Parents
Classes, 
in-school, 
home school, pre-writing, elementary, middle school, college prep, private classes...

Interactive Metronome™ Program
ADHD and ADD,...

Home schooling
Course materials, Handwriting Without Tears™, 
support ...

Teachers and Schools
In-service, school-based...

Adult Handwriting
Physician's program, employer seminars, classes...

Summer Lessons
2011 program...

Occupational Therapy
Certifications, professional resources...

Private Classes

 Private instruction offers children or adults the opportunity to have their specific needs met at a more convenient time than is available for group classes. Materials and instructional styles are different for children and adults. 

With private classes, children and adults are able to spend the necessary time to develop underlying handwriting skills so essential to future success. 

For children, parents are able to have their questions heard and hopefully answered.  The consultation process allows parents to have another professional helping them problem solve. 

Sandy Purvis, OTR/L, Occupational Therapist, Registered/Licensed, has worked with both children and adults for over 30 years and can appreciate the benefits of a one to one setting to clients. 

Assessment

Handwriting is just the "tip of the iceberg" of performance because it requires so many skills to perform correctly and efficiently.  During the first class of private instruction, an assessment is done to determine each individual's level of skill in the specific components of handwriting.  In this way, we can determine strategies that will help strengthen the weaker areas to develop success.  Also, knowing the child's strengths will help us know the best way to effectively teach him/her.  Some of these foundation skills that are assessed include postural stability and control, eye-hand coordination, pencil and grip skills, movement and position awareness, visual and motor perception, self esteem and concept, and sensory regulation for focusing and attention.  A written evaluation is not normally provided.  However, information from the assessment is discussed in detail with the child's parents and recommendations are provided.

Therapeutic Intervention

Following the assessment, a plan of treatment is devised to determine which specific foundation skills and which handwriting skills need strengthening.  During the sessions with your child, we carefully choose activities which will boost those skills that need work.  Naturally, improving these skills supports the handwriting process and allows progress to occur more quickly than with handwriting instruction alone.

Just as practicing is important to improvement in playing a musical instrument, so it is with handwriting.  This is why we give homework.  Only 5 minutes several times a week is required to continue the progress.  We notice measurable progress when parents supervise and guide their child's homework.  During our therapeutic time together, large doses of deserved praise and encouragement are provided and at the end, a small "prize" serves as a tangible reward.

Our students frequently look forward to coming to their next class because the previous ones have been positive experiences. This is true even for the most anxious of students.

Curriculum

The handwriting method that we use is called Handwriting Without Tears®, developed by Jan Olsen, OTR.  Her series of teacher's guides, student workbooks and teaching materials have been favorably received by educators, therapists, parents and students.  In addition, the program has been adopted by 14 states and many local school districts for use in their public or private school curriculum.  This method uses a developmental and multi-sensory approach to handwriting instruction, building on skills learned on previous pages.  This allows the student to become competent in relatively less time when compared to conventional methods.

Cost

The cost of individual sessions is $80.00 per hour.  Semi-private sessions cost $50.00 per person, per hour.  It is up to the discretion of parents and the therapist whether children will be seen semi-privately.

Insurance

HandRIGHTing, Ink. does not directly bill health insurance companies.  However, we can provide you with an appropriate receipt for you to submit for reimbursement. Whether an insurance company reimburses you for these services is up to your insurance company and your policy with them. HandRIGHTing, Ink. can assist you with information that will help you predetermine to what degree, if any, your insurance will reimburse you. However, HandRIGHTing, Ink. will not call individual health insurance companies to predetermine this information. Ask Sandy Purvis to provide you with a sample receipt that could help you navigate your way with your health provider.

Disclaimer

HandRIGHTing, Ink. is able to assist in improving and developing the skills of their clients to write better.  Completion of the program does not guarantee permanent improvement.  Our curriculum is an adjunct to the educational process offered in the school setting.  The program is recognized by many educators, both locally and nationally and has been successful for many children.