Handwriting resources | Autism PDD

I finally found a good way to describe the correct pencil grip.  I can't remember where, but I read someone calling it pinching like a crab or something and using the other finger to keep the pencil from falling.  Well, I rephrased it a little and had great success.

First I showed my younger son how I make a "lobster claw" with my thumb and forefinger, and "pinch" the pencil.  Then I showed him how I "trap" the pencil and keep it from moving with my middle finger.

Then I had him try.  He caught on pretty quickly, so I could just remind him to "make a lobster claw, pinch it and trap it" every time he picked up his pencil while doing homework yesterday.

Tzoya found an OT website that had some good material about handwriting readiness.  It gives the best description of pencil grasp that I have found. 

In the article "Development of Pre-printing Skills", they describe the "Power grasp", which is the closed-fist, thumbs up grasp that my youngest son used until he was almost 6!  This is an inefficient grasp, because the movement comes from the shoulder. 

A somewhat more efficient grasp has movement coming from the wrist, but the most efficient grasp is the "tripod grasp" which I keep reminding my son to use now, with my pinch and trap metaphor (see above post).  Here the movement comes from fingers, and allows the greatest precision and least fatigue. 

Kids normally "will progress through a number of different grasps and eventually develop an efficient grasp" by age 4. 

Here's a link to the free resources on that website, including above-mentioned article:

http://www.skillbuildersonline.com/SBA/Catalogue.asp?Current =Free+Stuff

Thanks for the links, these will be great for both of my kiddos. 

NorwayMom,

Can you simply e-mail me your bookmarks??
They must have cost their virtual weight in gold !!!!!
LOL !!!!!

No, seriously I could send you my e-mail on PM.

Thanks in advance

Carolc8632 tipped me about the website www.abcteach.com. They have some unique handwriting printables, including Handwriting without Tears font and Left-Handed friendly.  Here are the links: D'Nealian	Left-Handed Friendly Handwriting Practice
HWT font (Handwriting Without Tears ® style)	Zaner Bloser

These are fabulous links!  Thank you for sharing them!

Just had to gather my handwriting resources in one spot (thought it might be timely now that school is starting).  If a link doesn't work, try removing any blank spaces.  If it still doesn't work, let me know.

Fine motor milestones:

www.cdc.gov/actearly - Check various ages for milestones for hand and finger skills.

Handwriting checklists:

http://fc.stoughtonschools.org/~p_leblanc/Sample%20Handwriti ng%20Screening.pdf - extensive handwriting checklist

http://www.cia.indiana.edu/ILRN/resources/2006_1_ResourceGui de_183_184.pdf - simple checklist for teacher to evaluate a writing sample and one for student to check his work.

http://bcsd.k12.ny.us/services/PPS/Rubric/OT%20Handwriting.p df - handwriting checklist.

http://www.ldam.org/pdf/journal/2000/07-00_screeninglists.pd f - handwriting observation checklist

http://ehlt.flinders.edu.au/education/DLiT/2000/Motor%20Dev/ writing.htm - handwriting checklist from a motor development focus.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/2166774/Forms-Questionnaires - booklet "Practical Considerations for School-Based Occupational Therapists".  Includes handwriting teacher questionnaire and other forms and checklists related to OT.

http://www.getreadyforschool.com/preschool/pencil_grip.htm - illustrated list of the various grasps leading to a fully-developed pencil grasp.

See page two of this topic for a Dysgraphia checklist (writing disorder).

