Techniques for Teaching Handwriting

Techniques for Teaching Handwriting

12.5-hour short course (includes course materials)

Class Dates: (All times Pacific)

• Friday, March 29: 4-7pm
• Friday, April 5: 4-7pm
• Friday, April 12: 4-7pm
• Friday, April 19: 4-7pm

This Slingerland® short class is designed for any educator responsible for the initial teaching of penmanship skills to younger children (manuscript) or to older students who have not established penmanship proficiency in at least one script (manuscript or cursive). While each person ultimately develops individual styles of handwriting, this course will show teachers how to make legible writing possible for all students. Class participants will actively apply the Slingerland multisensory techniques throughout the class in guided practice sessions.

Course objectives

• To understand the purpose of handwriting instruction
• To develop awareness of the developmental stages of handwriting in student
• To increase the ability to Identify breakdowns in the learning process and developing prescriptive lesson plans
• To explore various styles of letter form including manuscript and cursive
• To acquire strategies for multisensory instruction of new letter forms and reviewing those previously taught
• To learn strategies for teaching students to copy accurately from far point and near point
• To understand the beginning steps for putting handwriting to functional use

Learner Outcomes

• Understand the purpose of handwriting instruction
• Identify the developmental stages of handwriting in students
• Identify breakdowns in handwriting and develop prescriptive lesson plans
• Use strategies for multisensory instruction of new letter forms and review of those previously taught
• Teach students to copy accurately from near and far point
• Implement strategies for putting handwriting to functional use

Participant activities

• Participate in class discussions and activities that indicate understanding of the Slingerland® Multisensory Approach for the Teaching of Handwriting
• Understand that there us a unique sequence of movements to form each individual letter
• Prepare plans for integrating the acquired skills into a language arts lesson
• Analyze student performance and give rationale for next steps in learning to write instructional sequence.

Instructor: Maryjane Palmer

Dr. Maryjane Palmer received her BSEd from the State University of New York Fredonia and MA from San Diego State University in Speech Pathology and Audiology, and her EdD from Northern Arizona University. She was employed as a Speech-Language Pathologist, Special Education Teacher, and Reading Specialist in the California public schools for over 30 years. She has been involved with the Slingerland Literacy Institute for over 30 years as a teacher utilizing the approach in her classroom, as a Certified Instructor of Teachers for training in reading and written language, and as a coach/mentor for the Practicum class. She is also a Center for Effective Reading Instruction Certified Structured Literacy/Dyslexia Interventionist. She is currently president of the International Dyslexia Association Indiana and Illinois chapter.