
Handwriting Skills Development Program
A Developmental Handwriting Program focused on relationship-based learning that emphasizes proper letter formation.

A Developmental Handwriting Program focused on relationship-based learning that emphasizes proper letter formation.

Connect Experience Write (CEW) is an innovative, relationship-based handwriting program developed by occupational therapists Carrie Davis MS, OTR/L and the late Michele Parkins MS, OTR/L, IMH-E, FAOTA. This program focuses on developmental handwriting by teaching essential line strokes, spatial concepts needed for writing, and letter formation through engaging movement, music, and visual supports.

CEW-Developmental (CEW-D) focuses on teaching spatial concepts and the foundational developmental handwriting skills, including essential line strokes needed for writing.
CEW-Letter Writing integrates musical tones with visual cues and movements, allowing students to learn letter formation as they write. This approach helps students connect their handwriting movements with sight and sound.
Please reach us at connectexperiencewrite@gmail.com if you cannot find an answer to your question.
People often give us a quizzical look when we tell them that we have a handwriting program. "A handwriting program... in the 21st century?? We have computers, smartphones, iPads, tablets, Smart Boards, Chromebooks...! We don't need handwriting!"
Yes, we are in a digital age, and computers are essential to our lives, helping us in many ways. BUT, research tells us something very important about writing by hand. It's still relevant! Why?
Learning to read and learning to write are two sides of the same coin (one is language by eye and the other is language by hand). We've seen it in our work and you probably have, too! When kids start to write letters, they start to see those letters in their world, and start to make meaning of them!
Writing supports the processing of information. In studies that compared students taking notes by hand and students taking notes by typing, the ones who hand wrote their notes consistently demonstrated higher processing and retention of the information (Mueller, 2014).
A large percentage of time is still spent writing in the elementary school years, and children who have difficulty with writing can get stuck in a downward spiral.
Handwriting difficulties can impact concentration, motivation, attitude and self-esteem (Case-Smith, 2002).
We could go on and on about how writing is more personal, activates more of the brain, is needed in everyday life (writing yourself a reminder or signing a check), connects people... but we're probably preaching to the choir. Please check out pae 81 as well as our references page if you are interested in more information.
Connect Experience Write (CEW) is an evidence-based program. We have two research studies that have been completed specifically on CEW. The core elements of our program are supported by research in four main areas: Affect/ Engagement, Movement, Vision, and Music/ Auditory Integration. These four areas are fundamental to learning and interconnect to create a powerful method to teach letter formation.
For preschool-age children, we recommend using the Developmental program. For pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten or older (ages 4.5 or older), we often recommend the Letter Formation program; however, many of our students require more work on the foundational skills (line strokes and spatial concepts needed to create letters). We invite you to use CEW in the way that you find most appropriate for the child or children with whom you are working.
Many teachers and therapists have found great success in a combined approach. They will start teaching the letter formation, using CEW- Letter Formation, but will find that, for example, their students are having difficulty with criss-cross letters / crossing midline. In this case, you can build the foundational skills by going back to the CEW-Developmental activities for criss-cross patterns (Phase 4), then returning to your work on letter formation.
If you still have questions about our developmental handwriting resources, just tell us a little more about your needs regarding the handwriting program or letter formation. We will get back to you as soon as possible with the answers you need!
Mon | 09:00 am – 05:00 pm | |
Tue | 09:00 am – 05:00 pm | |
Wed | 09:00 am – 05:00 pm | |
Thu | 09:00 am – 05:00 pm | |
Fri | 09:00 am – 05:00 pm | |
Sat | Closed | |
Sun | Closed |
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