Students
Ages
Handwriting - My Way was designed to be used by children in Pre-K through Fifth Grade. Children as young as age four can begin watching and listening to the letter and number formation videos, tracing the animated letters and numbers as they are able. By incorporating the universal handwriting strategies included in Chapter 6, Handwriting by Grade, students can continue to progress in their handwriting ability and skill throughout their elementary school careers.
Handwriting is unique among school skills in that it requires the formation of "motor-plans" or "motor-memory" to become efficient with this task. Much like learning to play a musical instrument or working to improve an athletic skill, correct instruction, followed by consistent practice of the skill is the most impactful means of creating efficient motor planning. Why is efficient formation important? Read on.
Implications
While a students's formation may be inefficient when first attempting to write, the sooner a student knows how to form a letter correctly and efficiently, the sooner that student is able to write words and then sentences and paragraphs. In contrast if a student is drawing letters, as a result of limited or inconsistent instruction, that student is more likely to become frustrated when learning to write or when writing expectations increase. These frustrations can result in negative self-esteem about a student's ability and even negative attitudes toward learning and school.
Writing vs. Drawing
When providing handwriting instruction it is imperative that educators help students learn to make the distinction between "writing" and "drawing". Writing involves forming letters, numbers, words, and sentences in a specific way in order to communicate thoughts and ideas. Most lowercase letters and over half of all uppercase letters are formed in one motion, lifting the pencil only when a letter is completed.
In contrast, Drawing involves creating or replicating an image. There are no rules about formation, only that drawings need to be recognizable. Drawings do not need to be formed efficiently or in a timely manner or constrain to any particular sizing requirement. If students learn to draw letters instead of write them, as learning intensifies and academic years progress, their inefficiency and frustration with handwriting can very quickly snowball into negative feelings about school and learning.
Handwriting - My Way was designed to be used by children in Pre-K through Fifth Grade. Children as young as age four can begin watching and listening to the letter and number formation videos, tracing the animated letters and numbers as they are able. By incorporating the universal handwriting strategies included in Chapter 6, Handwriting by Grade, students can continue to progress in their handwriting ability and skill throughout their elementary school careers.
Handwriting is unique among school skills in that it requires the formation of "motor-plans" or "motor-memory" to become efficient with this task. Much like learning to play a musical instrument or working to improve an athletic skill, correct instruction, followed by consistent practice of the skill is the most impactful means of creating efficient motor planning. Why is efficient formation important? Read on.
Implications
While a students's formation may be inefficient when first attempting to write, the sooner a student knows how to form a letter correctly and efficiently, the sooner that student is able to write words and then sentences and paragraphs. In contrast if a student is drawing letters, as a result of limited or inconsistent instruction, that student is more likely to become frustrated when learning to write or when writing expectations increase. These frustrations can result in negative self-esteem about a student's ability and even negative attitudes toward learning and school.
Writing vs. Drawing
When providing handwriting instruction it is imperative that educators help students learn to make the distinction between "writing" and "drawing". Writing involves forming letters, numbers, words, and sentences in a specific way in order to communicate thoughts and ideas. Most lowercase letters and over half of all uppercase letters are formed in one motion, lifting the pencil only when a letter is completed.
In contrast, Drawing involves creating or replicating an image. There are no rules about formation, only that drawings need to be recognizable. Drawings do not need to be formed efficiently or in a timely manner or constrain to any particular sizing requirement. If students learn to draw letters instead of write them, as learning intensifies and academic years progress, their inefficiency and frustration with handwriting can very quickly snowball into negative feelings about school and learning.
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