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I think what the teacher means is that her handwriting ability isn't up to speed with your dd's thought processes or the high volume of the thoughts she'd like to express. This isn't uncommon at all in the very early years of elementary, for children with any level of overall ability. Our elementary schools offered a lot of options for "writing" in K-2 grade - children didn't just write, they drew, told stories, created plays etc. If you want to help your dd develop her "written expression" have her tell you stories verbally, let her use Garage Band or something like that on the computer to record stories, or have her draw pictures to illustrate stories.
Best wishes,
polarbear
I agree that that is what the issue is. I was somewhat not surprised that she commented on dd's writing. I volunteer on a weekly basis in the classroom and have noticed that she is the top reader in the class, yet with her writing she is one of the weaker students when it comes to forming her letters. Overall I was not extremely concerned b/c she is still only 5 and it's kindergarten but when the teacher mentioned that she is getting frustrated that's when I realized that it is somewhat of an issue. My dd is not the type of student to show her emotions/frustration in a classroom, she is rather shy. So for her teacher to pick up on it it must be a fairly big problem for her.
FWIW I really commend my dd's teacher for her instruction and emphasis on correct letter formation. I work as a substitute teacher and I have subbed for many kindergarten classes where there is no real instruction on correct formation of letters. I've seen many 2nd and 3rd graders who write their letters in strange and inefficient ways.
maggie, I am in total agreement with you. This attitude drives me *nuts*.
I am frustrated right now with my DS5 K experience. He has done all the age appropriate preschool stuff for letter awareness. He knows his letters. But proper letter formation for speedy writing is *not* taught at our school until 1st grade.
While I am all for letting kids figure things out for themselves, to a certain extent, I don't think it is helpful in this case. Either they are too young to write, and their output should be written through a scribe, or they are not, and they should be taught the most efficient way to do it.
And this whole "do it the way you want" will *hide* problems, if there are any. His handwriting sucks? Don't worry, he'll figure it out. Three years latter: Oh, dysgraphia? Really? Maybe we could have started the OT earlier then?
Handwriting without tears for toddlers, here I come...
PS: I grew up in a school system where we were only taught cursive. It works fine. I find it way faster than printing, but that might be because I was never taught *that* skill.
PS: I grew up in a school system where we were only taught cursive. It works fine. I find it way faster than printing, but that might be because I was never taught *that* skill.
The primary reason for the existence of cursive is because it's faster, so it's not just you. I was taught printing and then cursive, and speed was cited as a reason for learning cursive.
In the elementary years where writing quality is graded, I always scored poorly, regardless of whether it was printing or cursive, and I pretty much ignored the marks. My reaction was basically, "I can read it. You can read it. So where's the problem?" Stretching a ten-minute writing assignment into thirty so it could look a bit prettier was just not going to happen.
I agree that an oft-cited reason for learning cursive is speed. Another primary historical reason for the existence of cursive is that it apparently lessened stress on fragile quill pens in the old days.
Studies are scant on comparative speed of printing vs. cursive, but it turned out in the leading study that printing is slightly faster in general, that mixed styles are faster than either, and that a mixed style dominated by printing was fastest. It's also true that people are fastest with what they know best.
ETA: Found this:
Striving to increase my rate of flow, and fight forum gloopiness.
One point I would make is that- the term dysgraphia is used and is a specific diagnosis. However, it could be for some of the kids that they don't like writing, they aren't good at it, etc. but they could get better with practice. My son doesn't have dysgraphia- he just was in a Montessori for 2 years where they did zero writing and we have had to play catch-up.
DS8 is radically accelerated, his pencil is not. He writes like the little kid that he is. Motor skills have nothing to do with brain power. Teaching him cursive helped a lot but all of his teachers allow him to type his assignments. I don't worry about it, he'll get it right when he needs to. He's like that. If he suddenly discovers a reason for something, he puts out the effort he needs to.
Shari Mom to DS 10, DS 11, DS 13 Ability doesn't make us, Choices do!
DD7 has recently completed a 6-week block of OT, 1 hour a week, focusing on handwriting. Prior to commencing occupational therapy, her classroom teacher indicated that her handwriting was below the expected achievement level for year 3. The OT testing showed that her handwriting was above average for someone her age (she has been grade-skipped) hence the dilemma. I found 6 x 1 hr sessions with a dedicated therapist worked wonders. Moving away from printing and onto cursive meant that she didn't have to practise something (ie, printing) that she felt that she was "bad" at. Cursive was new, therefore she didn't expect to be great at it at first go. This attitudinal change made a huge difference and her end of year report indicated that she's now achieving at the expected level for year 3. I expect that DD will experience the same difficulties when entering year 4 next year because of the written output required. Seems like it will be a continuous cycle of catch-up...
maggie, I am in total agreement with you. This attitude drives me *nuts*.
I am frustrated right now with my DS5 K experience. He has done all the age appropriate preschool stuff for letter awareness. He knows his letters. But proper letter formation for speedy writing is *not* taught at our school until 1st grade.
While I am all for letting kids figure things out for themselves, to a certain extent, I don't think it is helpful in this case. Either they are too young to write, and their output should be written through a scribe, or they are not, and they should be taught the most efficient way to do it.
And this whole "do it the way you want" will *hide* problems, if there are any. His handwriting sucks? Don't worry, he'll figure it out. Three years latter: Oh, dysgraphia? Really? Maybe we could have started the OT earlier then?
Handwriting without tears for toddlers, here I come...
PS: I grew up in a school system where we were only taught cursive. It works fine. I find it way faster than printing, but that might be because I was never taught *that* skill.
Yep. You put it very well. Maybe I should look into teaching her cursive. She's shown interest and attempts to write in cursive so maybe I will try that route.
FWIW her school emphasizes self-expression through writing and journals (they're a magnet and this is their philosophy). So when they are journaling they are able to write freely without correction (according to the teacher this is when dd is getting frustrated). And there is a separate instruction time for the correct formation of the letters of the alphabet.
I have another question. The teacher mentioned that her reading ability/level would be higher on the DRA level if she could accurately retell the story (in the correct order that it happened). I guess in DRA they have to do this in order to move to a higher level and the teacher said it is something dd needs to work on. At home she reads at nearly a 3rd grade level but I just ask her questions about the book she read, I don't ask her to recall in order what happened in the book.
Would this have anything to do with her difficulty in writing? Organizing her thoughts? Just a thought I had.
