What is EZ Script?
EZ Script is a graduated handwriting system that provides sequential visual cues through a series of horizontal lines, vertical lines, shaded boxes, and extra spacing.
Horizontal lines provide cues for where to start and stop letter stroke as well as cues for letter height.
Vertical lines provide cues for within word and between word letter spacing.
Shaded grids provide cues for letter height in lower case letters as well as midpoint cues for upper and lower case letters.
Extra spacing between lines helps to improve legibility by preventing letters from overlapping when writing on multiple rows.
EZ Script Handwriting paper can be used with multiple handwriting font styles (e.g. D’Neilian; Zaner Bloser) in both manuscript and cursive, although it works best with upright manuscript font styles.
How EZ Script Works
EZ Script is designed to be used with kids as young as 5 through adults. There are 4 stages: Kindergarten (0), 1st grade, 2nd grade, and 3rd grade (wide ruled). An additional stage is available for writers who are transitioning from wide ruled paper to college ruled paper.
For each stage, there are 6 handwriting papers writers can move through. These 6 papers each have a unique combination of horizontal lines, vertical lines, and shaded areas. Choose the one that works best for you or your child. Once it is mastered, move on to the next paper!
Learn to Write Smaller
Joe is a 9 year old boy who has decreased fine motor and visual perceptual skills. He is able to write letters with a one inch height, but he needs a shaded cue and vertical lines to have good letter size and spacing.
Joe is working on writing with a smaller size, but he needs to have a shaded cue and vertical line to have appropriate letter size and spacing.
With work, Joe is able to write smaller, but he still needs the shaded cue and vertical line for letter size and spacing.
Finally, Joe has improved his fine motor skills and is able to write with an age appropriate letter height.
Learn the Right Size
Emily is a 7 year old girl who has decreased visual perceptual skills. She has the strength to write letters with an age appropriate letter size, but needs a shaded midpoint cue, an upper line, and vertical lines to keep her letters at the proper size. She also needs vertical lines to help her write with appropriate letter and word spacing.
Emily no longer needs the vertical lines for letter and word spacing, but still needs the upper line andshaded area to write letters with the correct letter height.
Emily continues to improve. She no longer needs the upper line to write uppercase letters with good letter height. But she still needs the shaded area to write lowercase letters with good letter height.
Finally, Emily has improved her visual perceptual skills and is able to write with age appropriate letter and word spacing. She no longer needs the vertical line cues or a shaded area for lowercase letter height.
Learn Word Spacing
Michael is an 8 year old boy who has decreased visual perceptual skills. He has the strength to write letters with an age appropriate letter size, but he needs an upper line and shaded cue to keep his letters at this good size. He also needsvertical lines to write with proper letter and word spacing.
Michael is working on his letter and word spacing. He no longer needs the vertical lines to help with letter and word spacing, but he still needs the upper line and shaded cue to write with appropriate letter heights.
Finally, Michael has improved his visual perceptual skills and is able to write with an age appropriate letter and word spacing without the upper line cues.
Letter Practice
A shaded split grid paper is also available in all stages. It can be used by writers who are practicing individual letter and number formation.
Sentence Practice
A plain rectangle grid is also available in all stages. It is useful for individuals writing with all uppercase letters or for writers who have difficulty maintaining letter height across the row when there is no upper line to guide them. Because this paper also has extra space between writing rows, It is also useful for writers who overlap letters when writing across multiple lines of paper.
