain and body work together, how you focus, and how you remember what you're writing.
Sometimes people worry about how you hold your pencil, but there are better ways to help you improve your handwriting that don’t just focus on your grip. Practice helps you get better!
Why Does Practice Matter?
Your brain is super powerful, but it can only focus on one thing at a time. So, when you’re concentrating on writing, you might not be able to think about what you want to say or hear everything around you. The more you practice, the easier it gets, and the faster you can write without thinking too much about it!Handwriting Skills
Writing neatly requires a lot of different skills, like:
- Fine motor skills (using your fingers and hands)
- Good posture
- Visual skills (seeing what you’re writing)
- Listening skills
- Memory
- Focus and attention
- Spelling… and so many more!
Before You Start:
There’s something called the PEO model that can help when handwriting gets tricky. It looks at three things:
- Person: What are you good at? What do you like? What helps you stay motivated?
- Activity: What do you need to do? Can it be broken down into smaller steps? Can anything be changed to make it easier?
- Environment: Where are you writing? Is the place comfortable for you to work?
Posture
Good posture makes writing easier, so check that:
- Your feet should be flat on the floor.
- Sit all the way back in the chair, with your hips against the back.
- Your desk should be at elbow height so your arms can rest comfortably.
- Make sure you’re using your dominant hand to write and your other hand to keep the paper steady.
Pencil Grip
It’s most important that you hold your pencil in a way that works for you. While the “tripod” grip is often best, some people find other ways to hold their pencil that works just as well!
- Don’t stress too much about having the perfect grip. It only becomes a problem if it makes your writing slow or hard to read.
- Most of the time, you'll find a grip that feels comfortable for you.
- If your grip isn’t working well, you can try new ways of holding your pencil. You could even copy what someone else is doing or look at a picture of the grip you want to try.
Ergonomic Tools
You could try using some ergonomic tools. These are a range of pens and pencils that are designed to be more comfortable and efficient and to promote proper finger placement and reduce strain. Those shown below can be purchased from this website, for example.
Pre-Writing
Before you start writing letters, it’s important to practice making simple shapes. These can include lines, circles, and diagonal lines. You will need to learn how to form these shapes before you can move on to handwriting:
- Practice drawing the above shapes with crayons, paints, or even chalk.
- Have fun with dot-to-dot or maze activities to help you learn these shapes!
Letter and Number Formation
Once you're good at shapes, you can move on to letters. Start with the ones that are easiest to draw. For example, some letters start like the letter "C."Tips:
- Practice a little bit every day—don’t worry about getting it perfect at first!
- Watch someone show you how to form each letter before you try it yourself.
- Make it fun—find ways to practice that you enjoy! Maybe even try tracing letters with chalk or using your finger to trace them in the air!
How to Make Handwriting Easier
To make writing smoother, try these strategies:
- Modeling: Watch someone show you how to write a letter, then try it yourself.
- Self-talk: While you write, say the steps out loud. For example, "down and across" or "around and down."
- Self-evaluation: Look at your writing—do your letters look like the ones you're copying? Try to improve one and see if you can make it better next time.
- Practice! Keep practicing, even if it’s just one letter at a time!
Other Fun Handwriting Strategies:
- Use colorful pens, pencils, or highlighters to make practice more fun.
- Have lined paper to help guide you
- Trace letters on a whiteboard, chalkboard, or even with your finger in the air!
- Pair up letters with things you like, like thinking of animals or objects that start with each letter.
How Often Should You Practice?
- Practice a few times a week, even for just 10-20 minutes.
- Break it up into smaller chunks if you get tired easily.
- Remember, it’s okay if you don’t practice for long periods—just keep practicing little by little!
- If you are feeling tired you could practice writing one sentence that includes all the letters in the alphabet (as below).
Pressure and Spacing
It’s important not to press too hard or too soft when writing, and keeping your letters the right size helps too.
- Try using a mechanical pencil to avoid pressing too hard.
- Use lined or squared paper to help with spacing.
- Have fun with games that ask you to practice light and dark writing to see how it feels!
If Handwriting Is Hard:
Sometimes, handwriting can be really tough. If it feels too difficult, there are ways to make it easier:
- Try typing instead of writing by hand! There are fun programs like BBC Dance Mats or Typing Club to help you practice typing.
- Make sure you practice typing regularly so you can use it when you need to write long things.
Remember: Everyone learns at their own pace. The more you practice, the better you’ll get at handwriting and typing!
Watch this:
Watch this video for more ideas and tips to improve your handwriting.
Last updated22 Jan 2025