Worksheet generators

http://www.writingwizard.longcountdown.com/multi-word_handwr iting_worksheet_maker.html - excellent, with print or cursive, different sizes, etc.

http://www.handwritingworksheets.com/index.htm - trace sheets in basic print and D'Nealian, copy sheet in cursive.

http://www.kidzone.ws/tracers/index.htm - make your own tracer pages, with your choice of two printing styles plus cursive.

http://www.senteacher.org/Print/ - two worksheet generators for pre-writing skills (ie tracing spirals, etc.) -- you get a different worksheet every time.

http://www.mymoondrops.com/info/spelling.html allows you to create tracing paper of a short word, phrase, or name 

http://www.abcteach.com/free_handwriting_worksheet_form.php - choice of font and content (can't write your own text without membership).

http://tools.atozteacherstuff.com/handwriting/handwriting-pr actice.html - create your own tracing sheets in landscape or portrait format, with traditional or modern print (my kids' school using modern print, which I think is meant to ease the transition to cursive). 

Free downloads and printables:

http://www.hwtears.com/parents/parentextras - free downloads and printables from Handwriting Without Tears, including helpful charts on how to talk your child through writing the letters and numbers ("start in the starting corner" etc).

http://www.dltk-cards.com/writingpaper/ - make your own stationery, with a decoration (for example Blues clues) and your choice of lines (including large rule with top, bottom and middle lines).

http://www.atozteacherstuff.com/Printables/Handwriting/index .shtml - short list of handwriting printables

http://www.handwritingforkids.com/handwrite/ - free handwriting sheets on a variety of topics

http://www.positivelyautism.com/links.html - handwriting practice sheets

http://www.abcteach.com/directory/basics/handwriting/ - worksheets in different fonts, including Handwriting Without Tears, D'Nealian, left-handed, etc.

Online fun:

http://www.ictgames.com/sky_writing.html - a skywriting airplane cartoon demonstrates how to write each letter (small letters only).

http://www.meddybemps.com/letterary/guide_and_archives.html - a spider demonstrates how to write each letter (small and capital)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/typing/ - Game for learning touch typing.

http://kids.learn2type.com/index.cfm?action=Tots&subacti on=Typing - typing activity for copying text.  The program helps the child keep track of what he's typed so far, by highlighting the current letter in green.

Information and tips:

http://www.parentsasteachers.org/site/pp.asp?c=ekIRLcMZJxE&a mp;a mp;a mp;a mp;a mp;a mp;a mp;a mp;a mp;a mp;a mp;a mp;a mp;b=307144

http://www.autism-pdd.net/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=13418&am p;am p;am p;am p;am p;am p;am p;am p;am p;am p;am p;am p;am p;am p;am p;am p;am p;am p;am p;am p;am p;am p;am p;am p;am p;am p;am p;am p;am p;am p;am p;am p;am p;KW=handwriting - lots of good tips on our forum, including pencil grips, handwriting-readiness activities, review of Handwriting Without Tears program, etc.

http://www.sensory-processing-disorder.com/fine-motor-skills -activities-for-children.html - the secret to making fine motor skills activities fun.

http://www.sensory-processing-disorder.com/sensory-integrati on-activities.html - Handwriting help from an OT/sensory perspective.

http://www.skillbuildersonline.com/SBA/Catalogue.asp?Current =Free+Stuff - free handwriting-readiness articles and activities from an OT website.  More is available if you join.  See also separate post further down on this topic.

http://www.integrationscatalog.com/sportime-shared/articles/ handwritingDevelopment.jsp - problems with touch discrimination and physical stability can cause handwriting trouble.

http://www.integrationscatalog.com/sportime-shared/articles/ ambidextrous.jsp - problems crossing the midline, being ambidextrous can cause trouble.

http://primaryschool.asfg.mx/Handwriting_Philosophy.pdf - a school's handwriting handbook.

http://learningdisabilities.about.com/b/2008/03/26/fun-ways- to-build-fine-motor-skills.htm - fun activities to build fine-motor skills.

Handwriting programs:

Handwriting Without Tears is the most popular, but it doesn't necessarily work for everyone.  Here are some alternatives.

http://www.learningdifferences.com/catalogs/2005%20cat/page_ 4.htm - Sight Sound, an approach that our member maisa had good results with.

http://www.epsbooks.com/downloads/rtus/4030M/woh-cc_workbook -toc.pdf - Write on Handwriting.  I don't have experience with the program, but I've posted below about how they categorize the letters to make them easier for kids to write them correctly.

