The Kids' Guide to Getting Your Words on Paper: Simple Stuff to Build the Motor Skills and Strength for Handwriting

by Lauren Brukner, Elissa Elwick (Illustrator)

Overview

Does your hand ache when you write?

Packed with fun and simple ideas to help kids feel good about writing, this handwriting book with a difference helps children embed the strength and skills they need to get the most out of their written work, at home and school!

From different kinds of cushions, hand warm-ups, and cool eye scan exercises, and pencil grips to yoga balls in cardboard boxes, personalized activity binders, playdough, lego, and Velcro on pencils, this book is filled with fun stuff to help kids focus, get stronger, and be in control of their writing. The strategies in the book are accompanied by cartoon-style illustrations, and the author includes useful tips for parents and teachers as well as handy visual charts, a quiz to identify areas of most difficulty, and checklists for children to track their own progress.

Armed with the strategies and exercises in this book, kids will be well on their way to writing with greater ease, and the positive self-esteem that goes along with that. Suitable for children with writing difficulties aged approximately 7 to 12.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781787751569
Publisher:	Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Publication date:	04/21/2020
Pages:	144
Product dimensions:	6.77(w) x 9.61(h) x 0.55(d)
Age Range:	7 - 12 Years

About the Author

Lauren Brukner is a Senior Occupational Therapist and published author of six books with Jessica Kingsley Publishers. She currently works as a Senior Occupational Therapist and evaluator for the NYC Department of Education. She has contributed to Scary Mommy, the Huffington Post, and Edutopia. Lauren was a speaker at UNESCO's Virtual Special Kids International Summit in April of 2020. She appeared as a guest on the Sue Larkey Show, The Autism Show, The Manhattan Neighborhood Network's School-Home Connection, the Sue Atkins Show, and The Matt Townsend Show. She was quoted in the Wall Street Journal on self-regulation tips for traveling. Her books have been endorsed by experts in the field such as Dr. Temple Grandin, Dr. Lucy Jane Miller, and Dr. Winnie Dunn, and listed as resources on websites such as Real Simple Magazine, Inc. Magazine, Psych Central, Romper, Everyday Health, Aol's Health and Wellness, MSN Health, Singapore's Child, and Friendship Circle, among other websites/libraries/community/academic/parenting sources.

Table of Contents

PART ONE: FOR KIDS; Hey Kids, Let Me Tell You a Little About Me and this Book!; Quiz: What's Your Writing-Learning-Style?; 1: Let's Learn Some Writing Strategies for Big Body Stuff; 2: Let's Learn Some Writing Strategies to Help Your Eyes Out; 3: Let's Learn Some Writing Strategies When Your Hands Just Feel Tired; 4: Let's Learn Some Writing Strategies for When it's Hard to Focus; 5: Let's Learn Some Writing Strategies When All Your Body's Feelings and Sense Get Too Much (or too Little); PART TWO - FOR GROWN-UPS; The Importance of Implementing Writing Routines at Home and School; APPENDICES; Appendix 1: At A Glance Desk Strip Reminders; Handwriting Bookmarks; Binder Workbook Sample Sheets for Laminating; Recommended Reading

Editorial Reviews

Know any kids struggling with writing? Lauren Brukner's empathic writing style is straight-forward, empowering and kid-friendly. Using her do-able strategies, students feel prepared to overcome resistance or anxiety, organize ideas and details, and tackle grade-level written assignments. Read this book with your students. You'll learn something, too!!

Beverly H. Moskowitz

Lots of practical tips to help kids have better writing skills. When I was eight, I was the last student in my class to have good handwriting. I would have loved all the pencil grips that you showed in your book. Another tip that I completely agree with is heaving a soft pencil.

Temple Grandin

The real value of the book is its uncomplicatedness and relevance to the world, in which children hold tablets as often as pencils. No child struggling with writing should be considered at risk of poor achievement before they have tried Lauren's tricks of the Occupational Therapy trade. The visual-motor coordination strategies feel natural and unpretentious, and that's why they work.

Lidia Stanton – dyslexia specialist and psychologist