Leftie handwriting

[Janeway]

Is Italic writing supposed to be better for a leftie? I have never ever liked italic handwriting, but this child is really struggling. I already own Zaner-Bloser Traditional Manuscript but am wondering if I just need to forget Zaner-Bloser and go a different direction. I was thinking of going with HWOT.  But then I read in another post that Italic might be better? I also was thinking of not using a program and teaching to to write just through use of the chalk board, drive way, white board, and handwriting paper I have. 

Edited October 6, 2021 by Janeway

[prairiewindmomma]

Handwriting Without Tears is what all of the occupational therapists we have seen use.  It's not the script that makes it work (although it helps). It is the methodology.  There is sensory feedback from the wet-dry-try method.  Don't skip to the paper too quickly. Whiteboard isn't going to offer the same feedback. Try the larger slate.  Working in a driveway isn't going to give you the correct angle for his wrist and arm.

[BusyMom5]

I recommend a good pencil- Stabilo lefty, tri-write triangle,  something not round, with a bit thicker, harder lead.   I use HWT to learn letter formation- allowing things like drawing some lines the opposite direction,  for example on a T, the top line is started at the right and pulled to the left rather than teaching them to push the pencil left to right.   Once they get basic letters down,  I start cursive in 2nd or 3rd grade.  I've got 2 lefties who are doing cursive now, both are much better at cursive than printing.  I will say you have to make them practice!  

One of mine had a lot of trouble and I think he had a weak grip, still does imo.  Working on muscles can help- play dough, Legos,  tweezer games- those might help if thats an issue.  

If your lefty is very young, you can also encourage big writing on a white board, easel, sand, shaving cream, etc.  Lots of markers,  paints, etc.  Fun, but you may be past this age 😉

[Gil]

I taught The Boys the clock-based handwriting from WRTR because it didn't require workbooks or special stuff. I later taught them the Clock-based cursive. They use both to this day.

Teach letters by grouping/stroke and practice, practice, practice. Then be sure to practice again.

Once they know a letter formation--don't allow anything else. Make sure that they're handwriting is held to a reasonably high standard outside of "handwriting time". They need to write neatly and to the best of their ability at all times if good handwriting is going to become a default for them--ultimately you're training muscle memory, visualization and fine motor skills.

Doing 10 minutes of pencil strokes and letter formation won't mean a thing if they spend the rest of the school day drawing their letters on the page in any and every direction.

 

[Clemsondana]

My lefty also had apraxia of speech and some associated motor quirks (we did speech therapy for years but never did OT, but they kid a lot of private sports lessons - we didn't know what we were dealing with, but in the end the sports lessons were cheaper and more enjoyable and accomplished the same thing).  We used HWOT K-4, and then in 5th grade I let kid choose either the cursive practice or print practice book.  Kid chose cursive and writes pretty well, especially considering the 'doctor handwriting' that both parents have.  🙂  I always bought the HWOT instructors manuals but ended up not using them - the workbooks were enough.  Kid struggled with some writing frustration in K, but by 1st or 2nd HWOT was the easy book that they did in 10 minutes first thing in the morning while waiting for me to get started.  Each workbook is around 100 pages, and my remembrance is that we did it daily until we had gotten through the 'learn the letters and numbers' part, and then we did it 2-3 times/week until we were done.  

[Mirror]

I am a leftie with a leftie, the faster you can move your student towards cursive the better. I clearly remember the relief when I learned cursive as a 10 year old writing suddenly became much easier and neater. I like the Stabilo triangle pencils too, they also do a half sized pencil for smaller hands.