Handwriting or Technology? How to Support Both in Your Homeschool

ByHomeschool OT

Homeschooling often puts parents in the position of making daily decisions about what to hold onto and what to adapt. Handwriting is one of those decisions, especially as tools like speech-to-text, AI, and digital writing become more accessible.

In Episode 93 of The OT Is In, I sit down with Leslie Catlett, occupational therapist and founder of the Penmanship Lab, to talk through how to think about handwriting in a way that actually supports your child’s development. We walk through when technology can be helpful, when it can unintentionally replace important skill-building, and how to scaffold handwriting so it remains both functional and realistic in your homeschool.ons.

Why Handwriting Remains Foundational

Handwriting is not simply putting letters on a page. It requires motor control, sensory feedback, attention, memory, and higher-level thinking skills all working at the same time. These are the same systems that support executive functioning.

When a child writes by hand, their brain is coordinating multiple processes at once. They are managing how hard to press the pencil, where to place the letters, how to organize their thoughts, and how to physically form each letter. This is why handwriting often feels slow or effortful. It is a complex task, not a simple one. In the episode, we describe it as a “full brain workout” because of how many systems are involved.

From an occupational therapy perspective, this is exactly why handwriting still matters. The act of writing helps build the underlying skills that support learning and independence. When children engage in hands-on writing experiences, especially through multi-sensory activities like writing on a vertical surface or using different textures, they are strengthening the pathways that support both academic work and everyday tasks.

OT-informed approaches focus on building these foundational skills, not just the final product on the page. When movement, sensory input, and thinking are integrated, children are better able to develop skills that carry over into reading, and problem solving.

Teaching Handwriting Before Expecting Practice

One of the biggest misunderstandings I see with handwriting is this:

We expect children to practice a skill that has not been fully taught yet.

Before handwriting can become independent, it needs to be explicitly taught.

That means slowing down and showing your child:
where to start the letter
how the strokes move
and what it should look like on the line

Not just handing them a worksheet and expecting repetition to build the skill. Instruction—not just tracing, but teaching step-by-step verbal and visual cues to support letter formation, sizing, and spacing (04:10). This is not endless drill. It is targeted, consistent, and developmental. By breaking instruction into manageable chunks, parents prevent overwhelm and create an environment where “practice makes permanent.” The goal is lifelong competence, not one-time perfection.

Real-Life Example: Supporting the Ideas without Losing the Skill

One of the most common challenges with handwriting is this:

A child has plenty of ideas, but cannot get them onto paper fast enough.

When that happens, the goal is not to force more writing.
It is to protect the thinking while still building the skill.

Leslie Catlett shared a simple way to do this.

If your child’s thoughts are moving faster than their ability to write, separate the two parts of the task.

Let them:
say their ideas out loud while you write them down
or record their thoughts to come back to later

Once the ideas are captured, the child can focus on the motor side of writing without also trying to generate language at the same time.

This reduces the overall demand and allows each skill to develop more clearly.

This same idea applies when handwriting becomes frustrating or perfectionistic.

If a child is constantly erasing, starting over, or getting stuck on mistakes, the problem is not effort.

It is that the task has become too high pressure.

Instead of erasing, encourage them to cross out and keep going.

This keeps the flow of thinking intact and helps them learn to adjust as they go.

For some children, introducing a pen earlier can help reduce the urge to erase and restart.

Now the focus shifts from getting it perfect to getting it done.

In both cases, the goal is the same.

We are not removing handwriting.
We are adjusting the demand so the child can stay engaged while still building the skill.

Balancing Technology With Development

Technology is not the problem. In many cases, it is incredibly helpful.

Tools like speech-to-text, typing, and autocorrect can allow children to express their ideas more easily, especially when writing feels slow or frustrating.

But these tools do something very specific.

They provide access.
They do not build the underlying skill.

When a child types or dictates, they are able to complete the task.

But they are not getting the same sensory and motor input that comes from forming letters by hand. That input is what supports coordination, attention, and memory over time.

So the question is not whether to use technology.

It is when and how to use it.

Developmental Progress, Not Quick Fixes

Supporting handwriting and the skills underneath it requires patience and clarity.

Progress does not come from pushing independence too early.
It comes from building skill gradually, with the right level of support.

Handwriting is not just a mechanical task. It is layered and adaptive, and it develops over time as children integrate motor, sensory, and cognitive skills.

—

From an occupational therapy perspective, a few things consistently support progress:

  1. short, focused instruction rather than long sessions
  2. using multi-sensory materials like chalk or vertical surfaces
  3. preserving ideas through dictation when writing is too effortful
  4. breaking tasks into smaller, manageable parts
  5. allowing mistakes and continuing forward instead of stopping to fix everything

These approaches do not lower expectations.
They make skill-building possible.

Over time, the goal is to give your child a range of tools.

Handwriting.
Typing.
Speech-to-text.
Note-taking.

