— For Students

You may be asking about the use of the lowercase letter ‘z’ in cursive italic handwriting, specifically what are appropriate joins into and out of the letter ‘z’ as in the word ‘lazy’.

As you can see from the examples on the webpage about cursive italic handwriting, the authors’ example joins out of ‘z’ but not into it. 

The ease and legibility of italic handwriting comes from the fact that the print and cursive modes use the same letterforms. So, for example, the letter ‘z’ does not change from print to cursive, unlike other styles of cursive writing (see chart below for letter ‘Z’ from our Style Comparison resource).

The authors Getty and Dubay recommend no joins into ‘f’, or ‘z’ and no joins out of ‘g’, ‘j’ and ‘y’. This is because if you do, legibility will suffer — the extra lines will likely make it hard to read and/or awkward looking. See the example of ‘pizza’ below written in looped cursive, italic and italic with joins into ‘z’. We feel that line two (with the green check mark) is the most legible.

These recommendations not to join are standard practice for many variations of italic handwriting, and come from the 500-year history of the italic style.  

However, it is your handwriting, so you are welcome to join wherever you wish — just remember to be extra careful with these joins, if you do make them. Also, these joins probably won’t make your handwriting faster. Research tells us* that students write faster when they pick up the pen sometimes instead of always connecting letters.

*Graham, S., Weintraub, N., & Berninger, V. W. (1998). The Relationship Between Handwriting Style and Speed and Legibility. The Journal of Educational Research, 91(5), 290–297. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220679809597556.

Font credit: Looped cursive example Learning Curve font; Italic examples with Getty-Dubay Joined font.

The art of handwriting often takes a backseat in today’s age of digital communication. However, its significance remains undeniable, underscored by the intricate brain connectivity it stimulates. 

Professor Audrey van der Meer, from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, highlights this, noting that, “When writing by hand, brain connectivity patterns are far more elaborate than when typewriting on a keyboard.” This intricate neural engagement plays a pivotal role in memory formation and information encoding, ultimately enhancing learning outcomes.

Distal control lies at the heart of proficient handwriting, which involves the adept manipulation of writing tools through finger strength and precision. Recognizing the importance of this skill is crucial for grasping the essence of fluent handwriting. In this article, we delve into the realm of distal control exercises, shedding light on their role in cultivating strong fingers for eloquent writing.

What is Distal Control?

Distal control, within the realm of handwriting, refers to the mastery of fine motor movements primarily executed by the fingers, particularly the thumb, index, and middle fingers. It involves the adept manipulation of writing utensils with precision and fluidity, enabling the creation of legible and coherent letters. 

In contrast to proximal stability, which relies on the wrist and forearm for support, distal control emphasizes the intricate coordination and independent movement of the fingers.

In essence, distal control is the cornerstone of proficient handwriting, influencing the ease and fluency with which thoughts are transcribed onto paper. Recognizing its significance lays the foundation for exploring effective exercises to enhance this essential skill.

Why is Distal Control Important for Handwriting?

Distal control is crucial for proficient handwriting, serving as the cornerstone for handwritten communication. Here’s why it’s so important:

• Precise Manipulation of Writing Tools. Distal control allows for accurate and consistent letter formation, regardless of the writing tool used.
• Improved Letter Formation and Legibility. Strong distal control leads to smoother movements, resulting in letters that are uniform in size, shape, and spacing, making them easier to read.
• Reduced Fatigue During Writing. Efficient distal control minimizes strain on hand and wrist muscles, enabling longer writing sessions without discomfort.
• Development of a Proper Tripod Grasp. Distal control is essential for adopting a proper tripod grasp, enhancing writing comfort and efficiency.
• Tactile neural response. Research suggests that distal control is an integral component of the handwriting experience that combines with visual and auditory input to give handwriting its edge over typing.

By practicing targeted exercises, individuals can refine their distal control skills and enhance their handwriting with clarity, precision, and efficiency.

Distal Control Exercises for Strong Writing

Improving distal control and enhancing handwriting skills requires integrating targeted exercises into your routine. These exercises aim to strengthen finger muscles and promote coordination. Here are effective distal control exercises:

Pinch Activities

Engage in pinching and releasing motions with tools like tongs or clothespins. Start with larger objects and progress to smaller ones for challenge. For more ideas on pinch strength activities, see the Royal Children’s Hospital’s Occupational Therapy page.

Playdough Activities

Work with playdough to pinch, roll, and shape. Experiment with shapes and sizes for diverse muscle engagement.

Picking Up Small Objects

Practice picking up small objects, honing precision and control. The transition from larger to smaller objects over time.

Finger Isolation Exercises

Tap each finger individually or use finger puppets for controlled movements. Strengthen individual finger muscles and coordination.

