What Does a Handwriting Tutor Do?

A handwriting tutor meets with students during one-on-one sessions or group sessions to help them improve their penmanship. The duties of a handwriting tutor are both observational and instructional in nature. A tutor observes how students write and then delivers instructions addressing the proper way to sit when writing, how to hold a writing utensil and the right stroke, spacing and size to use when writing. Tutors might meet with students daily or weekly, depending on the learners' needs. Becoming a handwriting tutor typically requires good penmanship and training on how to teach handwriting to others.

At the first tutoring session, a handwriting tutor typically assesses the student's handwriting. The letters might be too big or ill-formed. Words might be written too close to one another or too far apart. In watching the student hold a pen or pencil and write individual letters, a skilled tutor can determine areas that are in need of improvement. By paying close attention to how the learner sits while writing and the general attitude that he or she exhibits during the writing process, the tutor can devise an appropriate lesson plan that teaches proper technique and increases the learner's enthusiasm.

A handwriting tutor might proceed by asking students to perform specific tasks. If the challenge is limited to writing specific letters, writing exercises might focus primarily on those letters. Other learners might be asked to write the alphabet from memory while receiving reminders and instructions as they perform the task. If a student is just learning how to write the alphabet, he or she typically will be given examples to view while writing. To teach the proper direction and stroke of each letter, the tutor usually will write the letters while the student watches.

The requirements for becoming a penmanship tutor include having nice handwriting and undergoing training on how to teach penmanship. Early childhood education programs typically offer courses that provide guidance on teaching the alphabet to children. Private tutors who teach handwriting must be patient and enjoy working with young learners. Providing frequent encouragement is an important part of teaching handwriting to children.

A handwriting tutor might meet with a learner on a daily or weekly basis, depending on the student's needs. If a learner's handwriting issues are leading to poor grades on class assignments, more frequent sessions typically are needed to accelerate his or her progress. Seeing improvements in penmanship on a consistent basis might encourage some learners to practice more frequently at home, resulting in even faster progress.