Ms. Diane Klopfenstein:  Homeschool Conference Speaker and Workshop Leader Details

• Homeschooling: Penmanship or Typing

Handwriting Without Tears®: Strategies for Success
Handwriting Without Tears® is a proven success in making legible and fluent handwriting an easy and automatic skill. Children using Handwriting Without Tears to develop their writing skills through multisensory, play-based instruction. The curriculum uses hands-on, educationally sound, explicit instruction methods to teach handwriting to students with diverse learning styles and abilities. This interactive session demonstrates an effective approach for increased legibility for print and cursive. The curriculum provides instruction through music, movement, and hands-on activities and teaches the easiest skills first, then builds on prior knowledge. The unique strategies are developmentally appropriate and encourage oral language proficiency, and fine and gross motor skills.  This session also provides engaging teaching strategies for grades Pre-K -5 for developing pencil grip, and learning letter/number formation, letter sizing, word spacing, sequencing, and sentence skills. It includes simple lesson plans that require minimal preparation time and online resources to support families and educators.

• Occupational therapist
• Consultant for Handwriting Without Tears
• Works for the Gold Coast Down Syndrome Association
• Associate of Science Degree in Occupational Therapy from Palm Beach State College, Florida

Ms. Klopfenstein, COTA/L received her Associate of Science Degree in Occupational Therapy from Palm Beach State College, Florida. Currently, she provides occupational therapy services in the Palm Beach County School district. In addition, Diane works for the Gold Coast Down Syndrome Association as part of The Learning Program. She has extensive experience with tutoring children with handwriting problems. She is a consultant for Handwriting Without Tears and is responsible for presentations at education conferences to share her expertise in the field of handwriting instruction and remediation.