Re: OT: Handwriting Without Tears

[Guest guest]

Hi -- noticed your post on writing. Over on the SID board we've had

a big discussion about using the Handwriting Without Tears

curriculum. It was developed by an OT, with children who have had

such severe problems that they couldn't even draw a horizontal line

on a paper. I've been to her workshop, many years ago, and the

results that she brought in, actually work samples, were incredible.

Some (smart) districts have adopted this for their whole district.

It is very easy to follow, inexpensive materials, and requires very

little of your time each day. In fact, she prefers that it takes

very little time. THe premise of the program is to teach them HOW to

make their letters correctly and consistently EACH time. No more

starting at the top, but then starting the next letter bottom up...

that is an inefficient way to write. There are little stories that

accompany the letters and visuals, if you choose to use them. The

type box in the workbook pages actually help kids " visualize " their

letter and eliminate reversals. My son is only 5 so we are doing the

pre-writing activities using the wood blocks, and a magna doodle

board instead of the chalkboard she speaks of. (because of his

sensory issues, he doesn't like the chalkboard!) And I know he'll

need this handwriting methodology because: he has a motor planning

problem....and in the school, if they do teach handwriting at all, it

is whole-class, and the teacher will not have time to come by and

check to see how he is forming his letters... they don't use the

boxes to help him eliminate reversals... they don't use all the start

and stop cues that kids like mine will need...so I plan on using the

curriculum more and more with him.

If you type Handwriting Without Tears, it will bring you to their

website, and you can browse it and order from it. The woodblocks are

neat, I had my FIL make some... I believe the pattern is in one of

the workbooks itself...so you don't have to spend the money and buy

her woodblocks if you want to save money. You could also use heavy

cardboard instead. The wood is just nice for the " feel " of handling

wood.

W

[Guest guest]

Hi -- noticed your post on writing. Over on the SID board we've had

a big discussion about using the Handwriting Without Tears

curriculum. It was developed by an OT, with children who have had

such severe problems that they couldn't even draw a horizontal line

on a paper. I've been to her workshop, many years ago, and the

results that she brought in, actually work samples, were incredible.

Some (smart) districts have adopted this for their whole district.

It is very easy to follow, inexpensive materials, and requires very

little of your time each day. In fact, she prefers that it takes

very little time. THe premise of the program is to teach them HOW to

make their letters correctly and consistently EACH time. No more

starting at the top, but then starting the next letter bottom up...

that is an inefficient way to write. There are little stories that

accompany the letters and visuals, if you choose to use them. The

type box in the workbook pages actually help kids " visualize " their

letter and eliminate reversals. My son is only 5 so we are doing the

pre-writing activities using the wood blocks, and a magna doodle

board instead of the chalkboard she speaks of. (because of his

sensory issues, he doesn't like the chalkboard!) And I know he'll

need this handwriting methodology because: he has a motor planning

problem....and in the school, if they do teach handwriting at all, it

is whole-class, and the teacher will not have time to come by and

check to see how he is forming his letters... they don't use the

boxes to help him eliminate reversals... they don't use all the start

and stop cues that kids like mine will need...so I plan on using the

curriculum more and more with him.

If you type Handwriting Without Tears, it will bring you to their

website, and you can browse it and order from it. The woodblocks are

neat, I had my FIL make some... I believe the pattern is in one of

the workbooks itself...so you don't have to spend the money and buy

her woodblocks if you want to save money. You could also use heavy

cardboard instead. The wood is just nice for the " feel " of handling

wood.

W

[Guest guest]

Hi -- noticed your post on writing. Over on the SID board we've had

a big discussion about using the Handwriting Without Tears

curriculum. It was developed by an OT, with children who have had

such severe problems that they couldn't even draw a horizontal line

on a paper. I've been to her workshop, many years ago, and the

results that she brought in, actually work samples, were incredible.

Some (smart) districts have adopted this for their whole district.

It is very easy to follow, inexpensive materials, and requires very

little of your time each day. In fact, she prefers that it takes

very little time. THe premise of the program is to teach them HOW to

make their letters correctly and consistently EACH time. No more

starting at the top, but then starting the next letter bottom up...

that is an inefficient way to write. There are little stories that

accompany the letters and visuals, if you choose to use them. The

type box in the workbook pages actually help kids " visualize " their

letter and eliminate reversals. My son is only 5 so we are doing the

pre-writing activities using the wood blocks, and a magna doodle

board instead of the chalkboard she speaks of. (because of his

sensory issues, he doesn't like the chalkboard!) And I know he'll

need this handwriting methodology because: he has a motor planning

problem....and in the school, if they do teach handwriting at all, it

is whole-class, and the teacher will not have time to come by and

check to see how he is forming his letters... they don't use the

boxes to help him eliminate reversals... they don't use all the start

and stop cues that kids like mine will need...so I plan on using the

curriculum more and more with him.

If you type Handwriting Without Tears, it will bring you to their

website, and you can browse it and order from it. The woodblocks are

neat, I had my FIL make some... I believe the pattern is in one of

the workbooks itself...so you don't have to spend the money and buy

her woodblocks if you want to save money. You could also use heavy

cardboard instead. The wood is just nice for the " feel " of handling

wood.

W