Teaching correct pencil grip when you don't do it correctly....

[JoyfulMama]

I know I'm not the only one who doesn't hold their pencil correctly. I almost sliced off the tip of my middle finger when I was little, forcing me to have it splinted, and laying across the top of my pencil when I wrote. It stuck. I can't hold my pencil correctly. I've tried.

 

With each one of my kids, they instinctively hold it the way *I* do. :glare: My eldest finally has proper grip, and I know it took a long time of sitting down with her side by side to continually reposition her fingers.

 

Now I'm working on ds and other dd... Working with two of them at the same time is draining. I'd consider doing it at separate times, but... yeah, no.

 

KNowing there are many many many many many many more days of pencil grip correction in my future!:tongue_smilie:

[gevs4him]

We have found it helps to stay away from round pencils. :confused:

We try to look at the big picture - is their handwriting neat? Do they complain about hand cramping? Our son is a lefty and we have had so much trouble and with him it does seem that the correct hold,correct pencil flat sides, and paper tilt produce neater writing and less complaints. So we make sure he is doing it the correct way. Where our daughter who is also a lefty holds her pencil wrong does not have the right tilt of the paper , but never complained of hand cramping and her writing is good. So we let her write the way she felt confortable. :glare:

Lisa

DD 18 college

DS 7 R&S Reading/Phonics - Math - English - Health, Abeka Hist. - Health - Art, Science Units made by mom, Building thinking skills level 1, SOTW 1. Peterson Handwriting slant 2

[Tiff in TX]

I feel your pain... and I'm only trying to teach one child how to hold a pencil.

 

For me, I tell my DD to hold her hand in the shape of an 'L' and then place the pencil in the proper position (it's about a 45 degree angle downward so that the pencil is touching between the index and thumb and also resting on the middle finger). I then have her grasp with her thumb and index.

 

Sorry if that doesn't make sense, I am a visual person and it's hard to explain it... I kept putting my pen in my hand over and over again to make sure I was explaing it right.

 

So far, this has worked. When I see her not using the technique, I have her show me her 'L' and then grasp again.

[JoyfulMama]

Sorry if that doesn't make sense, I am a visual person and it's hard to explain it... I kept putting my pen in my hand over and over again to make sure I was explaing it right.

 

:lol:

 

The things we do..... :D

 

Totally get the visual!!!! But I like your idea for making an L - I'm assuming with having other fingers curled under, and that might be another thing to try.

 

I have used triangular grips on the pencils, and even found the ones with the three spots for correct grip. My ds is now ready to really start writing, and I bought for him a fat triangular pencil, but it just takes lots of patience.

 

I understand that grip is not necessarily as important as legibility, but I do know that my grip doesn't equate to as fast writing, which was really only an issue when taking notes. (I made up my own version of shorthand to compensate.)

[Laurie]

There's something called a "Grotto Grip" that was designed by an occupational therapist. It looks kind of funny but it really helps to keep the thumb from crossing over on top of the index finger.

[mktkcb]

The writing claw http://writingclaw.com/default.aspx

[OrganicAnn]

Also if you use very short pencils it can help some kids with a pincher grip.

[Guest Cynww]

Check out this video for pencil grip:

http://www.parentchildeducation.com/how_to/PencilGrip.php

 

It looks painless and easy for children to do themselves!

[Shelly in IL]

They are weird shaped pens and pencils. It is virtually impossible to have an improper grip with them.