OT Corner: 15 Pre-Handwriting Factors Leading to Successful Handwriting in Children
[Source: World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology via Your Therapy Source]
A recent 33 question survey on the pre-handwriting factors needed for successful handwriting was completed in 2015 by 535 occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants (from the USA). The responses from the OT/COTAs indicated the following:
- 95% answered that the ability of a child to copy vertical lines, horizontal lines, circles, squares and triangles was a good predictor of handwriting success.
- 98% felt the the ability to imitate and copy an oblique cross (indicates crossing midline) was important for handwriting success.
- 77% reported visual perceptual skills were very important for the development of handwriting skills. Sixty eight percent felt that visual motor integration was the most important visual perceptual skills for handwriting success.
- 83% felt that being able to stabilize the paper with the non dominant hand was very important for the development of handwriting.
- 74% felt that hand dominance was important for handwriting success.
- 56% felt that cognitive skills were important for the development of handwriting. Attention, praxis and motor learning were deemed the most important cognitive skills.
- 73% reported motor planning was important for handwriting success.
- 43% felt kinesthesia and proprioception were very important for handwriting success.
Read the Rest of the 15 Factors AND the Full Text Journal Article Through Your Therapy Source
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