Handwriting Lesson Plans Using Whiteboards

Handwriting is a foundational skill that young students must master. With neat and effective handwriting, the student can organize thoughts and ideas and communicate effectively. As important as handwriting is, this skill requires that children practice and work to develop skills. Some children resist handwriting due to its tedious nature, making it difficult to teach skills. Handwriting practice on a whiteboard can help children hone skills to develop neat penmanship, while keeping them interested in the lessons. Children love having the chance to get out of their seats and write on whiteboards. When children practice handwriting exercises on the whiteboard, they are fully engaged and active participants in the learning process.

• The Importance of Teaching Handwriting - Learn why handwriting is not the trivial skill that some believe it to be. This website explains the difference between manuscript and cursive handwriting. As little as 15 minutes of practice each day on a whiteboard can be enough to help a student make significant strides in handwriting.
• Handwriting Practice Can Be Fun - Handwriting does not need to involve paper and pencil. A whiteboard offers a different writing method that many children enjoy. Offering different mediums for handwriting practice often helps children become or remain engaged in learning.
• Handwriting Activities for Home - This web page offers details about how to use a whiteboard for pre-letter learning and handwriting practice. Children can trace and draw shapes on the whiteboard and then progress to tracing and writing letters.
• Teacher Guide to Printable Handwriting Activities - This article recommends using a variety of surfaces and materials for practicing handwriting. A whiteboard and markers are one combination that many children enjoy. Markers in bright colors often appeal to young students.
• Handwriting Activities - Learning cursive handwriting takes time. Kids may be more likely to spend extra time practicing if they can use a whiteboard and brightly colored markers to practice making letters. The fluidity with which markers glide over a whiteboard surface can enhance learning.
• Handwriting Bags - This teacher explains how she uses handwriting bags to teach children handwriting skills. Inside each bag, kids find tracing cards, an alphabet to use for making letters, writing paper, a mini whiteboard, markers and an eraser. Kids often enjoy the variety of materials for handwriting practice.
• Literacy Teaching Ideas: Aspects of Writing - This publication details how children progress through specific stages as they learn how to write. The more practice children have, the faster they will learn handwriting skills and the neater their handwriting can become.
• Letter and Letter Sound Identification - Children may struggle with learning letters because they don't realize that each letter has identifying characteristics. A teacher can use an interactive whiteboard to write a letter and then draw kids' attention to specific features of each letter. Children can then practice forming the letters on the interactive whiteboard.