Real OT Solutions® develops evidence-based occupational therapy handwriting resources for teachers, therapists, parents, and schools, including the Size Matters® Handwriting Program (SMHP®). This comprehensive handwriting curriculum emphasizes size as a key factor in legibility and motor skill development. Whether you’re a school administrator, occupational therapist, teacher, or parent, explore our handwriting program to discover new ways to foster writing success and enrich learning experiences for children of all ages and abilities.
Learn more about the concept-driven, structured curriculum approach of SMHP® and see how it can be an adaptable option for neurodiverse learners.
This handwriting curriculum is the first instructional handwriting program to shift the focus to Letter Size. When students correct errors in Letter Size, they make an immediate and measurable difference in the consistency and readability of the written page. And it’s so easy to teach since there are only three sizes to explore! That’s why we say, "When it comes to neat manuscript printing… SIZE MATTERS!”
Real OT Solutions® designed the Size Matters® Handwriting Program so that everyone has access to the same tools and resources. We provide consistency across all handwriting practice workbooks and supporting materials for teachers, occupational therapists, related service providers, schools, and homeschool families. This penmanship curriculum, along with cutting and drawing programs, is designed to help children learn how to print, starting from preschool. Even adult patients in rehabilitation for CVA, TBI, Parkinson's, and more have improved legible handwriting with SMHP®.
Occupational Therapy Handwriting Program That Adapts to Every User
The preschool handwriting curriculum from Real OT Solutions® is evidence-based, teacher-friendly, and kid-empowering. The handwriting practice concepts and strategies enable the integration of handwriting awareness across the curriculum in all grades and subjects to help your students meet their handwriting goals. The manual task of writing develops and strengthens fine motor skills, visual-motor coordination, and visual perception in preschoolers, teenagers, and struggling adults with diverse abilities, motor needs, and learning challenges. Additionally, our Size Matters® Handwriting Program reinforces reading advancement and comprehension!
The Size Matters® handwriting curriculum is measurable, practical, teacher-friendly, and fun. It is the fastest way to improve legibility, a quality that impacts self-esteem. As such, handwriting instruction and activities are a valuable adjunct in rehabilitation.
What’s Included in the Handwriting Program
The Size Matters® offerings are a complete set of materials dedicated to helping students improve their writing abilities and to ensuring that instructors and administrators have the tools for progress monitoring. The handwriting curriculum for kindergarten and preschool includes:
Adapted Writing Paper Master Guide with over 100 reproducible handwriting practice papers for preschool, kindergarten, first, second, third grades, and specialty paper that supports SMHP®
Size Matters® Activity Books that emphasize handwriting practice, visual-perceptual skills, sequencing, motor planning, tracking, etc.
Fun self-determination activities for kids, like the Size Matters® Dice Game, self-monitoring, and Rules for Letter Size
Test sheet booklet
Competency assessment set
What makes our handwriting curriculum effective is that it is not focused on learning a font but on helping kids develop consistent letter size. Correcting errors in letter size changes the appearance of the written page… sometimes immediately.
Research Basis
Research shows that size-cueing is essential to learning how to write. In fact, we’ve used it as the basis for our handwriting program, encouraging a size-focused approach to letter formation. Once students find consistency in letter sizing, formation and legibility often improve as well. Many of our handwriting resources are designed to support this research, with adaptive paper that features clear lines to indicate the top and bottom of a letter. As students improve, we reduce the cues in our adaptive paper, ensuring long-term, measurable changes.
Built for Clinical and Rehabilitation Use
While the Size Matters® Handwriting Program is often used for preschool through third-grade students, it’s also an effective occupational therapy intervention for others experiencing writing difficulties. Using this handwriting curriculum as part of your OT interventions can help with CVA, TBI, and Parkinson’s rehabilitation, as well as other pediatric fine-motor and handwriting delays. No other handwriting program is designed to serve in adult clinical rehabilitation or OT settings!
SMHP® FAQs
At what age should you integrate the Size Matters® Handwriting Program into classroom instruction?
Teachers can integrate certain elements of handwriting education as early as kindergarten. During this stage, teachers can focus on pre-writing skills, such as letter recognition, drawing, and cutting. After age five, you can start using the more formal writing instruction curriculum included in this program.
How much time do you dedicate to a handwriting curriculum per day?
Most beginner programs, like SMHP®’s kindergarten-through-third-grade curricula, can take as little as 15 minutes of class time per day. Consistent practice with just a few minutes each day can make a big difference.
How do you measure the success of the Size Matters® Handwriting Program?
The SMHP® program includes assessment worksheets that you can use to track each student's progress. Progress monitoring tools feature both objective and student-led methods for a more comprehensive look at their progress.
Choose a Tested and Proven Occupational Therapy Handwriting Program
The products, books, and activities in our Size Matters® program are designed by Dr. Beverly H. Moskowitz herself. She relies on research, evidence, and best-practice literature. The results of her Size Matters® Handwriting Program have been tested and recommended for integration into schools by occupational therapists, school administrators, special and regular education teachers, and homeschool parents.
Explore the success stories of our satisfied clients and see why our program is the ideal penmanship curriculum for your child’s handwriting journey. Contact us today at 877-864-2010 or via our contact form to learn more about our strategies for improving handwriting for kids!
Testimonials
Hear from educators, therapists, and parents about the positive impact our evidence-based solutions have had on handwriting practice.
"The teachers can't believe how quickly the kids caught on."
Tammy Murray
- Author
"I simply love SMHP, and how it's helped my students, THAT much! The ship has NEVER sailed for letter/number, line orientation and spacing for handwriting legibility. Try the *evidence-based* Size Matters Handwriting Program. I've been using it for 3+ years now with much success. It's SO simple and intuitive, that I could do it in the soil with a stick (if I had to), and get results! There's even fun to it that facilitates student buy-in!"
Melodie OTR/L
- Author
"Beverly, I just want you to know that I am using the paper, playing the dice game, talking about the size of the letters, and scoring their writing pages!!!! They all love it and I have seen changes already!!!! Thank you for such an awesome program!!!!"
"I just have to tell you, I've been using parts of the program for the last week with most of my students in Occupational Therapy Services. I have the biggest smile and feel like jumping for JOY when I write my notes. Most of my students can pick up on the easy/fun instructions. Almost all the letter spacing has improved with Spaghetti and Meatballs. Almost all the letter size has improved with the Size Numbering 1,2,3. IT'S A MIRACLE. Thanks a MILLION."
Del Alexander, COTA/L
- Author
"I have used the SMHP during (the) last school year and I love it! And most importantly the kids love it! I have had so much success with this program with all of my kids, but one in particular comes to mind. I had tried everything from different paper to grips with no success. The very first time I introduced this to them most of their letters were inside the boxes!"
Brittany Morel, COTA
- Author
"The SMHP is the first program I have implemented that the kids are actually EXCITED to try and practice making letters....Teachers pick up on the terminology quickly and generally I find they are supportive to use consistent language etc... As a therapist it’s the first handwriting program that I have ever been passionate about! Highly recommend to all...thank you Beverly Moskowitz!!"
Meghan Morse, OT
- Author
"This is a phenomenal program - one that I have seen great results (with)....I'd definitely use size matters"
Mary Bryda Santini
- Author
"I had heard of the Size Matters Handwriting Program just prior to the AOTA conference in Chicago this past spring. I was able to speak with you at the conference, purchase a manual, and watch some YouTube videos. I recently purchased your self-study webinar series and am excited to learn more."
