Ready Set Write OT

27/05/2026

This practical, 50-min, evidence-informed presentation is designed to help adults confidently support children who are struggling with handwriting. Ideal for teachers, parents, occupational therapists, education support staff, and other professionals working with primary school aged children, this presentation explores the underlying skills required for successful handwriting and provides clear, realistic strategies that can be implemented immediately.

"Handwriting Intervention for Primary School Aged Children” is a practical, evidence-informed video presentation designed to help adults confidently support children who are struggling with handwriting. Ideal for teachers, parents, occupational thera...

19/05/2026

Children learn through movement. Skills like balance, coordination and core strength form the foundation for handwriting, sport, attention and classroom participation. Child health experts are now warning that many Australian children are falling behind in these essential motor skills.

The MABC-3 (Movement Assessment Battery for Children) is a standardised assessment that helps us understand how a child’s motor coordination compares with similarly aged peers and whether extra support may be helpful early on.

If you’re wondering how your child’s motor skills are developing, and would like to organise an assessment of their motor skills, feel free to reach out for a chat. Early awareness can make a meaningful difference. https://www.facebook.com/reel/1008747631614301

18/05/2026

It’s encouraging to see conversations shifting back toward the role of handwriting in learning. Writing by hand strengthens attention, memory, and idea organisation in ways that typing simply doesn’t replicate. Technology is valuable, but when it replaces handwriting too early or too completely, we risk losing an important foundation for literacy and learning. Finding the right balance is key.

29/04/2026

Appropriate spacing is essential for writing to be legible. It makes it easier for the reader to distinguish between letters and words, leading to better readability and understanding of the written content. Using grid paper can help children work on spacing, where a box is left blank between words as in the video below.

29/04/2026

Appropriate spacing is essential for writing to be legible. It makes it easier for the reader to distinguish between letters and words, leading to better readability and understanding of the written content. Using grid paper can help children to work on letter size and word spacing, where a box is left blank between words as in the video below.

17/03/2026

Some children work incredibly hard just to hold their pencil comfortably.

Using a pencil grip is often recommended to support finger positioning, but for many kids, it’s not as simple as “just put it on.” Figuring out where each finger should go can actually add more cognitive load — especially for children who are already concentrating on letter formation, spacing, and what they want to write.

I often see children fidgeting with the grip, shifting their fingers, or abandoning it altogether because it just feels too confusing or effortful.

One simple strategy I use to reduce this load is adding a small sticker to show exactly where the thumb goes (as shown in the photo). It gives a clear, consistent visual cue — no guessing, no extra thinking — so the child can focus more on writing and less on finger placement.

Sometimes it’s the smallest adjustments that make the biggest difference. ✏️

14/03/2026

Free online workshop for parents & educators

27/02/2026

Have you ever wondered why some children are clumsy yet others are able to perform skilled movements with ease? We are interested in understanding how the brain might explain these differences.

The School of Psychology at Deakin University is looking for healthy child participants with and without developmental disorder of movement aged 6-18 years and a guardian to attend two sessions: one at Deakin University and the other at the Melbourne Brain Centre (Howard Florey, Heidelberg). Children may have (or be suspected of having) developmental coordination disorder or ADHD, or otherwise present with typical motor abilities.

First, you will complete an online questionnaire asking you about your child’s general performance during everyday tasks and how they perform a range of everyday movement tasks. The link to the questionnaire can be found here:

https://researchsurveys.deakin.edu.au/jfe/form/SV_883aZERexi9sAhE

Your child may then be asked to attend two sessions. During the first, they will perform at set of movement activities and a series of short cognitive assessments, some while having their brain activity measured using a cap. In a second session, your child may be invited to take part in a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan that involves taking pictures of their brain.

You will receive $30 worth of Coles Myer vouchers to compensate you for your time in accompanying your child to each session. Participants who undertake the MRI portion of the project will be offered a ‘3D’ model of their brain as a memento of their participation

If you and your child would like to be involved, or to find out more, please email [email protected] or call (03) 9244 6505.

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30/01/2026

As we head into a new school year, I wanted to re-share a previous post about the importance of establishing an efficient pencil grasp early. It’s a timely reminder — especially for our preppies who are just beginning their writing journey.

The early years are the ideal time to support the development of functional handwriting habits. Pencil grasp patterns can become automatic quite quickly, and once they are established, they can be much harder to modify. Providing guidance early helps promote comfort, endurance, and writing efficiency as classroom demands grow.

If you’re unsure what to look for, or wondering whether your child is developing an effective grasp, I have resources available to help.

👉 Visit www.readysetwrite.com.au/resources
for practical information and support.
👉 You can also access a presentation I’ve developed outlining key handwriting considerations for primary school–aged children.

18/01/2026

The Importance of appropriate spacing for handwriting legibility.

For more videos, click on the below.
https://www.readysetwrite.com.au/resources