Handwriting Without Tears Handout

Handwriting Without Tears®

The Hands-On Curriculum for Student Success

Presented by:Corinne Tuck, BSc.OT, OT(c)Angela Rath, BSc.Kin, BSc.OT, OT(c)

Edmonton Regional Educational Consulting Services (ERECS)

Objectives – What we will do

Provide an overview of the HWT curriculum Accommodations and practical strategiesReflect on your current handwriting practicesHow the HWT curriculum could be applied in your classroom

Objectives – What we won’t do

Detailed training of the HWT Curriculum (www.hwtears.com) (If you want detailed training, talk to your OT or check the website for workshops near you!!)

Handwriting Curriculum Survey

What printing curriculum do you use?How is printing currently being taught in your school?How do you currently teach printing to your students?

Zaner-Bloser

www.zaner-bloser.comLong standing (100 years)Step by step approachContinuous stroke, vertical manuscript4 lined paper with red baseline, dotted midline and blue headline and a blue line below the baselineStudents use this interlined paper up to Grade 4 and then transition to double line paper in Grade 5 and on.

D’Nealian Manuscript

www.dnealian.comSlanted printMost letters formed with one continuous strokeMost lower case letters are pre-cursors for cursiveVaried starting places

Handwriting Without Tears®

www.hwtears.comManuscript vertical styleDouble lined paper used from beginning to endMulti-sensory

Letter Style

Print Style

Cursive Style

Letters

Take out a piece of lined paper and a pen/pencil…

Developmental Teaching Order - Printing

Developmental Teaching Order – Cursive

Three Stages of Learning

Imitation: The teacher demonstrates the letter formation. The child imitates the teachers. Copying: Children are asked to copy a model of a practice word by looking at the word. Independent Writing: Children are asked to write a word without demonstration and without a model. They have to write from memory.

HWT® is Multi-sensory

Hold on…you have to teach…

Posture

Posture Stomp Correct Posture

Paper Position

Looking out for “Lefties”

Pencil Skills

Tripod Quadropod

Page Layout

The more you do, the worse you get phenomenon!

Copy one model at a time

Double Line Paper

Take a look at space…

Double Line Paper

http://www.hwtears.com/aplus

Line Generalization

Review & Check Strategies

Screening

Screener of Handwriting Proficiency

Universal/whole class screening tool Determines where students are succeeding and where they are strugglingAllows for focused handwriting instruction http://www.hwtears.com/screener/about-the-screener.

Assessment

Print ToolComplete printing evaluation for students that are identified as needing further testingNot standardized assessmentAssesses capitals, numbers, and lowercase letter skills.Determines where students are succeeding and where they are strugglingAllows for focused handwriting instruction Skills evaluated: memory, orientation, placement, size, start, sequence, control, and spacing

Handwriting Difficulties

Results of an assessment (Print Tool or other assessment) allow handwriting instruction to target areas of difficulty

Special Populations

HWT can be used with various special populations

Autism/Aspergers SyndromeDown SyndromePoor VisionCerebral PalsyDysgraphia

Handwriting AccommodationsRecommendations put in place to help a child with writing tasks and achieve academic success:

Adaptations to handwriting • Adapted worksheets/paper, specific

handwriting curriculum, classroom seating, writing surface, pencil type/modification, etc.

Alternatives to printing• Scribe, digital voice recorder, word/phrase

banks on cards, keyboarding, software considerations (writing grids, graphic organizers, word prediction, etc.), etc.

Functional Printing

What is functional printing?What are the goals for printing for students with disabilities? For regular students? For at risk students?

Integrating: Handwriting & Reading

Language arts program of studies includes handwriting in several general outcomes across all grade levels Language arts & handwriting teaching strategies:

Separate handwriting and reading teaching ordersIntegrate handwriting and reading teaching ordersFollow the reading teaching order

Ways to use HWT® in your classroom

Whole class Small groupIndividual instructionWhole school Cursive

Success with HWT®

Students SucceedChildren of all learning styles and ability levels learn to write neatly and efficiently.Handwriting becomes a natural skill.Students can focus on content of their work rather than the physical act of writing.Handwriting success fosters student pride and interest in learning.Children who write well enjoy school more and perform better in all subjects.

Parents are ProudHandwriting is the most visible expression of a child’s performance in school.Parents are excited with student success.Papers start going up on the refrigerator.Excitement breeds parents’involvement, interest, and support.

Teachers are ExcitedLittle time is needed for class preparation.Easy for both new and experienced teachers.Short lessons that get results.No more wasted time reviewing illegible papers.Teachers are pleased with improved student performance and interest.

Administrators see Results

All students succeed using HWT.Continuity and consistency exist across all grade levels.HWT supports and integrates with other Language Arts curriculums.HWT reduces need for remediation.Student workbooks are affordably priced.

Useful Handwriting Resources

Handwriting Standards – “produces legible handwriting” is this enough? http://www.hwtears.com/standards.OT On-Hand http://www.capitalhealth.ca/EspeciallyFor/OTOnHand/default.htm.

Questions??

Feel free to contact us….

Angela Rath, ERECS angela.rath@epsb.caCorinne Tuck, ERECS corinne.tuck@epsb.ca