Each one serves a different purpose, and together they allow your child to access learning in a way that is both effective and sustainable.

For homeschool parents, this often comes back to a simple balance:

Accept what is hard right now.
Expect realistic next steps.

When handwriting and technology are used intentionally, children are able to build foundational skills while also staying engaged in their learning.

PS. Download this companion guide to the episode to help think through these topics in your home!

OT is IN #93: Balancing Tech and Handwriting: Supporting Your Child’s Growth

We’re reframing handwriting as more than just pen-to-paper—it’s a foundational skill that shapes how children learn, organize their thoughts, and even pay attention. In homeschooling, we have the flexibility to adapt instruction, but that also means making deliberate choices about how—and when—we build these core skills. You’ll hear practical ways to approach handwriting without getting stuck in extremes, and we’ll discuss how technology and multi-sensory methods can coexist to support your child’s development.

This conversation matters because the tools your child uses—whether it’s a pencil, a laptop, or a speech-to-text app—each offer something unique. Handwriting isn’t outdated; it’s a critical layer in your child’s learning toolkit, helping them think more clearly and keep their ideas organized as they grow.

In this episode you’ll hear about:

  • Multi-Sensory and Neurodevelopmental Approach
  • Explanation of the neurodevelopmental (neurofirming) approach
  • Importance of engaging multiple senses in learning
  • Using gross motor, body movement, and heavy work activities before sitting for tasks
  • Incorporating multi-sensory materials: shaving cream, types of paper, chalkboards
  • Homeschooling Experiences
  • Leslie Catlett’s nine years homeschooling her children
  • Differences between her two sons’ learning styles (bookworm vs. kinesthetic learner)
  • Benefits of homeschooling for offering breaks and movement opportunities
  • Handwriting Instruction in Homeschool
  • Daily formal handwriting instruction (5–10 minutes per day)
  • Importance of explicit teaching (step-by-step verbal/visual cues)
  • Not just tracing, but teaching letter formation, sizing, spacing, placement
  • Research supporting explicit handwriting instruction
  • Use of diverse materials (chalk, chalkboard, vertical surfaces)
  • The Significance of Handwriting in the Digital Age
  • Handwriting as a foundational skill—more than just putting letters on paper
  • Handwriting as a “full brain workout”
  • Cognitive benefits: engagement of hands, eyes, and brain; boosts attention, memory, learning
  • Differences between writing by hand and typing
  • Challenges with Handwriting for Fast Thinkers
  • Students whose thoughts move faster than their physical writing abilities
  • Strategies: using technology (recording or transcribing thoughts) to separate idea generation from handwriting
  • Motor Skills, Self-Regulation, and Perfectionism
  • Relationship between motor skills, cognition, memory, and comprehension
  • Practicing fine motor control, coordination, motor planning, and sensory feedback
  • Avoiding perfectionism: accepting mistakes, not over-emphasizing erasing
  • Using pens or pencils without erasers to maintain flow of thought
  • Integrating Technology: AI and Assistive Tools
  • Perspective on handwriting vs. technology (not anti-tech, but balanced)
  • How dictation, predictive text, and tablets can support struggling students
  • Technology for access, but not for building foundational motor/sensory skills
  • Autocorrection reliance and its potential impact on spelling development
  • Pacing: Handwriting Slows Down, Technology Speeds Up
  • Slowing down cognitive processes via handwriting vs. speeding up with screens
  • Helping kids adjust to slower, more mindful pacing for foundational skill development
  • Breaking tasks into manageable chunks; use of graphic organizers

Links and Resources From Today’s Show

Thank you to our title sponsor for this episode, Lovevery. You can check out their products and resources here.

Connect With Our Guest, Leslie Catlett

Leslie Catlett, MS, OTR/L is the founder of The Penmanship Lab, where she helps children build confident, functional handwriting skills that support learning. A pediatric occupational therapist and mom of two, Leslie understands that handwriting challenges are often about much more than letters on paper. She brings a warm, individualized approach to working with children with ADHD, dysgraphia, dyslexia, and autism, focusing on the why behind each child’s difficulties and creating engaging strategies that make writing more manageable and meaningful.

Leslie has a variety of experience in acute inpatient/outpatient, virtual/school based practice. Currently as of 2021, she provides in-person and remote OT services and consultation for K-12 students across the U.S. and internationally. Leslie collaborates closely with school teams and families through IEP/504 plans while providing OT services. Leslie’s work has been featured in Good Day Columbus, Good Neighbor Podcast, ShoutoutDFW, and Voyage Dallas. In addition, The Penmanship Lab received the 2021-24 mom Approved Award from DFWChild magazine. Leslie is passionate about providing children with the tools necessary to create inclusive learning environments in which children feel worthy, confident and celebrate all accomplishments, however small they may be.

Leslie received her B.S in chemistry from Murray State University and completed her Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy from University of Wisconsin-Madison. Leslie believes creating inclusive, supportive learning environments for all children and celebrating all small wins is imperative.

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