Bright boy who struggles with writing

[Anonymous]

Hi,
My 10 year-old son is a very bright and a delightful, enthusiastic child, but he struggles with his handwriting, so that his written work does not reflect his thought processes and I believe causes his teachers to misjudge his intelligence and ability. His handwriting has improved a great deal with the help of an occupational therapist who specializes in handwriting issues. We also had him evaluated by an optometrist who specializes in developmental eye issues, and he now wears reading glasses which also help. It is just really hard to watch him struggle!
It is painful to attend end of year awards ceremonies and watch other kids receive multiple awards and my son frequently doesn't receive any. Every year we hold our breath to see if he will get a teacher who apppreciates the whole child and not just what his handwriting reflects. He'll be in 5th grade this year and I know the stakes just get higher and higher--does anyone have any experience, advice or supportive ideas?
He does fairly well in school, on his report card at the end of 4th grade, he only had 2 C's and many A's , he is also above grade level for math. However, he is judged on his handwriting, not just by the teachers, but by his peers and other parents! PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE any suggestions!

[Anonymous]

Does he know how to type? If it were me, I'd talk with this year's teacher to see if typing his work is an option. Someone with more experience might also be able to suggest whether an IEP (individualized education plan) would be a relevant option.


Typing is certainly a requirement in later grades, so at the very least know that his handwriting needn't hold him back forever. Hey, maybe he's destined to be a doctor, given their reputation for illegible handwriting!

[Anonymous]

Our son is going to face the same (as we predict -he is to enter the school this year). The kindergarden evaluated his IQ amd level of preparadness to the school as one out of 3 best, especially his logic and math talents. However, we were told that he would avoid drawing/ painting and...first tries to write. And his handwriting is very poor.
Last 2 months we tried (occasionally) to improve his petty movements and thin senses of fingers. Trust this will help your child as well (at least no harm can be done by these exercises).
A) knitting. Like you would give him a drawing and ask to knit its contour.
B) play with him "recognition". Can be done with several children: all in circle and transferring to each other different by shape and texture subjects. Players are priorly blindfolded. Main goal is to recognize the subject by sensing it.
C) Ask him to paind and draw (with no ruler or eraser, so that he could see ommission or mistakes himself). (we asked to draw, afterwards we cut the drawing into the puzzle and asked to collect it - it was interesting for him).
D) Ask him to mould and to build.
Result: for now our son writes himself. Maybe not "the best of the best" but he is not ashamed by his work.

[Anonymous]

Additionally, maybe, try to read the book of Maria Montesorri (

Maria Montessori (1870 -1952). She developed ideas on childhood education that have had a profound impact on modern education theory and practice. It contained much of the equipment that is still used in the Montessori classrooms around the world. This included child-sized tables and chairs, wooden blocks into which cylinders of different sizes were inserted, lacing and buttoning frames, and cut-out letters of the alphabet for the children to finger and trace.

)?

[Anonymous]

Thanks to everyone for the great ideas! I will try them and if you have any others, please keep them coming!

[Anonymous]

You might want to think about speech recognition software like "Dragon Naturally Speaking." I was an advisor to students with learning disabilities and several of them used this and loved it. My 14 year old son has handwriting that is hard to read (and he also doesn't like the act of writing because it's slow); I'm looking into getting this for him.

[Anonymous]

OP did you see the article in the Post today (9/2) about kids who take crash courses on handwriting? The featured classes were all in Va. somewhere, and seemed to be an intensified version of the "Handwriting Without Tears" curriculum that is taught in many districts.

http://loudounextra.washingtonpost.com/news/2008/sep/02/computer-pencil-course-helps-kids-get-grip-writing/

[Anonymous]

OP here-No, I had not seen that article. thank-you so much for the link-it could be just what we need!

[Anonymous]

My best friend's son had this problem and the school accommodated him with some kind of typing tool that was wonderful - I think it was an Alpha Smart. I will ask her and post it for you. We are in Fairfax County and they had many options for her son to try. What is your school district?

[Anonymous]

"Handwriting Without Tears" was the resourece I was going to suggest as well!

[zumbamama]

Great suggestions....I notice that schools do not stress handwriting as much as they used to. The don't even teach cursive anymore.

[Anonymous]

OP here again-Thanks again for all the great suggestions. He is doing Handwriting without Tears with his OT--just brought home his 1st progress report for 5th grade--satisfactory and above-grade in Math--still Needs Improvement in writing. Aargh! I haven't wanted to pursue an IEP for him, but maybe it would be in his best interest. I'm looking into the Alpha Smart and Dragon Naturally Speaking programs-thanks again.

[Anonymous]

thanks very much to those who posted about handwriting without tears! my son's school doesn't use the program. the materials and curriculum look great, and the prices very reasonably priced. i've ordered a whole set of stuff for my 5 year old so we can play at home and help support his handwriting from the beginning.

[Anonymous]

OP, how is your son doing?

I've been researching this issue of not just poor handwriting, but otherwise bright children who have difficulty with the writing process in general. I found this article which has been of great help.

http://www3.telus.net/giftedcanada/wrtout.PDF

"Written Output Suggestions for Gifted Children and Visual Spatial Learners"

I'm sure your son's Occupational Therapist has already tried a lot of the ideas. I had never thought of using a gel pen instead of a pencil, and teaching my child how to just cross out errors neatly instead of erasing ... but we've been doing it, and it has been working GREAT! He is very happy to write with a smooth flowing gel pen instead of a pencil, for some reason.

I have also ordered my son this wedge to sit on while writing:

http://www.adaptivechild.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=1382

[Anonymous]

My kid's school is teaching cursive. No school teaches it like they did. There's some research out there about how important cursive is - it is faster than print. Writing quickly and fluidly is important, and apparently, good cursive skills mean there is less "interference" between what the brain wants and what comes out the hand, thus improving the quality of the written material.