Handwriting can be the hardest struggle in so many households. Join us for insight into current research as to why handwriting is so important, as well as some tips and tricks to make it easier.

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Resources Mentioned in the Webinar

This first resource will help parents understand the necessity of a variety of activities to help build central detail vision, which is essential for academic success.

We referenced these articles repeatedly:

How Important is Careful Handwriting in Spelling You See?
5 Reasons Writing by Hand Is Good for the Brain and for Well-Being
Why Your Brain Loves Pen and Paper

I particularly liked these sections:

• “Using a pen and paper is a deeper sensory experience than touching a keyboard. Since you’re crafting each letter by hand, it requires more dexterity to write with a pen than it does to type.”
• “Reading handwritten text activates different parts of the brain than reading typed text.”
• “Your memory of handwritten words is tied to the movements required to make each letter. This might be what helps the memory of what we’ve written hang around in our brains a bit longer. Meanwhile, pressing buttons on a keyboard activates fewer areas of the brain, so we forget what we’ve typed faster.”

And a couple of questions that we answered in the chat which you may find beneficial:

“Is writing with an erasable pen different from writing with a pencil?”

The challenge with an erasable pen is that the neurological input is not the same—the resistance that is offered by a pencil is a greater degree of neurological feedback than a pen, regardless of whether it Is erasable.

“What strategies can we use for writing on [the] line?”

OTs tell us that there is a benefit in taking a marker or a pen and putting dots one inch apart on the lines themselves. You can ALSO find handwriting paper with raised lines. It is TERRIFIC.

“If the student consolidates their notes and reorganizes them when typing, would you still recommend they handwrite to aid in retention?”

There is always a greater benefit in using handwriting to organize notes. This article supports that idea.

One parent mentioned Getty-Dubay handwriting.

5 Ways to Improve Your Child’s Handwriting

A simple exercise to develop handwriting—play catch! It sounds crazy, but it makes a difference. Start with a large ball, and gradually decrease the size of the ball.

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