Achieve writing fluency by practicing the handwriting skills unique to 3rd, 4th, and 5th-graders.
Handwriting Practice for Bigger Kids
Handwriting is a kindergarten and 1st-grade skill, right?
When we teach a skill like division, we know it’s not a once-and-done kind of thing. Over the following years, kids will see division come up in math lessons again and again. With each pass, students solidify their understanding, they get more efficient in applying the skill, and they become more accurate.
But division is complicated. Handwriting is easy!
Not so fast…
5 and 6-year-olds learn letter formation, letter/sound correspondence, text directionality, and even how to hold a pencil all at once!
It’s no wonder that 2nd-graders and above frequently have messy handwriting. They need more time to sort out all those skills!
Think of the student who struggles to get their ideas on paper and is always last to finish tasks. You start to wonder, Does this student have a learning disability or a problem with focusing? What interventions and documentation does the student need? It gets overwhelming quickly!
What if the solution were simple?
Help Bigger Kids Get Their Ideas on Paper
Say you’re teaching about making scientific observations. The student gets ready to write what they observed but…
- they have to think hard about where each letter starts
- their pencil grip is not controlled
- their letters come out too big to fit on the lines
20 minutes go by, and the only thing on their paper is “I saw…” 😬
In this moment of frustration, it’s time to consider that…
Maybe it’s a writing fluency issue!
If so, additional instruction in handwriting could be the simple fix!
To improve writing fluency, demonstrate:
- holding a pencil with a tripod grip
- using medium pressure with the pencil on the paper
- starting letters at the top or the middle and pulling the lines down
- forming most letters with one pencil stroke
- sitting most letters on the bottom line (not floating)
- allowing letters j, p, q, and y to dip below the bottom line
 Starting letters at the top and pulling lines down gives students a consistent motion and more controlled strokes. |
Intermediate-grade students have to transition from the three lines of handwriting paper to smaller lines without a top or center guide. Some students need practice in:
- imagining where the midline would be
- making smaller lines and curves to form letters
- Sitting letters on the bottom line
 Intermediate-grade students need practice in making letters smaller and imagining where the middle line would be. |
Handwriting Practice Beyond the Primary Grades
The beginning of the school year is the best time to review letter formation and work on making letters smaller. It sets up your handwriting expectations for the year.
Most handwriting resources are for younger students and may not reinforce where letters should start. The also don’t provide practice in making letters smaller and imagining where the center line would be.
I designed my own resource that hits these skills, doesn’t look too “babyish” and is easy to implement (print and go!)
I love to use Handwriting Practice for Bigger Kids as the first step into my writing block. Kids feel successful because they know their letters, they’re just refining their skills.
Click HERE to see how this resource can save you planning time and help your students improve their writing fluency.
You’ll see better work all year long!