Any other resources?

NorwayMom40085.0287152778

The website http://www.mymoondrops.com/info/spelling.html allows you to create tracing paper of a short word, phrase, or name for free.

A to Z Teacher Stuff also has a short list of handwriting printables: http://www.atozteacherstuff.com/Printables/Handwriting/index .shtml

Handwriting for Kids has many free handwriting sheets with a variety of topics: http://www.handwritingforkids.com/handwrite/

On Positively Autism, I also have some handwriting practice sheets: http://www.positivelyautism.com/links.html

Nicole

Fun activities to build fine-motor skills:

http://learningdisabilities.about.com/b/2008/03/26/fun-ways- to-build-fine-motor-skills.htm

 

THese are great!  Thank you all!I don't know if it was mentioned in previous posts (I scanned but didn't see), but if anyone is interested in Handwriting without tears send me a PM! It's a neat multisensory approach to teaching handwriting. It's pretty costly (uses wooden pieces, chalkboard, clay, etc), but I think I'm going to scan a template of the wooden pieces onto my computer, and give it to people so they can make their own pieces out of foam or something similar.)

This short article lists the stages in learning to write:

http://www.parentsasteachers.org/site/pp.asp?c=ekIRLcMZJxE&a mp;b=307144

 

Hw tears rocks a ot wrote this she is in Plano,Tx. She only does print/cursive. DNilean not all school use is why!

 

Educators Publishing Service has a handwriting program called "Write on Handwriting" with workbooks for "Powerful Printing" and "Conquering Cursive".  They classify printed letters as follows, and have a similar classification/teaching system for cursive letters (my kids are FAR from learning cursive, so I'm not taking the time to post about that system).

lowercase letters:

Curve letters:  c a d g q o s

Dive letters:  l t i j u k f

Down up and over letters:  r n m p h b

Left to right letters:  e z

Slant right letters:  v w x y

Capital letters:

Dive and retrace letters:  D P B R

Dive letters:  L E F H K N M U

Dive and cross letters:  I T J

Curve letters:  C G O Q S

Slant right letters: V W X Y

Slant left letter:  A

Slant left to right letter: Z

Source:  http://www.epsbooks.com/downloads/rtus/4030M/woh-cc_workbook -toc.pdf

Today I cleaned up this topic a bit.  I'm also adding my Dysgraphia checklist (which was posted earlier under Checklist Resources).

Dysgraphia checklist, translated from Norwegian (I liked it better than any American checklists I found).

Yes/no (your own  examples)	Writing quirks that can indicate reading and writing disorders (examples in parentheses)
	1)   Uneven handwriting        - some letters get too tall         - unclear letters (m looks like n, a looks like u or o)        - breaks in the middle of words (ta ble, cha ir)
	2)   Mixing large and small letters (taBLe, chaiR)
	3)   Inconsistent use of:         - spaces (tableandchair, tableor chair)        - punctuation        - lines        - slant (table, chair)
	4)   Flips around:         - similar letters (d <-> b <-> p, t <-> f, n <-> u)        - word (dog might be written god)
	5)  Writes based on how it sounds
	6)  Skips letters (Peter written as Ptr)
	7)  Adds extra letters (fractory, punctucation)
	8)   Mixes up similar sounding letters        (b <-> p, g <-> k, f <-> v, d <-> t)
	9)   Puts som letters in the wrong order        (table <-> talbe)
	10)  Drops word endings (students written as student)
	11)  Problems following spelling rules like silent E
	12)  Writing seems to require a lot of energy
	13)  Does poorly on spelling tests
	14)  When writing whatever he wants independently  30% or more misspelled words
	15)  Writes as little as he can get away with

OMG, awesome!!!!!!! I love all of it. Thanks so much!

gotta say, I love the "lobster claw"  DD loves loves loves crabs and lobsters so I bet she will pick it up in one second!

