Primary School Tips

Controversy still is lurks among educators, as to what writing implements a young child needs, a regular crayon or a fat one that preschoolers have used. What educator in their right mind ever thought that the fatter crayons would be best for tiny fingers? What little hands could hold these larger crayons correctly? Many people feel that it was the crayon manufacturers, rather than educators, that created them. So why is it that teachers have succumbed into the theory that they are best?

Many parents will say that little children cannot hold a crayon or a pencil correctly because of poor fine motor skills. My philosophy is "why not teach them to use them correctly just as a spoon's use has to be taught"! Have you ever watched an adult 'shovel in' food by turning the spoon incorrectly? That is something that they never outgrew and it became a bad habit, because they were never taught. It is unfortunate that may adults have taken notice to see how other adults eat, however. The same is true with pens, pencils, and crayons; if used incorrectly, continue usage of improper handling will continue.

Little children do have to develop strength in their fingers and learn how to grab and use crayons, which is the first step before learning how to write. Developmentally, things come in time, but fine motor skills need to grow and develop and as grow and develop, themselves. If children do not know how to hold a coloring tool correctly, then holding a pencil will be no different. Many pencils that kindergartners use, are large too, which do not help in development writing. A normal size pencil should be held and the children should be taught where to hold their fingers, before writing. It takes practice, because at first, they have to think about it. Just as learning to tie one's shoes has to be taught, then practiced, so is the case of holding and handling of a pencil correctly so that penmanship will be cohesive.

If a pencil is held wrong, such as too upright, then letters will not be formed correctly. If their fingers are not strengthened, then their printing will not be formed correctly on the lines, but rather above and below the lines on paper. Manipulation of the tools is a skill that takes time and practice, while being developmentally appropriate. If fine motor skills are in-check, comfortable and natural for the child, then writing letters and words will soon become second-nature for the child, Just a eye-hand coordination is a skill, as a child learns to find the appropriate place that he is copying from, and redirects his eyes to the paper where he will write the words or phrases, so too, are fine-motor skills. Both hold a place in reading comprehension and the act of writing, keeping penmanship in the forefront, with literacy activities, the as the involvement that children need !!!