Back to School The Write Way to a Smooth Transition By Katrina Erickson, OTR/L
FOURTH GRADE
This is an exciting time because students have mastered more advanced reading and writing skills. They can use cursive to form capital letters, sentences, and short paragraphs. By now, many have begun developing their own writing style. Those who have developed incorrect cursive habits are likely to fall behind and be discouraged about writing. Help them by incorporating multisensory teaching strategies, direct teacher modeling, and supervised practice.
Pace lessons to accommodate both proficient and slow writers
Encourage students to use cursive
Monitor students’ cursive abilities regularly to ensure correct formation and connection of letters
Accept different writing styles, but insist that all letters be formed legibly and correctly
