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BUILD YOUR CHILD'S HANDWRITING CONFIDENCE

When it comes to learning how to write, many children are scared to make a mistake and worry their handwriting will be 'wrong', messy or illegible. 

"Many children are used to pressing 'delete' or 'autocorrect' on a computer keyboard and so when they start learning how to write with pen and paper, they lack the confidence to make a mistake," says Ms Jocelyn Brewer, child psychologist and educator.

Jocelyn says that spending time sitting with your child and practising handwriting skills can be extremely beneficial to building confidence and that learning to write involves a  few key stages - scribbling, tracing, copying and then replication using memory, ie being able to recall what the letter looks like and replicate it from a mental image.

"Getting used to holding a pen or pencil and taking the time to learn in a relaxed and supportive home environment can be extremely beneficial," she says.

Jocelyn's top tips for building handwriting confidence:

1.         Encourage practising holding and gripping the pen with a pincer grip -  not too tight, not too loose.  This gives control over the pen whilst your child is forming the letters and helps in the acquisition of fine motor skills - an important part of brain       development.

2.         Break it down.  Learning the entire alphabet can seem daunting for many   children.          Focus on one letter a day and when your child has had enough, leave it be to avoid       frustration.  Always finish on a high note!

3.         Have fun with handwriting.  Try colours for different letters or decorate the             page border.  This can engage children and build confidence in their work   presentation.

4.         When moving onto words, choose simple three-letter words at first and when         your child is feeling confident, then move on to longer words.  It's worth spending          time on repetition and not rushing the process.

5.         Choose your handwriting tools well.  Choose a pen that little hands can easily        hold, not too big or bulky, to encourage control.  One simple tool that can help             build your child's handwriting confidence and skills is an erasable pen such as Frixion Pens.  These pens are made is made with a heat-sensitive ink that can be             simply rubbed out.  If your child makes a mistake, they can simply             rub it out with the         eraser on the end of the pen and start again.  They come in lots of different colours   to make handwriting fun.

"Making mistakes are actually great learning experiences and when coupled with a zero pressure environment and an erasable pen, children can gain confidence to learn new skills," says Jocelyn.

"At the end of the day, children learn best in a supportive and encouraging environment and having fun in the process can really help build handwriting confidence and skill," she says.

Jocelyn Brewer is a psychologist and educator with twelve years experience in private practice, teaching, child counselling and educational development.  Visit: www.jocelynbrewer.com.au.  For further information on Frixion, visit: www.pilotpen.com.au