Handwriting for grown-ups: posture, grip, paper and left-handers
Neat letters start with a comfortable body. The points below are suggestions drawn from common classroom practice, not rules from any one scheme, and they are worth getting right before you worry about the shape of a single letter.
Sit well
- Feet flat on the floor, back supported, bottom well back in the seat.
- The table should be at about elbow height when the child sits up, so the forearms rest comfortably.
- Good light, no glare, and a clear table.
The national curriculum for Year 1 asks pupils to sit properly at a table and hold a pencil comfortably and with the correct grip.
Hold the pencil
- Aim for a relaxed grip: the pencil held between thumb and first finger, resting on the middle finger. This is often called a tripod grip.
- Short, chunky pencils are easier for small hands. The national curriculum notes say writing tools should suit a young pupil's hand and be easy to hold correctly.
- A very tight grip tires the hand quickly. Shake the hand out between rows.
- Strong hands help: playdough, threading, pegs, tearing paper, scissors and construction toys.
Angle the paper
- Tilt the paper a little, rather than keeping it square to the table edge. Many right-handed writers tilt the top to the left, and many left-handed writers tilt the top to the right.
- The non-writing hand holds the paper still.
Left-handed writers
The national curriculum notes say left-handed pupils should receive specific teaching suited to their needs. A few things that often help:
- Seat a left-handed child on the left of a right-handed neighbour so elbows do not bump.
- Place the model where the writing hand does not cover it. The sheet maker has a left-hander option that puts the model on the right.
- Tilt the paper, and hold the pencil a little further back from the point so the writing stays in view.
- Make sure the child can see what they have just written, rather than hooking the wrist round it.
These points are common classroom practice. For more detailed help on grip, left-handed writing and handwriting difficulties, see the National Handwriting Association, a UK charity that publishes free guidance for parents and teachers.
When to ask for help
Handwriting develops at different speeds. If a child tires quickly, cannot get comfortable, avoids writing, or letters stay very hard to form well beyond what you would expect for their age, talk to the class teacher or SENCO. The National Handwriting Association has a page for parents with signposts to further help: help for parents.
Practice that works
- Short and often: we suggest about five to ten minutes a day rather than one long session.
- Say the formation words aloud as the pencil moves. The audio on each letter page does this for you.
- Praise the formation (starting in the right place) before the neatness.
- Use real writing as well: a shopping list, a postcard, a label for a toy.