Learning Charms | Charlotte occupational therapy, speech therapy, Mommy and Me, and handwriting tutoring for kids!

Handwriting is a very complex task.  Think about it:  even in the early stages of learning letter formation, a child must watch and listen to the demonstration, understand and practice correct grasp of a pencil, understand spatial concepts ("draw a line down..."), be able to maintain muscle strength in core to fine muscles to maintain posture, copy the letters while remembering the strokes and maintain enough force to make a mark on the paper....   and we haven't even done anything except attempt a vertical line at this point!!  

Not only is handwriting complex, it is very important.  It communicates our ideas, answers, thoughts, greetings, and basically, our knowledge to people.  North Carolina End of Grade Tests have  handwritten narratives.  SAT's have timed composition areas.   Although legibility does not get a score, it helps if the scorers can read the composition!   Kids with good handwriting strokes have more efficient strokes which equals faster handwriting...a plus for timed essays.

Learning Charm's occupational therapists offer handwriting evaluations, individual handwriting tutoring (occupational therapy) , group handwriting classes for manuscript and cursive AND   pre-handwriting classes (see DoodleCharms series).   We use Handwriting Without Tears as a cornerstone for curriculum but utilize strategies from other programs that we have found successful.  We also offer individual handwriting focused tutoring for kid through the high school level. 

Please call to schedule individual handwriting tutoring. Most insurance companies will reimburse handwriting tutoring IF performed by an occupational therapist when added under a plan of care.   Flexible spending accounts typically allow for occupational therapy expenditures, including handwriting. 

This article was posted on the New York Times on February 25th, 2010   "NOAH LASCANO, 8, had a problem: His teachers couldn’t read his handwriting. His homework became a frustrating exercise in writing once, and then, at the teacher’s request, writing again, just for legibility..."   read more

Fine motor tasks are the cornerstone of good handwriting and self help skills.  Fine motor muscles are the ones that have the strength and dexterity to manipulate (while exerting graded force) for small items.  In development, gross motor skills come first (such as rolling over)and then the fine motor muscles start to develop and refine.   Currently, our pre-handwriting and handwriting classes include fine motor labs.  These labs strengthen fine motor skills required for awesome handwriting. 

Check out our  O.T.
video page (click below)

Above is an example of how a preschooler can learn to write!