How To Grip A Pencil

[Guest]

Hi,

 

I have a lot of children in my class (YR) who cannot hold a pencil correctly. I am holding a short meeting with the parents next week, talking about how they can help their child at home to do this - however, bar constantly checking them I am not sure how - please can someone help?

 

 

Thanks

 

Emily

[Marion]

[Panders]

Hi, is there anyway you can check how the parents hold a pencil in the first place - play a little game, or ask them to hold the pencil in their non-writing hand to see how hard it is for their children to write, sometimes this little exercises really bring it home to parents how hard it is for children - something that they have long forgotten.

 

Then practice with the children at circle time every day say, until they can all understand how to hold a pencil perhaps some kind of game.

 

I was told some time ago if you place a pencil on the table with the point facing the child and tell them to pick it up between their thumb and forefinger, flip it backwards, they will have something close to the right grip, perhaps that might be a game to play - dont know!!!

[Guest]

I often use that trick and for 75% of the time it tends to work.

[Guest]

Thanks Marion and Panders, they are a great help. Will def get the parents to have a go - as you said, it may help if they fully understand the problem.

 

Emily

[Upsy Daisy]

My daughter's reception teacher called the correct grip 'froggy legs' and used to get them to practise making the frog kick his legs as they flexed their fingers and thumb while holding the pencil. Now I just need to say 'froggy legs' and she adjusts her grip straight away.

[Marion]

The Jolly Phonics website has a free leaflet for parents which shows "froggy fingers"

http://www.jollylearning.co.uk/ click on presentation link on left

[Guest]

I always tell the children to make their thumb and forefinger into a snappy crocodile and use these to grip the pencil, this seems to work! When we are using white boards during Letters and sounds I generally remind them of this and check grips then. The other thing you could tell parents is that pegging things on a line strengthens the muscles needed!

[Guest]

Hi,

 

I have a lot of children in my class (YR) who cannot hold a pencil correctly.

 

 

You also must remember that what may be comfortable for one person, may not be comfortable for another. I always thought the phrase was 'child holds pencil effectively'.