Ask the Experts

Q. Do we have to do the exercises in your workbooks in order? What if that order doesn’t work with our curriculum?

A: We designed our workbooks to follow natural developmental progression for best results. However the HWT curriculum is flexible, so you can do activities in any order that supports your current efforts. The teachers guides also help you create daily lesson plans and integrate the HWT curriculum with your existing language arts program and other subjects including math.

You can purchase workbooks and teachers' guides from our online store.

Do you have a handwriting question for Jan Olsen, renowned OTR? Let us know. Jan will select and answer the best question. If we select your question, you will receive a free Magic C Bunny.

Comments (19)

I love the Roll a Doh letter cards, however, I was hoping that you would make them for lowercase letters also.

— Evangelynn Toolan on August 22, 2008

I am homeshcooling Dempster now. His penmanship is very poor from public schooling and he has not learned cursive. He is in the 4th grade this year.

— Wilma L Bennett on September 2, 2008

I work at a mrdd preschool and am going to set up a couple of task boxes. Do you have any suggestions? i love the program and our kids really do well with it.

— LINDA Mickle on September 13, 2008

I have 27 kindergarten students, with no aide, ranging in ability from never having held a pencil to already printing their name but with poor grips and incorrect letter formation. Where do I start and how do I deal with all the different levels of instruction needed in the time alloted.

— Kimberly W. Lint on September 21, 2008

I was introduced to HWT by our Occupational Therapist and feel it is a wonderful resource for all students! The improvement in both manuscript and cursive handwriting is remarkable in only one year of practice with the appropriate workbook! I purchase as many books as I can afford every year! Thank you for this terrific product!

— Deborah Doty on November 14, 2008

I am a reading help teacher grades K-3. The presentation at the workshop I attended was excellent. I have recommended it to everyone. My second graders really enjoy the specialty pages such as the word search, antonyms, and sea creatures. My Kdgn. and first graders are doing well on the two lines. I won an individual long two-line chalkboard at the workshop but need to order at least four more. It is great for writing names. Also the little wet sponges were also a hit. Karen Hlavinka

— Karen Hlavinka on December 15, 2008

Question: Any documentation about K kids learning to write and sitting across a desk from each other. Problems like copying letters upside down and backward?

— Aucutt on January 23, 2009

I have a gifted preschool student (reads on a 3rd grade level, just turned 4) who has age-appropriate fine motor skills, if a little behind. Does anyone have any suggestions in getting her to focus and work on basic letter activities? She wants to write, and "Draws" letters, so she needs the instruction, but getting her to slow down long enough to learn what she considers "baby stuff" is very, very difficult. She's probably going to enter K in the fall on a gIEP for early entry, which means that she's going to be with children who are anywhere from 3-4 to 16 months older than she is (possibly more if there are retained or red-shirted students)and the program she's going to doesn't do a good job of teaching handwriting at all.

— Donna Metler on January 28, 2009

you guys need to write a k in cursive but your the best cursive program

— cece on February 3, 2009

I have a 1st grader who is really struggling to rest her forearm on the table- she still wants to write using her whole arm. Any suggestions?

— Janet Manders on April 25, 2009

I'd also like to see Roll-a-Dough letter cards in lowercase.

— Janet Levy on August 20, 2010

I have students that will not use pencil grips and will use a lateral thumb grasp to hold their pencils. They appear to have low tone and actually write better when using the lateral thumb grasp. What is the most effective way to get them to use the correct pencil grasp and to write legibly?

— Lisa Branton on February 25, 2011

Dear Lisa,
The quadropod grip is an alternative standard grip that also provides hand stability. Model for your students the grip in which the pencil is placed between the index and middle fingers. The thumb, index and middle finger are considered the “mobile” side and the ring, and pinky finger are considered the “stable” side of the hand. A web space between the thumb and index and middle finger can be achieved with this grip. The older the student, the harder it is to change the pencil grip. Try to change grips if it hurts to write, or if the grip makes writing inefficient.

— Juliana Guzman on February 28, 2011

Hi, will you design a template for Mat Man???

— MOnica Desgagnes on March 3, 2011

Again, the difficulty of teaching sound awareness/phonics when it is different from the mechanics of letter formation progression. Do you have a sheet comparing phonics with letter instruction for a K class?

— MOnica Desgagnes on March 3, 2011

I can't tell you how much I love the Numbers & Math!! Can I skip around to follow my theme?

— Pat C. on July 7, 2011

I am new in your program. my Question do you have some worksheets that go along with the workbook
I feel we need more reinforcement than the two pages in the work book.

— Beverly Ausbun on August 27, 2011

When I started teaching at the preschool I am currently employed at, I wasn't officially trained in the Handwriting Without Tears program. Upon looking online and reading through the teachers book, I now have a better understanding of the program. I love teaching the children their letters through hands on activities. This makes teaching fun for the teacher, and makes learning fun for the children. Mat Man rocks!

— Jessica Call on September 6, 2011

We are in our second year of implementing HWT with our preschoolers. Of course we promote top to bottom and left to right formation. I have a student who is left handed. When he makes his T in his name and completes the top line, he starts on the right side and crosses to the left. I have others who do this as well. Should we be encouraging him to change and start on the left or continue what is natural. As a right hander I know I would feel that it is awkward to start on the right and slide to the left. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

— Barb Ostrowski on November 17, 2011

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