Tips for teachers to identify when a child's poor handwriting needs additional support and a referral to occupational therapy.
One of the reasons school aged children get referred to occupational therapy (OT) is due to poor handwriting skills. As a teacher, you have the experience to identify when a child is trying their best and still struggling.
Below are handwriting observations that you can share with the child's parents/caregivers to help them understand why you are referring to OT.
#1 - Lack of Improvement
You notice that after at least 4 weeks of focused attention and classroom strategies for improving a child's handwriting there is little to no progress.
#2 - Lack of Consistency
A student in 1st grade or above consistently struggles with forming letters and maintaining a uniform size during handwriting assignments.
"Writing is thinking on paper" William Zinsser
#3 - Age-Appropriateness
When compared with peers, student's handwriting consistently falls behind in terms of legibility and neatness.
#4 - Concerns with Pencil Grip
Excessive pressure or too light a touch on paper can impact legibility. A student can consistently complain of hand fatigue when writing because they may use a lot of pressure when holding the pencil. The child who uses too much pressure can turn it papers that are torn or are smudged. Conversely, you may notice that a child has a difficult time holding the pencil when writing. There grip may change multiple times during writing task.
#5 - Spacing and Alignment
A student in first grade or above demonstrates poor spacing between words and within words, as well as uneven alignment of letters. It is difficulty to read their writing because words blend together and it is challenging to where a word stops and a new one begins.
#6 - Slow Writing Speed
A student's writing may be notably slower than their classmates and it affects their ability to complete assignments, especially in second grade and above.
#7 - Frustration and Avoidance
Finally, if a student expresses frustration, embarrassment, or avoids writing tasks altogether due to their handwriting difficulties. Sometimes this is not observed in the classroom but the child's parents may report this observation when trying to complete homework.