On Tuesday November 3^rd, POTS was invited to present a workshop on Handwriting Without Tears (HWT) to the Pre-k teachers at Lubavitch on the Palisades. The teachers were eager and excited to learn about the program. Topics covered included how to use the teacher’s manual and the students’ workbook, the importance of sequence, pencil grasp, as well as how to use a plethora of multi-sensory tools. Numerous activities were presented to teach and reinforce the skills in the classroom. Throughout the dynamic and interactive presentation the teachers enjoyed trying out all the activities and asked many astute questions. Below are the answers to some of those questions!

Q. Do we need to follow the workbook?

A. The workbook is not the most critical element of HWT. Some schools do not use workbooks in Pre-K at all. The workbooks provide additional activities that reinforce proper letter formation and sizing and help make the transition from multi-media to paper. The workbook organizes the letters into groups that follow the HWT sequence and have many additional visual cues that facilitate letter formation. For example, on the L page, there is a picture of a lizard that is facing right because letters and words are written left to right.

Q. Can we use HWT along with a letter of the week?

A. When designing your curriculum, the letters of the week should follow the order of the HWT program. There are 5 groups of capital letters based on how the letter is formed.  Within each group of letters there is some freedom to change the order, but it is important that the motor pattern for the first letter be over-learned to reinforce the formation of subsequent letters in the group. For example, when working on the group that begins with the letter C, the students should over-learn the letter C, they may then skip the letter O and work on the letter G.

Q. Should we follow the letter groups using capital or lowercase letters?

A. As mentioned above, it is important to teach the letter groups in the sequence designated by HWT. Writing instruction should begin with capital letters. Once children have mastered the correct letter formation for capital letters the lower case letters will be easier to learn. Learning capitals first and writing them within a defined space (i.e. a box) will eliminate most letter reversals.   There is a different sequence for lower case letters based on their letter formation.

Q. Can we teach more than one letter a week?

A. If your students are able to write a new letter by mid week, it is fine to move onto the next letter. It would also be beneficial to spend the last day or two of the week reviewing past letters before moving on to a completely new letter or letter group.

Q. What are of the best tools that support the HWT program?

• Wooden pieces that are used to create 24 letters called: Big Line, Little Line, Big Curve, and Little Curve. By rehearsing the names of the pieces and the sequence they are used in letter formation (i.e. start at the top) the students will be familiar with the letters when they begin writing with a pencil or crayon.
• Similar pieces come with “Stamp and See Screen”, which is a small Magna Doodle.
• Wet-Dry-Try reinforces letter formation within the boundaries of a wooden framed chalk board. First the child uses a small piece of wet sponge to erase a letter written on the black board while repeating the directions for letter formation out loud.  For example, for ‘F’; Big Line down, jump back to the top, Little Line across the top, Little Line across the middle. Using a tiny piece of paper towel they trace the letter F to “dry” it, again using the verbal cues, and finally they write the letter F in the shadow with a tiny piece of chalk.
• Play-Doh is used to create letters on letter cards that fit into a framed board. Again the names of the lines and curves, and the sequence in which they are placed are reinforced.
• Two CD’s are filled with songs and poems to teach body awareness, reinforce the names of the lines and curves, directionality, where the letters begin, and other key concepts.

Q. Can HWT be used to teach Hebrew writing?

A. HWT has created workbooks to teach handwriting in languages other than English. The Hebrew workbook is for children who are ready to write Hebrew script. The workbook is similarly organized to the English HWT with large script models with the familiar letter. The lessons are planned according to letter formation and complexity, and are a step by step multi-sensory approach.

Q. How long should a lesson last?

A. A typical lesson should last no more than 10 minutes. The lesson can be reviewed again later that day.

Q.  Should HWT be a total class activity or should it take place at Centers?

A. The multi sensory activities can be done during circle time or center time, depending on the complexity of the lesson.

Q. How many multi sensory activities should be used in a lesson?

A. The Teacher’s Guide offers a number of lesson plans and suggested guidelines for using the activities. Each letter page in the workbook has a corresponding page in the Teacher’s Guide with six steps to teaching the letter. Simpler letters usually require 1 or 2 multi sensory activities while more difficult letters such as ‘S’  benefit from  reinforcement using every available activity. By using the Teacher’s Guide in the beginning, the teacher will be exposed to all of the possibilities and can decide which multi-sensory activities best suit her style and her students’ needs, and proceed accordingly.

To find out more information about the Handwriting without Tears program feel free to contact POTS or refer to the HWT website http://www.hwtears.com/.

Dena Rosenberg OT/S,

Aviva Goldwasser MS OTR,

Chaye Lamm Warburg, MA, OTR Director