Wigmore Primary School

Handwriting

Aims:

For children:

• To understand the importance of clear, neat presentation in order to communicate their meaning clearly.
• To take pride in the presentation of their work and therefore studying handwriting with a sense of achievement.
• To support the development of correct spelling and to aid in the elimination of letter reversals by the learning of word patterns and the correct joining of letters.
• To ensure that children of differing abilities are provided with appropriate and achievable goals.
• To teach correct letter formation.
• To write quickly, at speed, in a neat cursive style by the end of KS2.

Knowledge, Skills and Understanding:

During the course of their time at Wigmore Primary School the children will be introduced to a range of knowledge, skills and understanding. 

In the early stages:

How to hold a pencil/pen

Write from left to right and top to bottom of a page

Start and finish letters correctly

Form letters of regular size and shape

Put regular spaces between letters and words

How to form lower and upper case letters

How to join letters

The importance of clear and neat presentation in order to communicate meaning effectively.

In the later stages:

Write legibly in a joined style with increased fluency and speed.

Use different forms of handwriting for different purposes.

Reception/Foundation Stage

Children experience a wide range of handwriting-related skills, e.g. letter and number formation in sand trays, through tracing, with chalk, felt tips, pencils, crayons,  writing over and under teacher models in various forms, word building with magnetic letters and pattern making in various media. For formal handwriting practice large pencils can be used in conjunction with lined/unlined paper. Pencil grips for correction of pencil hold can be used where appropriate. Teachers model correct letter formation and children practise this alongside their phonics programme. Correction of letter formation takes place on an individual basis.

Key Stage 1

Children work on handwriting skills in a variety of activities, e.g. copying from the board, through phonic work and duplicated practice worksheets. Wide-lined exercise books, handwriting paper and standard-size pencils are used. During Key Stage 1 joins are practised and children are encouraged to use joined-up handwriting in their daily work. Children are encouraged to take pride in the presentation of their work.

Key Stage 2

Children work towards developing a cursive, fluent, joined handwriting style that is consistent in size. Children are encouraged to take pride in the presentation of their work.

Resources:

At KS1 these include:

Variety of paintbrushes, thick and fine felt pens, jumbo pencils, stubby crayons, chalk, sand trays, letter and number templates, pencils, coloured pencils, pencil grips, tracing cards, sewing cards, sandpaper letters, oil pastels, magnetic letters.

At KS2 these include:

Pencil grips, HB pencils, Berol handwriting pens, handwriting paper.

HANDWRITING PROGRESSION

Step 1

WRITE LETTERS USING THE CORRECT SEQUENCE OF MOVEMENTS

By the end of Reception year children will have been introduced to:

• a comfortable and efficient pencil grip
• producing a controlled line which supports letter formation
• writing letters using the correct sequence of movements
• pattern-making and letter/number formation in various media
• some simple joins in conjunction with phonics work.

Step 2

FORM LOWER CASE LETTERS CORRECTLY IN A CURSIVE SCRIPT THAT WILL BE EASY TO JOIN LATER.

• Develop a comfortable and efficient pencil grip.
• Form lower case letters correctly; using the lead out (where appropriate).
• Practise handwriting in conjunction with spelling and independent writing, ensuring correct letter orientation, formation and proportion.
• Develop further knowledge of joins in conjunction with phonics work.

Step 3

USE THE FOUR BASIC HANDWRITING JOINS WITH CONFIDENCE

IN INDEPENDENT WRITING.

• Practise handwriting patterns from Year 1.
• Begin using and practising the four basic handwriting joins:

-diagonal joins to letters without ascenders, e.g. ai, ar, un

-horizontal joins to letters without ascenders, e.g. ou, vi, wi

-diagonal joins to letters with ascenders, e.g. ab, ul, it

-horizontal joins to letters with ascenders, e.g. ol, wh, ot

Step 4

WRITE LEGIBLY WITH A JOINED HAND, MAINTAINING CONSISTENCY IN SIZE AND SPACING

Use and practise the four basic handwriting joins:

-diagonal joins to letters without ascenders, e.g. ai, ar, un

-horizontal joins to letters without ascenders, e.g. ou, vi, wi

-diagonal joins to letters with ascenders, e.g. ab, ul, it

-horizontal joins to letters with ascenders, e.g. ol, wh, ot

Step 5

USE FLUENT JOINED HANDWRITING FOR ALL WRITING EXCEPT WHERE OTHER SPECIAL FORMS ARE REQUIRED

• Use joined handwriting for all writing except where other special forms are
• Build up speed and ensure consistency in size and proportions of letters and spacing between letters and words.

To know when to use:

• a clear neat hand for finished, presented work;
• informal writing for rough drafting etc.

Use a range of presentational skills, e.g:

• print script for captions, sub-headings and labels;
• capital letters for posters, title plates, headings;
• a range of computer-generated fonts and point sizes.

Step 6

TO USE FLUENT JOINED UP HANDWRITING FOR ALL WRITING EXCEPT WHERE OTHER SPECIAL FORMS ARE REQUIRED

Teaching Sequence

1. Curved family (Curly Caterpillar Letters): orientate correctly letters that curve backwards towards the line:

c, o, a, d, g, q, s, f, e

2. Tall family (Long Ladder Letters): orientate letters that have a tall ascender down to the line:

l, i, t, k, j, u, y

3. Bounce up family (One –Armed Robot Letters): orientate correctly letters that ascend down towards the line and then bounce up again:

r, n, m, h, b, p

4. Other family (Zig-zag letters ) all the other letters, these are straight lines:

v, w, x, z

5. Write capital letters: those which differ from their small counterparts:

A, B, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, L, N, Q, R, T

The teaching of initial letter joins should be linked to phonics work, with subsequent joins linked to spelling patterns being taught as part of the Literacy curriculum (where appropriate).  Where spelling work does not link appropriately to handwriting, the list of handwriting joins below should be used. 

The teaching of initial letter joins should be linked to phonics work, with subsequent joins linked to spelling patterns being taught as part of the Literacy curriculum (where appropriate).  Where spelling work does not link appropriately to handwriting, the list of handwriting joins below should be used.

Handwriting Joins Year 1 and 2