Helpful writing exercises to improve your learner's handwriting
Your learner may have poor handwriting, but that doesn't mean that he is not smart, uneducated or incompetent!
You'll notice poor penmanship immediately when you ask your learner to copy his LEA (language experience activity) transcript in his writing. Does it take him a long time, is he laboriously copying each letter, does he form letters in the incorrect order (e.g. crosses his "t"s before making the body)?
You can help your learner improve his handwriting through practice, as long as your learner practices the correct way to write.
A good first place to start is with letter formation. Teach your learner the proper, mechanical way to print the letters he is having trouble writing (you can use this helpful resource that specifies the correct order for forming all capital and lowercase letters).
Once your learner consistently forms letters fluidly and in the proper order, try writing exercises with your learner. Ask your learner to copy a sentence backwards or to make a list of items he needs at the grocery store. Or, you and your learner can race against each other to copy a sentence as quickly as possible. Making this exercise a game rather than an assignment will take the stress and laboriousness out of writing for your learner.
Messy and hurried handwriting is different from childish scrawls. People are generally understanding of hastily written notes, but an adult writing in childlike scribbles may lead to others drawing negative and untrue conclusions about your learner.
What kinds of assumptions would you make about these two people based on their handwriting? If you were an employer, would you be more willing to hire one person than the other based on their handwriting?
Don't let poor, scribbly handwriting slide. Tell your learner what the implications are for childish handwriting and teach your learner to write with proper and neat penmanship. You will help your learner be prepared for most writing tasks and adjust much better to life in the U.S.
Happy Tutoring!
Jiyoung
Jiyoung Song
Programs and Social Media Intern, English At Large
Dartmouth College, Class of 2016
ENGLISH AT LARGE
Literacy and Learning for Life
Join the conversation
Your learner may have poor handwriting, but that doesn't mean that he is not smart, uneducated or incompetent!
You'll notice poor penmanship immediately when you ask your learner to copy his LEA (language experience activity) transcript in his writing. Does it take him a long time, is he laboriously copying each letter, does he form letters in the incorrect order (e.g. crosses his "t"s before making the body)?
You can help your learner improve his handwriting through practice, as long as your learner practices the correct way to write.
A good first place to start is with letter formation. Teach your learner the proper, mechanical way to print the letters he is having trouble writing (you can use this helpful resource that specifies the correct order for forming all capital and lowercase letters).
Once your learner consistently forms letters fluidly and in the proper order, try writing exercises with your learner. Ask your learner to copy a sentence backwards or to make a list of items he needs at the grocery store. Or, you and your learner can race against each other to copy a sentence as quickly as possible. Making this exercise a game rather than an assignment will take the stress and laboriousness out of writing for your learner.
Messy and hurried handwriting is different from childish scrawls. People are generally understanding of hastily written notes, but an adult writing in childlike scribbles may lead to others drawing negative and untrue conclusions about your learner.
Don't let poor, scribbly handwriting slide. Tell your learner what the implications are for childish handwriting and teach your learner to write with proper and neat penmanship. You will help your learner be prepared for most writing tasks and adjust much better to life in the U.S.
Happy Tutoring!
Jiyoung
Jiyoung Song
Programs and Social Media Intern, English At Large
Dartmouth College, Class of 2016
ENGLISH AT LARGE
Literacy and Learning for Life
Join the conversation
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