How To Impose Handwriting Improvement?

[Old_Inkyhand]

Hello everyone,

 

I have a problem with my brother. Well, actually he has a problem with himself, too. Everyone has a serious problem with my younger brother due to his unreadable handwriting.

When I was a little girl, I was teaching him to read, write and learn. His handwriting was decent then, as he was writing slowly and I would have never let him go if he hadn't finished the task properly. Unfortunately, his next teachers were not that demanding and his handwriting started to get worse and worse. He has good motor control - he plays many sports and he is very successful - but his drawings have always been neglectful, childish and quite abstract. I believe it would be much better if he practiced writing and drawing, but he has neither time nor willingness. A few years ago he was diagnosed with dysgraphia and got an excuse for his terrible handwriting. Teachers couldn't lower his grades because of aesthetic reasons anymore.Now it is unreadable. It is not bad. It is terrible. It is difficult to tell the letters apart. They are small, they are squeezed and much higher than wider. I told him that his "o" should be as wide, as high - and the other letters should have a base similar to "o". When he knows it and tries to write like that, it is much much better, but he does it very slowly and is awfully impatient. He can write a few very nice lines and then he comes back to school, where he has to write very fast - and of course he doesn't fuss about calligraphy.

During end-of school exams, he is allowed to use a computer and type the answers. During all the regular exams - and, what's really bad, during competitions - he has to write. He is very clever, but the examiners struggle to read his answers and therefore they sometimes give him zero points for a task which is done correctly due to its illegibility.

 

I was surprised when I asked him to write something with my FPs. He was very concentrated, he was doing it slowly, but I was pretty satisfied with the quality of these scribbles. And here comes my question.

 

Is it possible to impose handwriting improvement even a tiny little bit with a special tool? Is there any chance that his handwriting would be better if he used e.g. a fountain pen with a relatively thick fine nib? Or a fine stub? Something what wouldn't dishearten him and would maybe even encourage him to try harder?

 

If there is any option, I'm willing to try.

 

Thank you for your help, I appreciate every effort.

 

EDIT: minor spelling issue

Edited February 3, 2016 by Old_Inkyhand

[GClef]

http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m496/gclef1114/Gibberish/5E2B3EAF-BE2F-4482-AE9B-0406158633C7.jpg

 

How old is this brother of yours?

[Old_Inkyhand]

He is fourteen, will turn fifteen in May.

 

Here is a sample of his handwriting (not his best, but also not his worst, as the answers are short). I couldn't find a better one, but I can try.

Edited February 3, 2016 by Old_Inkyhand

[GClef]

http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m496/gclef1114/Gibberish/E7F5D027-5AB7-4D8D-AE24-A9AC571C7372.jpg

 

At 15, I was fascinated by beautiful handwriting.

But, yeah...that's pretty bad - even if I were able to understand the language.

[Old_Inkyhand]

It was in German, I don't understand that as well, but I have found a note in Polish and although it is my native language, I understand only single words.

He is in his rebel years now. He's seeking his own way of thinking, he also became a bit despondent. He isn't interested in self-development now, he would rather like to watch TV and funny stuff on the Internet, play computer games, travel, play football or tennis, sleep, eat and have fun. I don't want to sustain too much pressure, as I know I would only turn him off.

 

I'm ready to buy him a FP (in case he didn't like it, I would be eager to adopt the poor abandoned thing), but I don't know whether it would help. And if something could help, what would it be...

 

 

By the way - he was thinking about his future studies and considering nuclear engineering. FPN, do it for the world. You don't want to have a nuclear power station built and operated by someone with unreadable handwriting

Edited February 3, 2016 by Old_Inkyhand

[GClef]

http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m496/gclef1114/Gibberish/C31EAE21-CC40-439B-83DF-B47E3EE78D68.jpg

 

Yes, sounds like a "typical" 15 year old. He may, or may not, take to improving his handwriting down the road.

The only thing to do is to be there for him - if, and when he decides to do it.

[Old_Inkyhand]

I was considering to buy him something also because of the fact that he writes with pretty much everything, mainly cheap BP with very fine tips, which allow him to squeeze the letters.

 

And also to make him more responsible. He throws these disposables all around.

 

If only there was a good FC Barcelona fountain pen! He would sleep with it, I guess

Edited February 3, 2016 by Old_Inkyhand

[GClef]

http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m496/gclef1114/Gibberish/8CF7BE60-F1C0-4508-AB67-BCB3CE658BBE.jpg

 

Here's an idea:

Perhaps you can show an interest in something he is completely passionate about, and in turn, he may reciprocate.

It might give you some insight on how to help him develop his penmanship.

