Handwriting Instruction
Handwriting Instruction is Important!
Handwriting has been an essential skill that all children must master to be successful in school and beyond. Research indicates that handwriting skills are related to reading and academic achievement.
The skill of handwriting is complex. It requires both perceptual-motor skills and cognitive processes. Direct instruction has been shown to increase automaticity in letter formation. Improving handwriting skills allows students to focus more on higher order thinking skills, such as planning and content generation. It is also a prerequisite skill for written expression in the classroom and workplace.
That’s why handwriting instruction is important!
Outside Resources
Download: Tools to Help with Handwriting
This webpage is a link to a website with downloadable resources for teaching handwriting. It is part of the larger Understood.org website which has many other resources.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW RESOURCES FROM UNDERSTOOD.ORGThe Importance of Teaching Handwriting
This webpage is a link to a summary of decoding and phonics; including tips on what a problem in this area might look like and how to help. It is part of the larger Reading Rockets website which has a wealth of resources and additional links designed to support teachers, parents and kids.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW RESOURCES FROM READING ROCKETSPrerequisites for Written Expression
This webpage has a quick summary of why handwriting is one of the crucial skills need for success in written expression. This page is a part of the larger set of resources provided by the IRIS Center at Vanderbilt Peabody College.
CLICK HERE FOR TEACHING RESOURCES FROM IRISThe Center on Accelerated Student Learning (CASL)
This link takes you to an evidence-based handwriting program developed by CASL. CASL was a five-year collaborative research effort supported by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) at Vanderbilt and Columbia University.
CLICK HERE FOR CASL HANDWRITING MATERIALS