Why doesn't my child like writing? Why does it copy incorrectly? What does he need to be able and want to write better?
Beautiful writing does not come from practicing diligently. Balance comes first, followed by accuracy, correctness and beauty.
It is writing, the swinging and connecting of lines and letters and thus the creation of words that creates a connection in the brain. Context and understanding are created. "Fluent handwriting makes thoughts fly" (C. Funke) and, in addition to expressing one's own personality, is undoubtedly an important building block for learning, memorizing and structuring thoughts.
In order for letters to be recognized and stored at all, it is worth taking a look behind the scenes.
In very simplified terms, there is only one area in our brain for symbols and no area for reading, writing or arithmetic. Before that, there was the area for movement. Once the control of our movement is coordinated and thus automated, the way is clear for thinking. Balance (physical, mental, emotional), movement and thinking are closely connected.
As with reading and arithmetic, there are also prerequisites for learning to write without stress. Three-dimensional balance, good hand-eye coordination and a good pencil position play an important role here:
Your own handwriting - an expression of your own personality
About writing with the correct pencil position: If we observe children from toddler to school age, we see how the way they grip a pencil changes. Young children often grip the pencil crosswise with their hand and turn their arm so that the forearm or wrist does not touch the surface at all. Children between the ages of 3 and 4 choose the so-called brush grip, in which all fingers grasp the pencil. The hand is still slightly turned in, but the wrist is also moved.
Ideally, the pen should be between the thumb and middle finger, in the hollow between them and held and guided by the index finger and thumb. The wrist and forearm rest relaxed on the paper. It takes good fine motor skills in the hand to develop fluent handwriting without pressure. Sometimes difficulties in learning to write indicate deficits in fine motor skills.
It is therefore advisable to be aware of the need to hold the pen correctly. If the child learns to hold the pen correctly right from the start, the switch to a fountain pen and the increasing writing speed will not be a problem. Their own handwriting can develop without cramp.
Coordination conflicts in the brain?
Mental development is prepared on a physical level. And just as our body is cross-linked, so is our brain. Our practical work has shown that a three-dimensional balance = understanding up/down, right/left, back/front and good hand-eye coordination are essential for stress-free learning. Can my eyes do anything other than my hands? If my eyes are free for my visualization ability, my knowledge memory can be accessed. I can visualize how the word vase is written. If my ability to visualize is blocked, I have to rely on my hearing. In languages that are not phonetic, such as German, vase quickly becomes 'Wase'.
In everyday life with a schoolchild, this is relevant insofar as a lack of balance is very often the reason for daily stress with homework, incorrect copying, too slow a pace, etc.
In the case of a balance problem, automation of movement sequences develops only very slowly or to a limited extent. But this is exactly what is needed to learn to write. Multitasking is not required here, because our brain cannot control the writing movement and think about which letter to write next at the same time.
"80% of people who have a reading/spelling disability have a visualization problem" (J. Ratey, brain researcher, Stanford University/USA)
Evolutionary Pedagogy®uses targeted movement exercises to create these conditions for balance so that learning can take place without stress.
