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Sound It Out
Along with her background as a researcher, writer, and teacher, Joanne Meier is a mom. Join Joanne every week as she shares her experiences raising her own young readers, and guides parents and teachers on the best practices in reading.
My Budding Author and her (lack of) Pencil Grip
My daughter Anna LOVES to write. It's something she's always enjoyed doing. Her kindergarten class has Writer's Workshop several times a week, and she eagerly publishes her stories. During our school's Author Share later this month, Anna's planning to share a book of short stories she's penned.
She has fantastic skill with dialogue, word choice, and even a surprise ending or two. Where she lacks skill is with her pencil grip! She uses this two-finger-over-pencil, grasp mid-way-up-pencil technique that I've never seen before.
I've combed the research (nothing very relevant or recent), Googled the topic, talked with my friend who is an occupational therapist, and reread some stuff I'd seen about pencil grip.
In the end, it appears as though Anna's grip preference is something she will likely outgrow (although I won't deny feeling a little worried; we're heading into first grade this fall!).
In the meantime, some strategies I've read about include providing her with small pieces of chalk or crayon that force her to grip with her fingers instead of her fist, engage in lots of fine motor work, and using a triangular pencil grip (seemingly sold everywhere). The fine motor skill isn't the challenge; Anna attended a terrific Montessori preschool and spent LOTS of time using materials such as these and these.
I'm seeking your help here too – has your child, or a child in your class struggled with grip issues? If so, what worked?
I searched "pencil grip" and came up with this post. I am looking for research about how to avoid the death grip that so many kids seem to have on their pencils. I watch them shake out their hands like marathoner's legs after a race. When I show them a more comfortable grip, they say "I like it this way." I say "But I can't read your writing." They say "I can." I want their writing to be comfortable and legible (and of course filled with wonderful content). Comfortable writers write more, cramped writers avoid the whole process, or approach it with reluctance. Writing shouldn't hurt!
How are your kids doing?
reaston@acs.edu.lb
Comments
My daughter (just turned 6) has a non conventional pencil grip despite attempts to correct it. However she consisytently has the neastest handwriting in the class and her written language is detailed and lengthy. As ateacher myself I was worried about the Grip she was using but now I wonder if, like being left hander, it isn't actually something that needs to be changed.
Posted by: Julie Woods | May 31, 2009 04:57 PM