Handwriting Assessments
Handwriting skills are crucial for a student's academic success. Occupational therapists can assess an array of skills that impact handwriting such as hand/wrist/finger mobility, posture, pencil grasp pattern, letter formation, letter legibility, letter sizing, word spacing, uppercase/lowercase letter usage, letter placements, developmental reflexes, and visual-motor/visual perceptual skills.
This list is by no means exclusive of common assessments that evaluate handwriting skills. Many occupational therapists utilize clinical observation to evaluate a student's handwriting.
Evaluation Tool of Children’s Handwriting (ETCH)
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Type: Criterion-referenced
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Key Areas Assessed: Handwriting
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Age Range: Grade 1 to 6
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Description: Tool to evaluate manuscript and cursive handwriting skills by assessing legibility components, pencil grasp, hand preference, pencil pressure, manipulative skills with the writing tool, and classroom observations.
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Tasks include alphabet and numerical writing, near-point and far-point copying, dictation, and sentence generation.
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Clinical Observations
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Type: Observational
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Key Areas Assessed: Handwriting
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Age Range: All grades
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Description: OTs can use clinical observation to evaluate student's handwriting skills by assessing legibility, pencil grasps, pencil pressure, manipulative skills with the writing tool, student's assignments, and classroom observations.
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Observe: Pencil grip pattern, finger & wrist movement/mobility, student's posture while seated, letter formation/sizing/legibility, sentence legibility (spacing, line use)
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Screener of Handwriting Proficiency
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Type: Screening test
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Key Areas Assessed: Handwriting
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Age Range: All grades
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Description: Designed for educators and specialists to help them assess critical and measurable skills that students need for success.​
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