Children usually write a lot at school, but with the advent of digital technology, the development of good handwriting is somewhat lagging behind the norm. The problem lies not only in the state of health of schoolchildren, but also in the unwillingness to improve their writing skills. What for? When in offices they type texts using a keyboard and children understand this perfectly.
However, the education system requires perfect handwriting, so let’s take a closer look at the problem and look for a solution. Preparation for writing begins in kindergarten at the age of three. The kid is given a coloring book, pencils and the first pen tests begin. The more the child draws and paints, the more fine motor skills are developed. There is also something else, motor skills.
By itself, fine motor skills will not work if the child is not developing physically. Motor skills, including active outdoor games, are not the last thing here. But today’s kids spend more time with a tablet in their hands than on the playground, which is why sports clubs and schools are now the most valuable and crowded.
Without physical activity, there will be no good handwriting. On the other hand, you can send a first-grader to an art school, where he will learn accuracy and the letter will no longer be so “clumsy”. We are talking about healthy children, but there are not obvious disorders that can be recognized by such a problem as poor handwriting at school.
Why bad handwriting in a child needs to be corrected
Poor handwriting carries consequences if the child is not homeschooled. Unpleasant statements from teachers and peers are possible, entailing self-doubt, which in turn hinders the disclosure of potential.
In addition, a student, knowing about his problem, does not like important subjects that require writing skills, for example, Russian, biology, geography. The constant state of discomfort can significantly affect the future, the child can choose a profession only on the basis of how many written exams he will have to take.
Some experts working with difficult children advise starting with improving handwriting, if it becomes more accurate, then behavior changes for the better, because the skill requires concentration, perseverance and patience. Illegible handwriting reduces academic performance as teachers fail to interpret letters or numbers correctly, and a literate child ends up with a poor grade.
As you can see, it is necessary to improve handwriting not only because it is a requirement of an educational institution.
Bad handwriting in a child and health problems
The main cause is neurological and other disorders. It can be ADHD, dyslexia or dysgraphia, epilepsy. Usually diseases become known during the passage of the school medical examination with several complaints from parents. Restlessness, inability to distinguish one letter from another or rearrangement of their places when reading, inattention, restless sleep – all of the above should be taken into account and transferred to the pediatrician.
In this case, to correct the handwriting, all possible measures will be needed, which will be proposed by specialists. Consultation is also required when the handwriting has deteriorated sharply or is deteriorating gradually. Research will be carried out to identify or disprove health problems. A certificate received from a doctor and provided to a teacher will exclude moral pressure from the teacher.
If it turns out that the child is healthy, the reasons should be sought in the educational approach, convenience in doing homework, family circumstances. Sometimes a child writes poorly due to chronic fatigue.
How to help your child improve handwriting
After visiting a doctor and making a diagnosis, the best solution is the treatment proposed by specialists, the approach they recommend to correct the letter and good rest. All children are advised to exclude tablets and other gadgets or give them a minimum of time – no more than 30 minutes a day.
The next step is daily practice. Even if the child is not in elementary school, feel free to purchase regular prescriptions. In the first week, 10 minutes will be enough, after three weeks the time is reached up to 20 minutes. You can train the skill of fast and beautiful handwriting two months after the start of training.
Coloring, keeping creative notebooks, drawing, solving crossword puzzles are suitable for the game form. Other activities that affect writing are physical activity, reading books, magazines, choosing the right pen for comfortable use.
It is recommended to pay attention to how the child sits during lessons, whether the furniture corresponds to height or not. Is the child holding the pen correctly, and if the written object causes panic, you can seek help from a school psychologist.