Handwriting ?? for parents of 2nd graders...

[Verity]

For those who have struggling writers in 2nd grade, how many still flip some numbers and letters?

 

Also, do you find it common for your 2nd grader to have trouble getting his letters and numbers to rest properly on the line?

 

My son doesn't put consistent spaces between letters and numbers so it's hard to tell where one word stops and the next starts, then the letters/numbers seem to bounce up and down on the page. I'm concerned that maybe there is something visual going on here but not sure how much others have seen this?

[rlowetx]

My second grader still flips some letters/numbers some of the time. My mother is an elementary age OT and wasn't too concerned. His handwriting is well, um.. he's working on it.. and he hates writing. However, my mom just introduced cursive - and he loves it! He's been looping all day... Her point about the reversal (when you know its not dx) is that its impossible to reverse the letters doing cursive. If he does it while doing copywork or an assignment then we kindly correct it (he takes great offense to making a mistake), but on his little notes to himself or us - we just let it go.

[sixglides]

2nd grader with lots of reversed letters here. We also are introducing cursive, with high hopes.

[Caribbean Queen]

I'd try handwriting lessons and then copywork.

 

Do you know what I used to teach handwriting? Handwriting Without Tears first grade teacher's manual, normal paper, and pencils - No workbook, no HWT paper, no tracing worksheets. My son had a hard time tracing and writing on lines, so this was a perfect method for him. I taught my son to write a letter, using the HWT book for teaching ideas, and he wrote it 6 times on blank, unlined paper. I did not care if the letters were different sizes and all over tha page. After a while he transitioned to writing on a line. Then he went to normal, wide ruled paper. Teaching him this way got great results with little effort. Sometimes the straightforward simple ways work so well.

 

Once my son could write letters I gave my son one short sentence of copywork and then I would say, "Does this start with an uppercase letter? Does it end with a period? Is it written neatly enough for me to read it? Are the words spelled correctly? Are there spaces between the words?" His goal was to get a "yes" to all questions. Copywork got him to use correct spacing.

[CatMomof3]

2nd grader with lots of reversed letters here. We also are introducing cursive, with high hopes.

Ditto

the main letter is p and the main number is 3

[Haiku]

My dd does pretty well when she has a model to copy, but when she is writing independently, all bets are off. I don't worry too much about it because writing is a skill that takes practice. I don't require as much writing as a school would because we don't do worksheets and busywork, but we are working on a much more intense intellectual level. The writing will come with time.

 

Tara

[AnnetteB]

It sounds perfectly normal :) One of our sons ran his words all together until we asked him to lay an extra pencil at the end of each word to make the uniform space between words. This extra little step made all the difference. Others have had their words bounce up and down and fly away until practice and reminders brought them back down to the line. We also talk about which letters are in the "house," "attic" and "basement."

 

My husband has used the expression, "We're off like a herd of turtles!" for the last 27 years....I use it too now, but how common is it? and is it regional? I think we are not usually in other people's cars when they finally get all buckled up and ready to go so I just don't know if it is a rallying cry for many or a few.

[Tam101]

My son still struggles with keeping the letters and numbers on the line. The bottom half of number 5 is always under the line! But just yesterday I was looking back at some of his school work, we started in Aug, and he is getting much better. One of his first assignments in Aug started on one line and ended on the one below! He sometimes makes letters or numbers backwards, but self corrects. His spacing is pretty good when he is paying attention. If he rushes then that is another story.

 

You can get handwriting paper that has the lines slightly raised. I wish I could tell you where I got mine, but I don't remember. It helps because they can feel the line when they write over it. Also, remind him to do a finger space between words.

[Tam101]

We also talk about which letters are in the "house," "attic" and "basement."

 

 

I like that! I'm going to use it. I also give my son regular wide ruled paper for his copywork like a pp suggested. He uses the handwriting paper when we practice cursive though.

[Verity]

Thanks for the encouragement and suggestions, Ladies!

 

Re: the herd of turtles - I thought I made it up! Must have heard it somewhere. :) All three of my kids have a smattering of special needs, nothing dramatic, but enough to make us "unique" and needing lots of individual attention and work. :D

[Daisy]

Normal!! Letter formation & spacing is still being worked on in 2nd grade for many children (boys especially).

 

I can share with you what has helped my son tremendously with spacing. I made him a SPACE guy. Take a think Popsicle stick and draw an astronaut on it. It's his SPACE guy. He keeps it with his pencils and erasers and always uses it between each word.

 

Letter formation & proper lines (p going below and h going above middle line) is just something we just keep hammering away at with our copywork. When we do some assignments I give him a break from it. For example, spelling is done on a blank white board since my focus is on correct spelling rather than beautiful handwriting.

 

I've already seen huge improvement in the last 6 weeks. He'll be 8 in February and I think his small hand coordination is finally maturing.

 

HTH.

[Daisy]

A couple of silly pictures of our space guy.

 

 

[Amie]

Daisy, that is so cute and creative! Thanks for sharing.

[Verity]

Oh that is awesome! I'm definitely giving that a try!! Thanks for sharing Daisy!

[Crimson Wife]

My not-quite-7 year old has AWFUL print penmanship but is doing great learning cursive. It's easier for her since it's all one fluid motion with the pencil.

[Verity]

Which cursive "program" are you using? My 5th grader is remediating his cursive using HWOT, should I recycle?

[OneRoomSchoolHouse]

We had handwriting reversal problems along with spelling issues. My dd was tested and has dysgraphia. We use Handwriting Without Tears. They also have songs to sing that helps to memorize where to start their letters, etc.

[Crimson Wife]

The cursive style of HWOT absolutely makes me cringe, it's so unattractive.

 

I'm using Peterson Directed Handwriting. I really like how it breaks down the letters into parts and shows those parts in different colors. It's also a very "pretty" cursive IMHO.