How to Identify and Overcome Handwriting Difficulties

The development of handwriting is an important activity in the school curriculum. This book examines all facets of handwriting and explains why and how difficulties may occur, and provides classroom strategies to help overcome them.

The development of handwriting is an important activity in the school curriculum. The message that literacy is a primary skill is one that is learned from a very young age. However, the process of handwriting involves the complicated co-ordination of motor, perceptual and cognitive skills which do not always develop spontaneously, but require considerable explanation, demonstration, experimentation and practice. Many children struggle with this area of their education with a negative effect on their confidence and academic attainment. This book, an addition to LDA's bestselling How To...range, examines the facets of handwriting in detail and explains why difficulties may occur. It provides strategies to help. This accessible and practical book covers the following areas: How to identify handwriting difficulties; Ergonomic aspects of handwriting; Importance of posture and grip; Writing tools/media; Perceptual-motor approach to handwriting; Kinaesthetic approach to handwriting; Task-specific approach to handwriting; Cognitive-behavioural approach to handwriting; When to use a keyboard; Case studies with targeted intervention plans.The accompanying CD includes tried-and-tested photocopiable activities and resources to help guide practitioners' work.