[domnortheast]

I think any imposition on handwriting has to be applied by your brother himself and to do that he would need to have a reason to want to improve his handwriting. It would need to be a reason that is relevant to a 15 year old boy.

 

Why should he improve if he sees no benefit to putting in all that effort when he can just type the same words with a keyboard? Give him a good reason.

 

Guide the head and the body will surely follow.

[GClef]

http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m496/gclef1114/Gibberish/F84C0D14-4D44-4D38-BA6F-30ECC17C5A83.jpg

 

Now, you've given me something to think about.

I think if I ever have a son, I will strictly prohibit him from doing whatever it is I would actually want him to do.

[Old_Inkyhand]

Well, actually he doesn't like typing. His teachers allowed him to bring computer to school and he has a handy little netbook, but he has never used it to note down a lesson. He doesn't want to use it in school.

 

Thank you very much for your wise advise.

I try to show as much interest in his hobbies as I can, but it is not very helpful. He thinks that fountain pens and neat handwriting are quite pretentious and I'm an artsy freak

 

"No" is an answer for everything. Many days will pass before he'll show some responsibility for his own life. He is at least twice as clever as I am, and at least twice as lazy. He needs lots of stimulation - his teachers "push him" through the school life and competitions. He has an important competition on Friday and I guess he's watching kittens on the Web right now. Total lack of ambition followed by action.

 

The problem is: if he succeeded in a competition, he would be allowed to go to a good school. If he didn't go to a good school, it would be even harder to motivate him (he looks a lot at his colleagues and the lazier they are, the more skittish he becomes. In bad schools many children smoke, drink and play truant, we don't want him to draw inspiration from them). If he didn't succeed and would like to go to a good school regardless of that fact, he would have to study really hard to pass all his exams with flying colours. And I know that my brother and the phrase "study really hard" can be put together only in a joke.

 

He has not always been like that. He had the highest grades in his primary school, but about two years ago he developed such a difficult personality. His friends are a bit more mature than he is, they are interested in many things he's not interested in yet (but not school, sadly). He is one year younger than them and maybe that's why he created this laid-back image.

 

EDIT: Yeah, reverse psychology is great

Edited February 3, 2016 by Old_Inkyhand

[Sasha Royale]

"Impose" is an interesting and appropriate term. I doubt that your brother can be coerced, unless his teachers impose sanctions for not being able to read his handwriting. However, if he can communicate adequately via digital keyboard, the world will accept it. The task is to "encourage and persuade" him to improve his handwriting. . The gift of a fountain pen, and the presence of YOUR enthusiasm might be beneficial. This serviceable fountain pen is a low-risk investment. Since his world does not demand good penmanship, MOTIVATION may be difficult.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/271941111771?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

 

Expect, however, that your brother will have more important interests than penmanship. Perhaps, penmanship can be linked to some of his interests. G I R L S ! A pretty girl, who likes getting handwritten letters, is excellent motivation.

[GClef]

 

Expect, however, that your brother will have more important interests than penmanship. Perhaps, penmanship can be linked to some of his interests. G I R L S ! A pretty girl, who likes getting handwritten letters, is excellent motivation.

+1...with a high-5!

[Old_Inkyhand]

He's not very interested in girls yet, maybe in a year or two they will be blessed with his magnanimous gaze. His teachers try what they can, but it is practically illegal to draw any negative consequences as a result of his handwriting. Dysgraphia is treated like any other type of disability and if a teacher decided to give him a bad grade only due to his ugly writing, he could have a talk with the headmaster and the teacher would be punished. We had to confirm his illegible writing 'legally' to give him the possibility to type the most important exams in his life.

It seems to be a very nice pen, although I'm not sure if I can get this one in Poland. There are surely many interesting pens, I had more concerns about the nib. What nib should he use to make his writing more legible? I was thinking about a stub, as it seems to force a better grip, but they are too thick. I wonder if a Waterman fine or regular medium would be a good idea. Maybe if he changed the angle, his letters would become wider. It would have to be a smooth and reliable writer to reduce the risk of disappointment.

 

It is a funny thing, his typing skill. It takes him some time to type a short essay. I guess he doesn't type much, as he uses his computer for gaming and surfing (the Net, of course).

He's a wonderful guy, by the way. He has his heart in the right place, he loves animals, he is tremendously funny and intelligent. But he still needs to grow up a little. I would like to help him not to make too many mistakes. Mistakes are useful as the inseparable element of the process of learning, but some mistakes result in more serious problems and therefore shouldn't be made.

 

He will never be a skilled calligrapher, but I would like to be able to read his writing. Sometimes he can't read his own notes...

