Archive for the ‘handwriting’ Category

Handwriting Contest

Friday, November 12th, 2010

Zaner-Bloser is hosting a national handwriting contest where your school can win prizes totaling $100,000. The students who enter the contest must be Zaner-Bloser handwriting users only. This would be a great idea to promote legible handwriting in your school district. Go to their website to view all the details at Zaner-Bloser.

If your students do not use Zaner-Bloser why not run a contest anyway. You could give prizes for shape, slanting, spacing and size for print and manuscript. You could have them rewrite sample sentences and answer a question as to why legible handwriting is important. Maybe the sample sentences could be facts as to why legible handwriting is important. The contest would hopefully get teachers and students excited about learning proper handwriting. Give prizes to individual students and to teachers who have the most entries from their class. The prizes could be as simple as a certificate, ribbon or classroom supplies. You could always ask parents to donate a few prizes as well. Have fun promoting handwriting!

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Inexpensive Tactile Cues on Paper

Thursday, October 14th, 2010

Here are some economical ways to provide tactile cues on paper for children. By providing these cues children receive extra input to stay between the lines. They are an excellent way to adapt activities for children with visual impairments as well. Of course, raised line paper can be purchased at speciality therapy shops but here are some simple ideas:

1. Glue: Apply glue to the lines and let dry for 24 hours. Color the glue to provide an additional highlight on the line.

2. Puffy Paint: Purchase puffy paint to apply to the lines. Try making index cards with sight words or letters on them. Apply the puffy paint to add dimension.

3. Wax String (aka “Wikki Stix”): Put wax string sticks along the lines. These are great because they are reusable.

4. Cardboard Stencils: Make your own cardboard stencils. Cut out the space where you want the child to stay between the lines. For example, cut out one inch blocks to stay in between one inch height writing paper.

5. Rubber Bands: If you need an adaptation in a hurry, put a lined worksheet on a clipboard and wrap rubber bands around the board to write between the bands.

6. Embossing: Use an embossing tool or sewing wheel on the back side of paper to make raised lines on card stock paper.

7. Fun Foam: Cut out thin strips for lines or shapes of fun foam. The child can trace around the foam shapes.

8. Flour and Water: Combine flour and water to make a thin paste. Put it in a plastic bag with the corner of the bag snipped off. Pipe the flour paste onto the lines. Let dry 24 hours. You can add food coloring for visual cues.

Can anyone else add to the list?


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Written Language Disorder

Saturday, May 30th, 2009


Pediatric occupational therapists have vast experience of working with children who have written language disorders. Symptoms of written language disorder can include problems with grammar, spelling, organization and handwriting. School based therapists see how far reaching this problem can be. In many school districts, teachers and administrators primary focus is how to improve reading skills. Why is it that reading is the focus? Perhaps because previously there were no epidemiology studies on written language disorders. In the May 2009 issue of Pediatrics, researchers report on the “forgotten learning disability…written language disorder”.

The researchers found that written language disorder was present in 6.9% to 14.7% of the 5718 children followed depending upon the formula used. Boys had written language disorder 2-3 times more often than girls. Of the children identified with written language disorder, 25% did not have a reading disability.

This study reveals that a large amount of children are affected by this disorder. Although there are some limitations – the children had similar demographics (white, middle class Minnesota children. Regardless, this indicates that written language disorder is more common that society perceives it to be.

Pediatric occupational therapists can help to spread the word about written language disorder by:
1. Educating school staff on the signs of written language disorder.
2. Teaching staff how to prevent some of these problems early on through different handwriting instruction methods.
3. Encouraging school staff and parents to address written language disorders along with reading and math disabilities.
4. Introducing assistive technology at an early age to help students with severe written language disorder.

References: Katusic, Slavica K., Colligan, Robert C., Weaver, Amy L., Barbaresi, William J. The Forgotten Learning Disability: Epidemiology of Written-Language Disorder in a Population-Based Birth Cohort (1976-1982), Rochester, Minnesota
Pediatrics 2009 123: 1306-1313

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