Handwriting Without Tears. While these words might look like gibberish, they are actually the names of some of the most common handwriting programs used in schools today. Believe it or not, I’ve had some pretty hot debates with parents and colleagues over which program was best. Yes these programs are good but in my opinion The Magic Caterpillar Handwriting Program by Barbara Brann is the best around. I have been using it for the last 25 years in my private practice with amazing results. Handwriting Isn't Dead. If you need to make a note of someone's phone number, it makes perfect sense to type it directly into your phone rather than using paper as a middleman. I even remember a parent scolding me for allowing her child to form the letter “C” in HWT style, stating it should never be considered a “center starter”. I know, I know, the life of an OT can get pretty spicy So before you swear your allegiance to your favorite program, allow me to share a little objective insight from my experiences. The program has tons of activities and various ways to incorporate kinesthetic learning through building letters with wood pieces, using a magnet board, chalk board, or play-doh type letters. (That should be reason enough right there. I love that guy.) During this activity, children use the wood pieces which represent each letter stroke (big line, big curve, etc.) to build a person. This has helped many children with the skill of drawing a representational figure of a person. ![]() Plus he has a cool theme song. -This program has its own simplified writing paper. ![]() If your child isn’t using this program in school, then it can be difficult to switch back and forth for some children. If this is the case then I will adapt the program to follow the HWT outline with whatever paper the child is using at school. D’Nealian -I have had more problems with this handwriting program than any other. This printing allows for a pseudo transition to cursive with slanted letters and little tails added on the end of each character. -While this program is supposed to bridge the gap between printing and cursive, I find it just adds another detail to muddy up the process of learning print. For the kids that I work with, visual perceptual, fine motor, and sensory processing issues interfere with writing in the first place. Free online cooking games. Adding a tail to a letter just seems to make it more challenging. A lot of “a”s end up looking like “q”s. Zaner-Bloser -One of the most commonly used programs in schools. This program uses the paper with a blue top line, dotted midline, and red baseline. For most typically developing kids, this program is completely fine. For some of my clients? -“Start on the top line, then draw past the midline to the baseline, slide to the right, then curve back up to the midline with a swooping action, then curve around again until you meet up with the top line.” Ok, I’ve exaggerated a bit, but this is how I feel their instructions come across. How much does paint tool sai cost. They are very detailed and wordy. For kids that have a difficult time processing all of this information, it can be challenging. -I do love the Z-B paper.
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