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HANDWRITING AND KEYBOARDING

Amy Ruffino MS, OTR

Beyond Boundaries: Therapy for Kids

OVERVIEW

� Importance and benefits of handwriting

� Where to start/building blocks

� Development of grasp patterns

� Handwriting programs

� Overview of keyboarding

� Getting started with keyboarding

BENEFITS OF HANDWRITING

o Increase brain activation

o Impact performance across all academic subjects

o Provide a foundation for higher level skills

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WHEN SHOULD I START ?

NOW

BUILDING BLOCKS

�Encourage weight bearing on arms and hands

BUILDING BLOCKS

�Give opportunities to reach for toys (on back, side lying and in supported sitting)

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GRASP ATTAINMENT

� Visual regard

� Object approach

� Grasp

� Release

BUILDING BLOCKS

�Encourage pointing and poking

� Present small pellet-sized objects to pick-

up

GRASP OF A PELLET

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GRASP OF A CUBE

BUILDING BLOCKS

�Present toys that can be easily held and transferred from hand to hand

BUILDING BLOCKS

�Practice put and take games

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BUILDING BLOCKS

�Present options for sensory play

BUILDING BLOCKS

�Present resistive toys (apart/together)

BUILDING BLOCKS

�Provide two-handed play experiences

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BUILDING BLOCKS

�Play on vertical surfaces

BUILDING BLOCKS

� Introduce markers/crayons/pencils/paint

brush/stylus

WRITING GRASP

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FACTORS IMPACTING WRITING SKILLS:

�Hand dominance

�Sitting posture

�Visual acuity and Visual perception

�Hand range of motion and strength

�Bilateral coordination

�Motor planning

WRITING: WHERE TO BEGIN

�Open ended- marking on a paper

�Vertical/horizontal/circular scribble

� Imitation of strokes

�Coloring

�Connecting dots to make shapes

�Following a path

WRITING: HANDWRITING INSTRUCTION

�Handwriting Without Tears

www.hwtears.com

�First Strokes

www.thehandwritingclinic.com

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WRITING: HANDWRITING INSTRUCTION

�D’Nealian

www.dnealian.com

�Zaner-Bloser

www.zaner-bloser.com

CURSIVE WRITING

�Benefits

�When to begin

�Programs � Handwriting Without Tears

� First Strokes

� Loops and Other Groups

� Zaner-Bloser

� D’Nealian

CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT

� Provide greater opportunity for tasks with individual

finger movements (keyboarding, musical instrument)

� Continue development of finger dexterity and speed

(cooking, sewing, building, etc.)

� Play games that encourage finger movements (electronic

and non-electronic)

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OVERVIEW OF KEYBOARDING

�When to begin

� As early as Kindergarten

� Typically introduced at grade level 3 or 4

�Benefits of Keyboarding

� Develops motor skills

� Helps with communication

� Motivates writing

KEYBOARD HARDWARE

� Intellikeys� Programmable

� $395

� Mini keyboard� USB connection

� ~$15 - $30

� Large Print Labels� Stick on labels

� ~$12 - $20

KEYBOARDING RESOURCES

�Typing Instructor for kids

�Ultrakey 6

�Online typing training� http://www.typingtraining.com/special-needs.html

�Dancing Mat� http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/typing/levels/level1.shtml

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KEYBOARDING RESOURCES

� Provides fun and alternate keyboarding skill development options

http://atclassroom.blogspot.com/2006/05/keyboarding-programs-available-on.html

ALTERNATE POINTING DEVICES

�Trackballs� Easy cursor movement

� Independent clicking

�Joysticks� Movement similar to navigating wheelchair

TRACKBALL RESOURCES

� Types of trackballs (www.kensington.com)

Expert Mouse Orbit Optical

� Features� Programmable buttons

� Easy scrolling

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JOYSTICKS

�3M Ergonomic Optical Mouse� $70 - $85

�Traxsys Joystick Plus� $400

QUESTIONS?

ruffinoa@beyondboundariestherapy.org