He would get interested in penmanship only if the pen was "super cool". Like if it was a FC Barcelona pen, which I have already mentioned. Or a Visconti Alchemy in black, with Waterman Serenity in one nib and Noodler's Blue Ghost in another He likes showy stuff.

Edited February 3, 2016 by Old_Inkyhand

[ac12]

Rather than a cursive hand, an italic based hand might be easier to for him to learn, and be easier for others to read.

This is what I was taught in college when studying for a professional exam. After that I block printed all my exams, so the grader could read my answer.

Although I did read one place where they recommended cursive writing over printing, for people with dysgraphia.

 

Unfortunately, it can be VERY hard to get someone motivated enough to improve their handwriting.

In my case, it took MANY MANY years until one day I became so disgusted at my handwriting that I decided that I wanted to make it nicer and easier to read.

 

In his case, if he wants to become an engineer, he will have lots of exams to do and notes to take both in college and on the job, and he MUST be able to read his notes. So readable handwriting is critical. Because for me, if others have to read his handwriting, and they cannot, Dysgraphia is not a valid reason. Because there are many places and times that he will not be able to enter his notes/comments on a computer, but rather on paper with a pen. So that means that he is not capable of doing the job as required, unless he can write legibly. Not every job can be adjusted to accommodate a disability. This then could be a motivation factor for him to try to work on his handwriting.

 

One problem, that you touched on is grading. Even if the grader spent an enormous amount of time trying to read his answer, if the grader just cannot read the answer, the score is 0.

I used to be a grader in college, and now I am beginning to wonder if some of the students has a degree of dysgraphia, because some of their handwriting bordered on unreadable.

 

I would get him a Fine nib, a Medium would probably be too wide for his handwriting. Although, a reverse approach might work, give him a wider nib Medium or Broad, and that may force him to widen his writing, because writing close will result in an unreadable blob of ink.

But a good gel pen would be easier for him to use.

 

He will have to improve his typing, even if with just 2 fingers. Because that is the only alternative to handwriting, in places where that is possible.

Edited February 3, 2016 by ac12

[Sasha Royale]

He's not very interested in girls yet,

 

He's interested. He just hasn't figured out how to get one.

[proton007]

He thinks that fountain pens and neat handwriting are quite pretentious and I'm an artsy freak

 

I think this may not be his own opinion. When I was in my adolescent phase, I remember trying to write like others did. Something like a membership exam to get in the 'pack'.

 

I'm not sure how to do this, but I believe one of the ways for him to feel motivated would be the risk of losing out his status among his peers if his handwriting doesn't improve. The other sex, as others have pointed out, is one such way.

[Old_Inkyhand]

ac12, thank you very much for such a helpful and long response.

 

 

He's interested. He just hasn't figured out how to get one.

Maybe you're right The only one I've ever heard about is definitely a tomboy, she loves all kinds of sports, wild adventures, she doesn't care much about neatness, grades, handwriting... whatsoever, and she lives sixty km away. She's very likable but not very... impactful, I think my brother would change her more than she would change my brother. They go together quite well, I wouldn't be surprised if I met such a couple and though they were siblings.

 

I think this may not be his own opinion. When I was in my adolescent phase, I remember trying to write like others did. Something like a membership exam to get in the 'pack'.

 

I'm not sure how to do this, but I believe one of the ways for him to feel motivated would be the risk of losing out his status among his peers if his handwriting doesn't improve. The other sex, as others have pointed out, is one such way.

Unfortunately it is, as he said so, but it is highly probable that he was teasing.

I talked to him yesterday and asked him if he wasn't interested in borrowing one of my pens (it was a safe trick, I knew he wasn't ) to write with it for a while and see if he could improve his handwriting - and was surprised with his answer. Silence and a bit of mumbling. No 'forget it', no 'no way', so it is a good sign.

His peers aren't very motivating and this results in many of his problems. Since he is the best student in the class without doing virtually anything, he has no motivation to improve. He is very popular in his class, children admire his sense of humour and allow him to be a leader. Well, he's on a roll, he is satisfied with the status quo.

 

EDIT: quoting issues.

Edited February 4, 2016 by Old_Inkyhand

[bla1089]

Try a rock stiff nib. Can you get a twsbi 580?that helps me. I also have a lot of luck with my conkl

[bla1089]

Try a rock stiff nib. Can you get a twsbi 580? that helps me. I also have a lot of luck with my Conklin duragraph. I also happen to be dysgraphic and picked up fountain pens specifically to help with that.

 

Also, a think ink will force him to slow down. At the other end, I really enjoy my vanishing point with a smooth ink and the pleasure slows me down. The challenge in school is the rate of information flux. It can be so high that slowing down one's handwriting becomes a learning penalty.