Handwriting skills are the foundational for academic success and overall development in children.

But identifying the underlying issues when a child is struggling can be complex and multifaceted, often involving fine motor skills, cognitive skills, visual perception, and more.

This comprehensive program provides essential strategies from assessment through intervention to help you make a significant impact.  You’ll uncover engaging techniques to transform fine motor skill development into fun activities, eliminating the tedium of repetitive handwriting exercises.

• Gain strategies to address handwriting issues linked with ADD/ADHD, dyslexia, SPD, and more.
• Effective and play-based methods to build the necessary strength for writing
• Recognize when and how to integrate assistive technology and shift focus from handwriting to other forms of communication, such as typing
• Learn how to objectively measure and document progress

Our techniques are designed to be time-efficient and integrated into daily classroom routines, making them practical and easy to implement. Join us to enhance your skills and make a lasting impact on your students' handwriting abilities and overall development.

Objectives

1. Assess and differentiate between common handwriting challenges linked to ADD/ADHD, dyslexia, SPD, and dysgraphia, using standardized assessment tools, with a focus on improving functional classroom performance.
2. Design and implement at least three play-based activities that effectively strengthen fine motor skills, demonstrated through improved handwriting legibility and reduced reversals in student work.
3. Apply bilateral coordination and core strength exercises, such as animal crawls and wheelbarrow walks, leading to measurable improvements in student posture and endurance during classroom writing tasks.
4. Determine appropriate intervention strategies based on age and development, shifting focus from handwriting to typing when necessary, and documenting the functional impact on academic performance.
5. Integrate at least two technological tools, such as apps or specialized grips, to enhance fine motor skills and handwriting practice, with measurable outcomes in student engagement and handwriting legibility.
6. Utilize objective documentation methods to track student progress in handwriting and motor skill development, ensuring continuity of care and effective communication with educators and parents.

Outline

Comprehensive Assessment Techniques for Visual, Motor, and Cognitive Factors

• Graphomotor, ADD/ADHD, Dylsexia, SPD, dysgraphia
• Improve skills in differentiating between similar presenting problems
• Bilateral coordination
• Core strength and trunk control
• Visual assessment and ties to misdiagnosis of ADHD
• What age is ‘too late’ to fix?

Assessing Common Legibility Errors

• Proportion
• Reversals
• Alignment
• Closing
• Spacing
• Formation

Get strong! Hand Strengthening How to Build Strength for Writing…Without Writing!

• Top strategies for shoulder stability
• Close chain UE exercises to build postural control
• Engaging games for wrist and forearm strengthening
• Sculpting, squirting, and other fun grip strengthening activities

Handwriting Foundations & Interventions 

• Focus on sizing to increase legibility
• Grasp patterns
• Line alignment
• Letter size
• Letter spacing
• Letter orientation
• Gain strategies to address handwriting issues linked with ADD/ADHD, dyslexia, SPD, and more
• How to shift activities so that they provide meaning and value to child

Into Action: Outside the Box Ways to Improve Fine Motor Skills with FUN!

• Tips to maximize engagement
• Dry erase board games
• Salt, shaving cream, and other multisensory strategies
• Pencil and paper activities: developmental progression guidelines
• 5 fun activities for pincer grasp

Hot Topics, Technology and Tools

• Apps that enhance fine motor skills
• Documentation tips to continue treatment in school based settings

Target Audience

• Occupational Therapists
• Occupational Therapy Assistants
• Physical Therapists
• Physical Therapy Assistants
• Educators
• Teachers