Handsome Handwriting Parent and carer workshop - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

Handsome Handwriting

Parent and carer workshop

Monday 28

th

and Tuesday 29

th

May 2016

Rachel Malone

Slide2

Aims of this session:

To

recognise the importance of

handwriting

N. C and handwriting – assessment descriptors

To

understand how handwriting is taught across our school

To

identify ways to support your child’s handwriting at home

Slide3

Why is handwriting important?

Discuss…

It is a method of communication.

Sometimes there isn’t the option to type.

It can provide a more personal touch.

Unfair as it is, people make judgements based on people’s handwriting.

Slide4

Jotting down a shopping list, writing a birthday card, taking down a phone message, completing a form at the bank ….handwriting is part of our daily lives. It is on show to others and may be used to make judgments about us.

In recent years, modern technology has dramatically changed the way we communicate through writing. However, despite the increased use of computers for writing, the skill of handwriting remains important in education, employment and in everyday life.

Time devoted to the teaching and learning of letter formation in the early years will pay off. Legible writing that can be produced comfortably, at speed and with little conscious effort allows a child to attend to the higher-level aspects of writing composition and content. This is important when assessments are based on written work, particularly in time-limited written examinations, which remain as a major form of assessment for many formal qualifications. Without fast and legible handwriting, students may miss out on learning opportunities and under-achieve academically.

Beyond formal education, most employment situations will involve at least some handwriting and any require the communication of critical information (e.g. medical notes, prescriptions).

Slide5

Foundation Stage

It is important for children to develop gross motor skills in order to master fine motor skills and handwriting.

How

to develop fine motor skills

Using

playdough

Cutting and sticking

Painting

Threading beads

Slide6

Year 1 Handwriting Goals:

Statutory Requirements - Handwriting

Pupils should be taught to:

sit correctly at a table, holding a pencil comfortably and correctly

begin to form lower-case letters in the correct direction, starting and finishing in the right place

form capital letters

form digits 0-9

understand which letters belong to which handwriting ‘families’ (i.e. letters that are formed in similar ways) and to practise these.

Notes and guidance (non-statutory)

Handwriting requires frequent and discrete, direct teaching. Pupils should be able to form letters correctly and confidently. The size of the writing implement (pencil, pen) should not be too large for a young pupil’s hand. Whatever is being used should allow the pupil to hold it easily and correctly so that bad habits are avoided.

Left-handed pupils should receive specific teaching to meet their needs.

Slide7

Year 2 Handwriting Goals:

Statutory Requirements - Handwriting

Pupils should be taught to:

form lower-case letters of the correct size relative to one another

start using some of the diagonal and horizontal strokes needed to join letters and understand which letters, when adjacent to one another, are best left

unjoined

write capital letters and digits of the correct size, orientation and relationship to one another and to lower case letters

use spacing between words that reflects the size of the letters.

Notes and guidance (non-statutory)

Pupils should revise and practise correct letter formation frequently. They should be taught to write with a joined style as soon as they can form letters securely with the correct orientation.

Slide8

Years 3 & 4 Handwriting Goals:

Statutory Requirements - Handwriting

Pupils should be taught to:

Use the diagonal and horizontal strokes that are needed to join letters and understand which letters, when adjacent to one another, are best left

unjoined

Increase the legibility, consistency and quality of their handwriting [for example, by ensuring that the down strokes of letters are parallel and equidistant; that lines of writing are spaced sufficiently so that ascenders and

descenders

of letters do not touch].

Notes and guidance (non-statutory)

Pupils should be joining handwriting throughout their independent writing. Handwriting should continue to be taught, with the aim of increasing the fluency with which pupils are able to write what they want to say. This, in turn, will support their composition and spelling.

Slide9

Years 5 & 6 Handwriting Goals:

Statutory Requirements - Handwriting

Pupils should be taught to:

Write legibly, fluently and with increasing speed by:

Choosing which shape of a letter to use when given choices and deciding whether or not to join specific letters

Choosing the writing implement that is best suited for a task.

