handwriting again

[LKS]

I have posted on here before about the difficulties my son has with handwriting. Since year 2 we have been on various handwriting courses run by the O.T. and followed lots of different schemes. these work for a while until a lot of writing or more speed is required. In his SATS in year 6 he was allowed to use the computer for the extended handwriting, this didn't solve all the problems of the short answers though. Anyway yesterday was PHSE in year 7, topic was How others see me - handwriting. Well I think you can imagine how popular this was with him and he started to get very restless in class. There was lots of information on the sheet about how handwriting matters to teachers and how it can affect the marks you get in exams. It said you should always write to the best of your ability (fair comment) but ended MY HANDWRITING SHOWS THE SORT OF PERSON I AM ! So if you looked at sons handwriting you would think here is a child who can't be bothered and doesn't know what they are doing. What an insensitive comment. I can see where they are coming from with the majority of this lesson but that comment sucks. Son was a bit distracted and talkative and was reprimanded by tutor and asked to see her after school. He went to the room and she was talking to other teachers. After 10 minutes she noticed he was there and said sorry she had forgotten she asked to see him. I think you can imagine what sort of mood he was in when he got in from school

[minerva]

MY HANDWRITING SHOWS THE SORT OF PERSON I AM !

thats outright cruel not to mention completely unnecessary!!

 

My son also has real trouble with his writing, but to be honest i think the majority of that is down to confidence because the schools he's been to put him down for laziness due to his over average reading ability. So he gets really unhappy & frustrated when anything involves writing! I can imagine what he'd do if he saw that written up anywhere!!!

 

What a way to boost confidence in any child let alone one with a condition that affects their writing!!

[LKS]

Thanks for replying minerva I was beginning to think I was the only one who had a problem with this Son has also recently been handed out, as has the rest of the year big set of notes from the english dept on what they will be covering this year. In the section on handwriting it says in capital letters. CLEAR LEGIBLE HANWRITING IS ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL, ANYTHING ELSE AND YOU MIGHT AS WELL NOT BOTHER, yes honestly it says that. And guess what my son has just got 5 out of 10 for group work, which he has a a lot of trouble with, again mentioned on his statement and his pupil profile, we couldn't read the english teachers suggestions or comments

[lisa]

LKS

 

You're not alone. This would also really upset my son. He's very conscious of his slow "scruffy" handwriting and doesn't need anyone rubbing it in. I don't think I'd be able to let this pass and would have to contact the teacher concerned.

 

If your child was on crutches the PE teacher wouldn't give him 5/10 because he wasn't as good at running as everyone else in the class. Or they wouldn't write on a school report, J.. must try harder to run faster, so why do teachers insist on doing it to our children. It makes me so mad!!!

 

Lisa

[Zemanski]

Com's last PE report said

 

Com does not appear to enjoy PE, he puts little effort into team activities.

 

Just for him to participate in team games requires an enormous amount of effort for Com - the school got a stinking letter

 

he no longer does team games, shame they won't excuse people from handwriting - have you tried asking social inclusion about an assessment for a lap top?

 

Zemanski

[anxiousmom]

My son has terrible handwriting... but then again so have both his parents (I won't let my husband fill in any forms without me checking them ).

 

When I gently pointed this out to my son last time he did some spelling, and asked if he could possibly do it a little neater (they were floating badly from the line as well as being badly formed) - he just looked at me with his big blue eyes, shrugged and said "I think my letters need a little more gravity mummy". Can't argue with that!

[LKS]

Zemanski I think I will ask about the possibility of a lap-top. Although I was led to believe that this wasn't going to be necessary as the school is a specialist maths and computing school and there are 'lots of lap-tops available' He also has a great deal of trouble colouring in things. Last night he had D.T. homework , they are making key-rings from acrylic. They had to pick a shape and then colour it in using shading. I watched him sitting at the table, tongue poking out, turning the paper around and around to try and colour it properly and its all over the edges. I'm sure the teacher will look at this and think what the ...... I shall have to try and let him know how much son tried with this

[Zemanski]

If I think Com has worked exceptionally hard or struggled with something I write a comment at the bottom or on the back - the teacher usually just initials it but I feel it lets them know.

 

If he comes home with something I feel would be better done another way with him, then I do it tat way - usually making a poster or writing on a computer instead of by hand (if it is the quality of ideas that matters then it shouldn't matter how those are presented) so I might have given Com some coloured papers from magazines and asked him to cut out the shapes and do it with collage instead of colouring - of course, if the point of the exercise is to practice colouring or sketching or something then he has to try.

I always write a note to explain why and teachers seem OK with this.

 

Zemanski

[Canopus]

Colouring in shapes effectively is something that comes with practice and is not a skill one is born with. It often helps to have two colouring implements: one with a sharp point for edges and fine details, and one with a broad point for shading. Felt tip pens are not good for colouring in large areas. Shading pencils should be 2B to 4B hardness.