Our member Maisa reported that her son responded better to the Sight Sound approach than to Handwriting Without Tears. 

As far as I can make out by googling, Sight Sound is an approach designed by Richard Cooper, PhD.  This seems to be his website, link to catalog page with writing products.

http://www.learningdifferences.com/catalogs/2005%20cat/page_ 4.htm

If anyone else has information on this approach, feel free to post.

Norwaymom, do you have any more info on Dysgraphia?  I think my son may have an issue with this.  I want to fight to get him on the computer at school since at 4th grade the mechanics of writing are still interfering with his learning.  I've asked to have samples of his and 'average' 4th graders at his IEP meeting.  Above he fits quite a few of the problems.  Any help anyone can give would be greatly appreiated.

I found a couple more dysgraphia sites today:

http://www.ldinfo.com/dysgraphia.htm

http://www.margaretkay.com/Dysgraphia.htm

You Rock! It's official -- kids with autism are at higher risk for handwriting problems.  I believe parents and schools should be on the look-out for the problem, evaluate the child properly, and address the problem early.

Here's a short article on the research:

http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/558234/?sc

Another handwriting program, alphabet beats. Great program for kids who resist writing. It worked better for us than handwriting without tears. its a video that teaches eacher letter. lots of repetition.

http://www.tvteachervideos.com/

That video looks awesome, Linda! Fine motor activities:

http://drzachryspedsottips.blogspot.com/2011/03/fine-motor-a ctivities.html

Excellent explanations and ideas here:

http://www.brighthub.com/education/special/articles/119538.a spx

A DVD series called Alphabet Beats.  The company was apparently started by the mother of a boy with autism.

http://tvteachervideos.com/products.html

 

This site has fine motor activities and other ideas to combine in an educational and fun "obstacle course" at home or at school.

http://www.myobstaclecourse.com/category/activity-ideas/fine -motor/

A good tip on encouraging a better pencil grasp:

Another app:

http://yourtherapysource.blogspot.com/2012/04/pincer-grasp-app-chalk-walk.html

 

Video of "Frog Jump Capitals" from Handwriting without tears.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=_k9FsYfsqx8 

An app for pre-writing skills:

http://otswithapps.wordpress.com/2012/04/14/ready-to-print-a-pre-writing-app/ 

 

Alligator chop song for proper pencil grasp:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01496z23PIs

5 tips for pencil grip.

My youngest son has finally gotten help of an occupational therapist.  He seems to have made good progress with his pencil grip in the course of three sessions. 

The OT uses a product called LDA Tri-Go grip.  Here it is:

http://www.ldalearning.com/motor-skills/fine-motor-skills/tr i-go-grip/

Activities to eliminate letter reversals -

http://www.brighthub.com/education/special/articles/76617.as px

Many of these activities involve crossing the midline, and that's one of the problems that an occupational therapist focused on when we had a consultation in March.

 

Painting with q-tips:

http://therapyfunzone.com/blog/2011/08/q-tip-painting/

Do-at-home fine-motor activities.  Easy and fun.

http://www.positivelyautism.com/downloads/FineMotorActivitie s.pdf

These products are designed by an occupational therapist.  At per kit, it seems a little expensive for what you get, but might be handy.

http://grasshopperkits.com/

Lots of cool products here.

http://pencilgrip.com/index.phtml

 

Read on facebook, by the author of Raising a sensory smart child:

Remember, handwriting involves multiple senses, including proprioception/body awareness (including awareness of how tense your arm, hand, and finger muscles should be) and tactile (feel of the pencil against the skin). Other skills, such as... motor skill and visual/perceptual ability, are also involved in handwriting. Working on any of these challenges a child has will make handwriting easier although if one piece of the puzzle is an especially big challenge, intervention is definitely needed. You can have the best fine motor skills in the world but struggle with writing due to poor motor memory. --Nancy

 

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