Paper position. When writing, the paper should ideally be placed at a 45-degree angle towards the dominant writing hand. Pencil position. Holding a pencil in the “tripod” grip (with the first two fingers and thumb) is ideal for writing, but you may have to use thick, “chunky” pencils and pencil grips to help younger learners master this pencil position.
Start with straight lines of varying lengths, both “up and down” and “side to side. ” Move on to diagonal lines, such as forward and backward slashes. Introduce curve and tunnel shapes in all directions as the next step. Finish by drawing patterns that join together the straight lines, diagonal lines, and curved lines you’ve introduced. Make these sessions part of a fun activity, especially for younger learners. For instance, have them pretend that an upside down u-shape is a cave and have them come up with a story about what (or who) is inside.
a, c, d, g, q, e, o, f, s: These share a counterclockwise writing motion. You might split these into two groups to simplify the introduction. b, h, m, n, p, r: These letters share a clockwise motion. i, j, k, l, t: These letters have a vertical line as a central feature. u, v, w, x, y, z: This is a bit of a “catch-all” category for the remaining letters.
Keep an eye out to make sure they’re tracing in the correct order—for instance, starting “s” from the top rather than the bottom. There are many letter tracing worksheets available on the internet. Print out some of these worksheets for them to use, or make your own.
For now, focus primarily on letter formation, not size, spacing, or slant. At this point, you just want the students to be able to form the letter properly. When you see an error or issue, help the learner figure out what they missed.
One way to teach uniform slanting is by drawing a vertical line through the center of each letter. When you finish drawing these lines, they should all be parallel to each other. If they’re still learning how to make the slant uniform, some lines will be parallel, while some may slant in opposite directions. If the learner is struggling, don’t lose your patience. Simply explain to them how the lines should look, and demonstrate it yourself. Then, let them practice again.
Students can use their pinky fingers or a popsicle stick to show how much space should be between each word. The spacing between letters is a bit more tricky to measure, so consistency should be the priority. Remember that practice makes perfect! The more they practice the better they will get. At the same time, though, continue to keep the lessons relatively short, especially with younger learners, so they don’t lose focus.
Sitting properly may seem like an old-fashioned idea, but it is actually very important for creating the ideal writing environment. [10] X Expert Source Courtney CoprivizaElementary School Teacher Expert Interview. 18 June 2021.
You might, for example, hold a daily 30-minute session that’s primarily instruction for the first half and primarily practice time for the second half. If you notice one of your learners becoming frustrated, have them take a break and do an alternate activity for a few minutes.
Drawing on a vertical chalkboard/whiteboard or painting on an upright easel helps develop the wrist control needed to manipulate a pencil on paper. Even once they are ready to work on handwriting—typically around age 5—kids continue to benefit from hands-on playtime!
The types of sensory feedback you offer will vary based on the age and skill level of your learners, but always be ready to provide lots of positive verbal feedback in any case. Praising your student with a “good job” or encouraging them with a “you got this” can go a long way!
You might say something like: “Hmm, your tunnel shapes look a little different over on this side of the paper. What would you say is happening to them?” If they correctly answer that the shapes are getting smaller and smaller, you might try something like: “You know, I noticed that the first tunnels you drew are about the same size as your fingertip. Can you think of a way to use your fingertip to help draw your tunnels all the same size?”
If you’re a classroom teacher, for example, you might have your students keep a notebook journal and set aside time each day for them to write entries.
