MIAMI -- Researchers have found handwriting may be a key to your child's academic success.
How well Pre-K kids learn to write will have a significant impact on their grades later, according to the experts.
"We found that kids who had higher scores on the fine motor writing test in Pre-K had better grades and better Stanford Achievement Test scores in second grade both in reading and math," explained Laura Dinehart, the FIU researcher behind the study.
Pre-K students with good grades in writing had B averages in second-grade math and reading. Pre-k students who did poorly in writing had C averages. Researchers are still looking into why.
"We think it could be attention. We think kids that have greater attention skills could also have greater writing skills because they're able to focus and they're able to copy," explained Dinehart.
Researchers encourage parents to work on writing with their kids.
"Now I'm realizing I probably should focus a little bit more on it. I never really sat down with them. I provide them materials and let them access it as they want to," said surprised mother Maryanne Mullery.
Here are some of Dinehart's tips to get a child interested in handwriting:
- Have writing material available to children at all times. That includes markers, pencils, pens, and crayons, as well as coloring books, paper, and journals. Easels, with both dry erase markers and chalk, are often a low cost purchase that encourage children to draw and write.
- Be creative in how you get your child to write. Keep in mind that spelling accuracy is not important here. It’s the act of writing that is the target. Ask your children to make their own shopping list before going to the grocery store. Ask your child to write down the cookie recipe you’re doing together Going to the zoo? Let’s make a list of the animals we think we’ll see and we can check them off as we go along.
- Lots of books encourage children to draw, make shapes, and trace letters and numbers. Make sure you have a few available for them to practice on as well.