[BusyLizzie100]

Handwriting is a major issue for my son, also. He's coming up to eight and he's had OT and writing programmes and exercises and all, but it's still illegible. Handwriting has been on his IEP for the past two years - when I questioned his teacher about what strategies were being used, I was told that SATs year (ie Year 2) is so busy and there's so much National Curriculum to get through that there just isn't time to do anything extra. What's the point in having an IEP, then?!

 

My AS son's cognitive tests show he is Gifted but no one (let alone himself!) can read his writing. If he carries on like this, school and the education system in general will be failing him.

 

LKS, I'm disgusted by your son's school's comments. I really feel for him. Lisa's right about the crutches analogy, and [(if it is the quality of ideas that matters then it shouldn't matter how those are presented)] -I wish more teachers would take Zemanski's comment on board!

 

Good luck

Lizzie

[LKS]

Thanks canopus I think you are right this skill is something you are not born with, but some people no matter how hard they practice never get much better. It just makes you wonder why a clever kid can not manage to colour in, keeping everything in the lines. anxiousmum my son also has trouble with the gravity of his writing, what a great comment Letters float above the line and sometimes below. I personally think our children have enough to contend with without having to worry about the presentation of their work as well, and obviously it is very hard for teachers to make sense of it. At son's school they also use peers to mark work and they then make a comment, son says most of the other kids can not read his writing so he has to read it out to them makes him very embarressed.

[Strange girl]

My 7y/o son hates handwriting and in yr 3 his drawings and (he hasn't actually started hand writing- still printing) looks like nursery or reception age no wonder he hates it. I was so thrilled when he used a colour other than green in a picture, for him this was a big step! It's a constant uphill struggle.. But I was very pleased the other day (and my son was so excited he asked the teacher to photocopy his work for his mum, because she was going to hang it on the wall!) Well, it wasn't a drawing or handwriting, but a poem he had typed out on computer! I am glad he can feel some success for a change. His mood and behaviour improve markedly when he doesn't feel so frustrated or incapable.

I very rarely write anything by hand these days myself.. hopefully handwriting won't matter so much outside of school for him either..

[nightingales]

Well, my 7-yr-old NT son has truly appalling handwriting, my favourite example being the outside of his 'zpellinz' [sic] book, but we're finally getting more than three words to the line, so there's hope.

 

On the colouring in: does your child know that you have to stop the pencil yourself at the lines? My AS boy didn't realise this until told -- he thought there was something about the black lines themselves that was meant to keep the shading inside, and was frustrated that his pictures 'didn't work'. Just a thought!

 

Lins

[Zemanski]

just because there are laptops available in school doesn't mean he shouldn't have his own - what about homework?

if it is to be the child's main form of written communication they should have access to it at all times, this includes breaks if necessary and at home.

 

if there are that many laptops in school why can't they allocate one for your son's personal use?

 

you could ring social inclusion and ask if there is someone who assesses children for laptops and ask to speak to them yourself if school are being awkward

 

good luck

 

Zemanski

[LKS]

Just had a reply from the teacher responsible for this original phse lesson. I take full responsibility for this lesson which was an attempt on my part to improve the phse work which was programmed for this topic. I can understand your reaction which I expect originates from a deep concern for *** who I do not personally know but clearly has difficulties with his handwriting. The fact that you have attended handwriting courses for the last 4 years with your son shows that you consider this to be an important topic to. From my experience I know the value of writing that is clear and easy to read. Sadly in secondary school there is too little time to focus on improving handwriting. In this lesson I was trying to encourage a self determined approach in which individuals would resolve to improve their handwriting. I do believe handwriting matters. At exam level handwriting that cannot be read will loose marks, and I have seen this happen. I was trying to make year 7 pupils aware of this. Personally I think all pupils should be expected to participate in such a lesson. However maybe the phrase you quoted ( my handwriting shows the type of person I am ) could have been better worded. I will reflect on this and discuss it with the assistant head.

 

No he doesn't know my son and obviously you cannot expect teachers to know all pupils difficulties. If he did know my son he would realise that the courses he attended were something he had to go on before they would assess for the alpha-smart. He would also realise that he was able to do his SATS on the computer because of his degree of difficulty. I can understand where he is coming from but how long are children going to be penalised for having poor handwriting.

[minerva]

Thanks for replying minerva I was beginning to think I was the only one who had a problem with this

It's no problem & no definately not, i think this is the most frustrating thing for my son. His reading age is 17 yet he doesnt write at all well, so he gets really frustrated with himself

 

Son has also recently been handed out, as has the rest of the year big set of notes from the english dept on what they will be covering this year. In the section on handwriting it says in capital letters. CLEAR LEGIBLE HANWRITING IS ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL, ANYTHING ELSE AND YOU MIGHT AS WELL NOT BOTHER, yes honestly it says that. And guess what my son has just got 5 out of 10 for group work, which he has a a lot of trouble with, again mentioned on his statement and his pupil profile, we couldn't read the english teachers suggestions or comments

 

Typical, i'd have to go to the school & remind them that teaching by example is always the best way to start

Edited October 24, 2005 by minerva