Notes and guidance (non-statutory)

Pupils should continue to practise handwriting and be encouraged to increase the speed of it, so that problems with forming letters do not get in the way of their writing down what they want to say. They should be clear about what standard of handwriting is appropriate for a particular task, for example, quick notes or a final handwritten version. They should also be taught to use an

unjoined

style, for example, for labelling a diagram or data, writing an email address, or for algebra and capital letters, for example, for filling in a form.

Slide10

Handwriting sessions:

Handwriting is timetabled for 2-3 times per week (or one longer session).

Foundation and year 1

use the Nelson Handwriting Workbooks, with year 1 ideally moving on to ‘developing skills – red’ which can be found in the teacher’s handbook.

Slide11

Teacher’s handbook

Year 2 onwards

use the Nelson Handwriting teacher’s guide.

Year 2 ‘Developing skills – red/yellow’

Year 3 ‘Book 1’

Year 4 ‘Book 2’

Year 5 ‘Book 3’

Year 6 ‘Book 4’

The teacher models the specific handwriting

join or letter formation to the children.

Slide12

The 3 Ps

Posture

Position

Pencil

grip

A good posture and pencil hold are vital for good handwriting.

Slide13

Sitting correctly

The most important part of handwriting is that children are sitting correctly, with correct posture and that they are holding their pen or pencil correctly. This is encouraged in all lessons, not just handwriting sessions.

Slide14

Pencil grip

Children should be encouraged to hold the pencil between the thumb and forefinger with the pencil resting on the third finger

“tripod grasp

” – we’ll watch a clip

The pencil should be held about one to three centimetres from the writing tip, so that there is control over its movement.

The grip should be relaxed, without pressing too hard on the pencil or on the page.

Slide15

Pencil grip

https://youtu.be/WjzNyHgPZac

The tripod grip is the most traditional handwriting grip taught.

Slide16

Left-handers

As the video demonstrated, left handed writers are given specific input by the teacher. Mr. Bridle has provided pens and grips for all children who have been identified as struggling with pen grip.

Slide17

Nelson and handwriting joins

C curve lettersa c d g o qDown, up and over letters b h m n p rLetters that descend below the lineg j q p y Tall letters bd f h k l t

3 methods of joining

Basic joins- diagonal- cu,

il

Horizontal-

ou

,

wh

Joins to ‘curly’ letters-

uc

,

nd

Slide18

Joining

Cursive bottom letter JoinsCursive bottom to “c” shaped letter JoinsCursive bottom “e” letter joinsCursive top “e” letter joinsCursive top letter joins

Slide19

Handwriting joins

Four handwriting

joins

First

join to letters without ascenders-

un um

ig

id

ed

eg

an or

ing

ung

Second

join to letters with ascenders-

ch

th

tl

ll

ill

ck

ack

ink

unk

Third join- horizontal joins

odre

veoon

oom

Fourth join horizontal joins to letters with ascenders -

wlvl

offf

flflo

Slide20

Demonstrating good handwriting

Teachers model cursive handwriting whenever possible. This is especially important when modelling on a flipchart for display. Pointing out specific joins or letter formations during this time will be just as beneficial as the time taken during handwriting sessions.

Slide21

Incentives

WOW

walls

Reminders

about presentation in all lessons.

Presentation stars of the week in class

Bronze, silver, gold certificates for KS1 and

KS2

Slide22

How to help your child at home

The best way to support your child is to practise, practise, practise! WATCH THEM!

Writing in salt, sand or shaving foam

.

Motivate your child by providing him/her with a variety of tools such as felt-tips, chalk,

paint.

H

andwriting

requires a lot of

practice

– please take the handout with you.

Slide23

Aims of this session

To recognise the importance of handwritingN. C and handwriting – assessment descriptorsTo understand how handwriting is taught across our school To identify ways to support your child’s handwriting at home

Any questions?