Cursive writing benefits to help dyslexic children
Dyslexia is a learning difficulty very often observed in young kids. While the rate of difficulty varies from one child to another, it is noted by experts that by trying to understand what type of difficulty it is and the ways by which it can be handled it is always possible to help your child. The use of an effective and well planned practice of handwriting for kids is very helpful for children facing such difficulty.
Understanding Dyslexia
The term ‘Dyslexia’ has been derived from two Greek words- ‘dys’ meaning lack of and ‘lexicon’ meaning word or verbal language. It is used to describe a neurological condition in which a child faces difficulties in the activities of reading, writing and spelling. It has nothing to do with intelligence or laziness or lack of will to do something.
It can also be described by giving you the simple example that a dyslexic child finds it very difficult to write letters like ‘b’ and ‘d’, ‘p’ and ‘q’ because the appearance, shape and size of these letters seem confusing to him. When children learn a letter, they learn a sound. For example‘s’ in snake has an ‘s sound’ or ‘h’ in house has an ‘h sound’! But to him they appear as confused figures. He is unable to associate the sound and form correctly with the letter. ‘d’ is same as ‘b’ to his brain functions. Studies have proved that about 10–15% children suffer from this difficulty.
Create a handwriting lesson plan with cursives
Handwriting experts on learning difficulties have from time to time highlighted the need to make children practice handwriting especially the cursive fonts to help children suffering from dyslexia. The connected and different style of writing of the cursive fonts do not appear confusing to children. Since the letters have distinct curves, shapes and sizes and are connected to one another as well, they have greater possibility of being retained in the memory for long.
Carefully design an effective handwriting lesson plan for your child using the various features of the cursive handwriting practice sheet. Color code the ‘seemingly confused letters’ and make him practice them more. Start to teach your child in a step by step manner starting with the capital cursive and give him enough time to practice.
Benefits of cursive writing in dyslexia
Children suffering from dyslexia can be greatly helped by giving them handwriting lessons in cursive fonts. Let us discuss the two vital benefits of cursive writing for them:
· Hand-eye coordination: Every time your kid learns something new, his hand-eye co-ordination develops. For example, when you teach him to catch a ball by throwing it to him, his eyes catch the visual and immediately the optical sensory impulse is sent to the brain, the brain signals the motors or hands to lift up and then catch it! Similar is the case, while writing cursive. While learning to write the cursive, children constantly look at the continuous hand movement when they are writing the connected letters. This makes them understand the difference between the connected cursive and the single stroke seemingly separate print fonts.
· Memory: It has been found that it becomes easy for children to remember the continuous and connected letters which have a certain level of symmetry in them. Children find them easy to be remembered and often succeed in remembering a letter often by looking at a letter of similar structure. Since they do not have to lift their pencil writing the connected cursive it becomes easier for them.The use of cursive handwriting practice sheet will help children learn to write the cursive fonts and retain in memory for long.
· Letter reversals: By letter reversal is meant that a child starts to write the letters upside down or backwards at times. Here we are particularly talking about the shape of the letters and not the order or sequence.While there is no denying the fact that dyslexic children often write letter in a reverse manner, but a lot of children just because of the inability to remember the correct letters often seem to write a reverse one.They also face problems of being unable to visually process the different shapes of letters in front of their eyes. By using handwriting worksheets, children can be taught to learn the shapes of each letter properly by creating customized handwriting practice sheets.
Design handwriting to a joyful activity by creating the handwriting practice sheet very colorful and interesting. Remember the more you force and work on exercise to improve handwriting, the more interest he will lose in it as he is already suffering. Give him all love, affection and care and help him to overcome dyslexia.