AJ loves numbers, loves words, loves to know how things work, and loves putting things together. He dislikes writing and doing any art. At all. Teachers call tasks that kids dislike doing and will avoid at all costs and, at times, throw a fit if they see the tasks coming "non-preferred" tasks. Writing with a pencil is a non-preferred task for AJ.
He struggles to hold the pencil in the style one holds a pencil to write. I see that although he can identify letters and numbers, (and even some words) he can't begin to see where one would move the pencil to make the letter. We have worked hard, and we have not gotten very far. Today AJ said, "I want my name to be H. I can write that. AJ is too hard." And it near about broke my heart.
An upper case H is his only letter he can create so far, but we are taking that as a victory. He and I went to The Chalkboard today and together we picked out some larger, chunkier pencils and grips of all sorts. Some are squishy, some are rigid, some are for fat pencils and some are for thin ones.
Each day, we will practice a little more and see where we go. He asks to do his "schoolworks" with me, so I can tell he is not so frustrated that he wants to avoid it. As time goes by, I hope I can help him feel more successful so that writing becomes one of his preferred tasks.
3 comments:
How does he do with tracing his name? And using arrows as guides to which way to move? Tracing actually doesnt teach writing, but maybe if he feels successful tracing letters, it will improve his attitude toward writing as a nonpreferred task. I have a hunch that once he gets his name down, he'll be pretty excited about writing it! I've also done writing with kids where I start the letter and he/she finishes it (the amount I start gradually gets smaller). Kids also seem to enjoy "connecting the dots" (the A could have 3 or 5 dots and J with 3 or 4 at each 'end' or 'junction').
Hope some part of this rambling comment sparked an idea!
And I think the grip will come with time, too. How is his grip with utensils? I've heard that writing on a vertical surface (i.e. taping a piece of paper to the wall, using an easel) promotes better grip.
I thought this site was pretty useful: http://www.schoolsparks.com/early-childhood-development/fine-motor
AJ will do it! He will!
Oh so many painful memories here with my big boys and their big fingers! In first grade one teacher suggested one of my sons was developmentally delayed because he could not decide on a grip. He also decided he could not do math because "the teacher said don't do your pencil that way." It will come. By third grade mine was gifted! Because of all that intervention they did of course! Ah. They still don't have great handwriting but both love to write. They never loved coloring, drawing, writing or legos when really little either. A very small (golf like) pencil works too. We have used them with one of our kinders this year. Good luck! Be his mom. He will have a lot of teachers:)
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