Tearing Paper

Tear paper into small pieces with controlled movements. Start with larger pieces and decrease the size for increased difficulty.

Consistent practice and patience are key to improving distal control and handwriting proficiency. These exercises strengthen fingers and enhance writing clarity and precision. This is especially useful for people who write by hand daily. Around 51.4% still do, as you’ll see in this survey. 

Incorporating Distal Control Exercises into Your Routine

Integrating distal control exercises into daily routines is vital for adept handwriting improvement. Here’s how:

1. Set Dedicated Time. Designate focused periods each day for practicing distal control exercises, ensuring consistency and progress.
2. Start Small, Increase Gradually. Begin with brief practice sessions to avoid being overwhelmed, gradually extending the duration as skills develop.
3. Incorporate into Tasks. Seamlessly integrate exercises into daily routines, maximizing efficiency and effectiveness.
4. Keep it Engaging. Infuse creativity and enjoyment into exercises to sustain motivation and foster continued practice.
5. Accountability. Engage with peers or mentors to stay committed to goals, track progress, and celebrate achievements together.

Adhering to these strategies lets you enhance finger strength and writing precision efficiently. 

Take Advantage of Digital Tools

Moreover, while handwriting is dwindling in today’s digital age, digital apps assist. One is The Handwriting Success App, a digital companion for refining handwriting skills. 

The app provides interactive eBooks designed to teach and enhance handwriting skills. Users can write directly on the eBooks using a tablet and stylus, with the added convenience of erasing and reusing pages for ongoing practice. The content ranges from printed italic alphabet and numerals to advancing to joined letters for cursive italic writing.

Regarding hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills development, digital tools are helpful for younger students. Including interactive apps for kids makes studying more exciting and strengthens basic writing and drawing abilities.

Especially for those beginning their handwriting journey, it is also regarded as one of the best learning apps for kids. These applications often offer entertaining, game-like activities to inspire kids to hone essential abilities such as finger strength and letter formation. The best learning tools for children help build a good attitude toward learning early on by making handwriting practice more exciting and gratifying.

Embracing the Craft: Strengthening Handwriting in a Digital World

So, while the art of handwriting encounters fresh challenges, its significance persists. Distal control exercises provide a route to fortify fingers and enrich writing clarity, irrespective of age or profession. By embracing focused exercises and acknowledging the importance of distal control, individuals can nurture robust fingers for eloquent writing. 

Let’s dedicate ourselves to regular practice and rediscover the delight and artistry of handwritten communication in our increasingly digital landscape.

The Getty-Dubay® Italic Handwriting Series utilizes six different writing sizes, based on the student’s developmental level. For instance, Kindergarteners learn to form letters at 14mm. (In other words, the body height of the lowercase letter without ascender or descender is 14mm). On the other extreme, 6th graders (and up) can use a 4mm body height.

Extra Getty-Dubay® ruled lines pages are in the back of each Getty-Dubay® Italic Handwriting Series workbook and Instruction Manual for you to scan or photocopy for classroom use, and are also available at handwritingsuccess.com.

However, generic lined paper is usually plentiful, and you will most likely want to have your students use the appropriate lined paper size for their handwriting practice, writing assignments and note taking. These sizes are typically called Wide Ruled, College Ruled and Narrow Ruled.

It is best if the line height matches the appropriate body height of the letter for the student’s developmental level. That usually means the lowercase ‘a’ fills the distance between the baseline and the waistline, whereas the capital letter reaches only halfway to the next line above, as you can see in the images below. Descenders reach down half way to the next line below. Older students should be able to keep the body height of their written letters consistent, and therefore can use lined paper where the there is no visible waistline (see Images 2 and 3 below).

Here are our recommendations for best practices:

Kindergarten — Use only the baseline, and separate it from other lines by about 28mm (twice the lowercase body height).

1st grade — Use Narrow Ruled paper and make the lowercase body height 2 lines tall (see Image 1).

2nd and 3rd grade — Use Wide Ruled paper and make the lowercase body height 1 line tall (see Image 2).

2nd (advanced) thought 4th grade — Use Narrow Ruled paper and make the lowercase body height 1 line tall (see Image 1).

3rd (advanced) grade and up — Use either Narrow Ruled paper and make the capital height 1 line tall (see Image 1) or use Wide Ruled paper and make the lowercase body height ½ line tall (see Image 3). Neither the lowercase letters or capitals will touch the line above.

5th grade and up — Use College Ruled paper and leave a gap line between writing lines (see Image 2). The baseline is the focus. Neither the lowercase letters or capitals will touch the line above.

Happy writing!

Image 1. Narrow ruled paper.

Image 2. College ruled paper.

Image 3. Wide ruled paper.