Kuovonne Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 Does anyone else have a kid who loves to use a pencil despite horrible handwriting? If so, any words of advice on improving her handwriting? My DD6 likes putting words on paper. However, she has very sloppy handwriting. I think part of the reason she has bad handwriting is that she writes so much. Unfortunately, she does most of her handwriting in her play time. I cannot supervise her handwriting during her play time. And I cannot restrict her access to pencils. She is capable of producing beautiful handwriting when she wants to. For example, one time she had to fill out a form to get a prize and I pointed out that the people giving out the prize would have to be able to read her handwriting. Her handwriting for the form was gorgeous. Similarly, her handwriting on her thank you notes is lovely. It does take a little longer for her to write nicely, but not much longer. I supervise her handwriting during school time and insist on legible handwriting then, especially when she does her daily copywork. She doesn't complain about the length of what she has to write, only that she has to write neatly. She went through a phase when she tried to get out of writing neatly by doing her copywork three times instead of once and drawing a check box for me to mark the best. Unfortunately, I want just one decent line and none of the three lines were at the level I know she can do. She has been writing words for several years. She first started trying to form letters when she was three, and I felt forced to start teaching her how to form letters then so that she would learn them correctly. Last year I tried teaching her cursive, but, even though she likes cursive, her cursive is just as sloppy as her printing. It doesn't matter if she has primary lined paper, wide rule paper, or unruled paper. Most of her writing is on wide rule paper at her request. Last year she used primary lined paper, and she occassionally still has a worksheet with primary lined paper, but the extra lines don't improve her handwriting either. I know it isn't a staminia or finger strength issue because she writes a lot on her own. I know that it's not a lack of knowledge of how to form letters, because she can write beautifully when she wants to. I don't think that it's vision problem because she can write well and also reads decently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
besroma Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 I do not have answers to your specific questions, but I am currently reading an excellent book called "The Write Start" that might be able to help you. It is written by Jennifer Hallissy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbmamaz Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 Personally i think I would set limits and leave it at that, rather than making a big deal out of it. Have several things which MUST be done neatly (like copywork and final drafts) and make it clear that she WILL rewrite it until its good enough. then just let the rest of it be. Honestly, my 8 yo still can barely write. if i had a 6 yo who could SOMETIMES write beautifully, i'd be thrilled Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuovonne Posted September 2, 2012 Author Share Posted September 2, 2012 I do not have answers to your specific questions, but I am currently reading an excellent book called "The Write Start" that might be able to help you. It is written by Jennifer Hallissy. Thanks I will check it out. Personally i think I would set limits and leave it at that, rather than making a big deal out of it. Have several things which MUST be done neatly (like copywork and final drafts) and make it clear that she WILL rewrite it until its good enough. then just let the rest of it be. Honestly, that's pretty much what I do now. I require copywork be (re)done as neatly as I know she can. Everything else for school just needs to be legible. After all, if I can't read her numbers on her math worksheet, the answer isn't correct. Yet if she practices bad handwriting so much more than good handwriting, how will her handwriting improve? Honestly, my 8 yo still can barely write. if i had a 6 yo who could SOMETIMES write beautifully, i'd be thrilled Thanks. I'm more concerned with her resistance to doing her best versus her actual achievement. I want to follow the Charlotte Mason method of asking for only a little bit of work as long it is the child's best effort. Yet that doesn't seem to work with this child for this subject. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbmamaz Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 ahh, I never connected to CM at all. But I LOVED TWTM but realized I couldnt do that with MY kids. Sorry I dont have any practical advice. I'm a pretty laid back teacher - relaxed eclectic, I call myself. Or Very relaxed eclectic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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