There is so much more to handwriting than penmanship, or legibility. There is too much emphasis placed on what the writing looks like than what is functional, especially when we are thinking about students with special needs. I find it difficult to distinguish students with "learning difficulties" from students with "special needs". With this said, there are several things to consider in a student's handwriting skills (every child). It all begins when the child is an infant.
The recent attention drawn to "tummy time" has its benefits, especially in terms of handwriting. There are several intrinsic (internal) muscles within your hand. These muscles require stimulation to develop ideally. When an infant is placed in the prone position (belly); weight is shifted into the hands to prop up. This weight-bearing into the hands aids in the development of the intrinsic hand muscles; in fact, strengthens them. The child's ability to grasp onto objects begins at this early stage as well and later translates and develops into a pencil grip. "Tummy time" is also critical for developing trunk and neck muscles, which will later aid in the child's ability to sit unsupported. Posture can be an under-looked component to legible handwriting. Poor posture or underdeveloped trunk muscles can be demonstrated as fatigue and "sliding" down in a chair. These are some of the important physical, gross motor components that are important in the development handwriting. Some activities to increase hand strength include: wheel-barrow walking, push-ups or chair push ups, tearing paper, Theraputty, and opening/closing clothespins. One strategy for students who have decreased trunk support is to use a therapy ball instead of a chair.
Another important aspect of handwriting ability includes visual-motor ability. In short summary, visual-motor is the body's ability to use its eyes and hands together to produce something. This is very important when looking at how letters are formed and if the child is able to write from left to right on the paper, stay within boundaries, or spacing between letters/words is an issue. Oftentimes, note-taking can be difficult for these children. Physical cues can be provided to assist with difficulties in visual-motor ability, such as: highlighted lined paper, placing your pinking finger in between words, using arrows to cue the direction of the letter formations, and green dot on the left-side of the paper and red on the right.
Letter formations are important for legible handwriting. The development of letter formations begins with lines and shapes. When working with 3-5 year olds, we should be encouraging lines across and down, and basic shapes such as circles, crosses, and triangles. Encourage making lines across the paper from left to right and from top to the bottom. Use a variety of types of media to make these activities more exciting, including shaving cream and fingers, chalk/chalkboard (especially good to build strength), sand, or finger paints. Wiki Sticks are also a nice addition to add to letter formation activities. They are flexible sticks that require the child to bend and understand how a letter shape is formed, rather than "copying" what is seen. Students really like to use the Wiki Sticks, especially if you allow them to stick them up on the wall! You can also write a child's name on a chalkboard, or now days, whiteboard, then turn out the lights and have the child trace the letters using a flashlight.
There are several supports and adaptations that can be provided to a student who has difficulty with handwriting. One of the more successful adaptations is to provide the student with a slant board (3-ring binder). This provides a surface where gravity will assist movements when writing. It also increases the small hand movements and minimizes the whole arm moving; which will increase legibility. Letter reversal and letter formations are seen to be decreased when working on a slanted surface. Sometimes cursive handwriting is more proficient and legible for students. This is because it is consistent flowing movements, rather than picking up the pencil several times to make a word. There are a variety of types of writing tools for students to use. If a student is demonstrating difficulty holding onto a pencil, you may want to try a triangular, thicker pencil to give them more control. Students who write too fast benefit from weighted pencils. Students who demonstrate a grasp that is immature may benefit from using a shorter pencil. There are plenty of pencil grips out there as well. It has been my experience that most are ineffective, but it never hurts to try. Remember that the larger around the pencil, the more control the student will have when writing. This is why markers and pencils for kindergarteners are bigger around and as they get older, the thinner the pencils get.
Another thing to consider is if the student's workspace is adequate. Are the student's feet touching the ground? Does the child get distracted by other things around the work area? Is the chair and desk at appropriate ratios so that knees and elbows are bent around a 90 degree angle? For questions about activities and suggestions for adaptations with students who demonstrate poor handwriting, refer to the occupational therapist at your school. As you can see, handwriting is complex and we should be looking at the situation before stressing out students on how "neat" their handwriting is. There are always alternatives for students with needs, especially when they qualify for an IEP and Special Education Services. This plan can allow the student to be as successful as he/she can be with adaptations and accommodations placed in the classroom. Written language can be physically written, typed, or even voice-activated. There are many options for the student to become successful.