6. Handwriting Writing also depends on fluent, legible and, eventually, speedy handwriting. -National Curriculum Created by L.Davis 2013 56
Progression in handwriting: Year One Year Two H1.1 I can sit correctly at a table, holding a pencil comfortably and correctly. H1.2 I can begin to form lower-case letters in the correct direction, starting and finishing in the right place. H1.3 I can form capital letters. H1.4 I can form digits 0-9. H2.1 I can form lower-case letters of the correct size relative to one another. H2.2 I can start using some of the diagonal and horizontal strokes needed to join letters. H2.3 I can write capital letters and digits of the correct size, orientation and relationship to one another and to lower case letters. H2.4 I can use spacing between words that reflects the size of the letters. H3.1 I can use the diagonal and horizontal strokes that are needed to join letters. Year Three/ Four Year Five/ Six H4.1 I can increase the legibility, consistency and quality of my handwriting, e.g. by ensuring that the downstrokes of letters are parallel and equidistant; that lines of writing are spaced sufficiently so that the ascenders and descenders of letters do not touch. H5.1 I can write legibly, fluently and with increasing speed by: choosing which shape of a letter to use when given choices and deciding, as part of my own personal style, whether or not to join specific letters. H6.1 I can write legibly, fluently and with increasing speed by: choosing the writing implement that is best suited for a task (e.g. quick notes, letters). * H5.1 and H6.1 will be taught where necessary due to the requirement of pupil choice. Before you start: Created by L.Davis 2013 57
H1.1 I can sit correctly at a table, holding a pencil comfortably and correctly. Relax hand, as if walking along the street ( resting hand). Finger-position in a resting hand. Created by L.Davis 2013 58
Finger-position in a resting hand. Same resting position, simply with the elbow bent and forearm placed on the table. The pencil is simply slid between the thumb, index and middle finger (try to hold as high up as possible so wrist stays flexible). Ensure wrist is not hooked so that movements can maintain fluidity. Children should NEVER write in a squared position. It stops them from using muscles flexibly. Righthanders When children learn to hold the paper, the angle of the paper placement should allow them to keep the writing arm at the bottom of the paper rather than to right side. Arm entry is the crucial objective. That is why writing position differs from reading position. When the writing hand is under the baseline, lateral movement is not blocked. Created by L.Davis 2013 59
Left-handers In order to write without covering letter-forms, left-handed children must learn to write sideways. This also means they must be able to recognise forms when the paper is turned for writing position. The left arm must enter the paper from the bottom right as illustrated. If the arm and elbow are positioned properly, the child can learn to push letter downstrokes to the left using natural movement. Handwriting Phase 1. H1.2 I can begin to form lower-case letters in the correct direction, starting and finishing in the right place. 1a. AROUND Letters Created by L.Davis 2013 60
c Start on the line, entry point, curl around the caterpillar and hook. C c c a o Start on the line, entry point, go around the apple, down the leaf and hook. Start on the line, entry point, go all around the orange and hook. A a a O o o d g q l 1b. DOWN letters Start on the line, entry point, go around the dinosaur s bottom, up his tall neck, down to his feet and hook. Start on the line, entry point, go around the girl s face, down her hair, give her a curl and hook. Start on the line, entry point, go around the queen s head, up past her earrings down her hair and hook. Start on the line, entry point, go down the long leg and hook. D d d G g g Q q q L l l l Created by L.Davis 2013 61
t b p Start on the line, entry point, go down the tower and hook (don t forget the drawbridge). Start on the line, entry point, go down the laces to the heel, go around the toe and hook. Start on the line, entry point, go down the plait, over the pirate s face and hook. T t t t B b b P p p k h i j Start on the line, entry point, go down the kangaroo s body, up around his pouch, down his leg and hook. Start on the line, entry point, go around the queen s head, up past her earrings down her hair and hook. Start on the line, entry point, go down the insect s body and hook (don t forget to dot his head). Start on the line, entry point, go down his body, curl and hook. K k k H h h I i i i J j j j m Start on the line, entry point, go down Maisie, over the two mountains and hook. M m m Created by L.Davis 2013 62
n Start on the line, entry point, go down Nobby, over his net and hook. N n n r Start on the line, entry point, go down the robot s back, over his arm and hook. R r r r u y Start on the line, entry point, down and under, up to the top, drawer the puddle and hook. Start on the line, entry point, go down a horn, up a horn, under his head and hook. U u u Y y y c 1c. CURLY letters Start on the line, entry point, lift off the top, scoop out the egg and hook. E e e Created by L.Davis 2013 63
a Start on the line, entry point, go down the stem, curl the roots and hook. F f f f o Start on the line, entry point, slither down the snake and hook. S s s v 1d. ZIG-ZAG letters Start on the line, entry point, go down a wing, up a wing and hook. V v v Created by L.Davis 2013 64
w Start on the line, entry point, down, up, down, up and hook. W w w z Start on the line, entry point, zig, zag, zig and hook. Z z z x Start on the line, entry point,go down the arm and leg, repeat the other side and hook. X x x Handwriting Phase 2. H2.1 I can form lower-case letters of the correct size relative to one another. 2a. Relative size of AROUND letters Created by L.Davis 2013 65
a d g c o Example words: am mad sad dad sag dog cog 2b. Relative size of DOWN letters l h k b i j m n p r t u y Example words: Created by L.Davis 2013 66
bit lip rip hip pip nip tip pin tin pill till hill bill 2c. DOWN letters with AROUND letters Example words: at lad log had big bad mad Created by L.Davis 2013 67
lad up at big rat pan ran man jam can back pack 2d. Curly letters e f s with down letters l h k b i j m n p r t u y: e f s Example words: let bet sit set met fit fell Created by L.Davis 2013 68
sell sent press less 2e. Curly letters e f s with around letters a d g c o Example words: sag cost sad fan sat gas soft Created by L.Davis 2013 69
2f. Zig zag letters v w x z with all other letters Example words: zap fox win buzz van wish was zap zoo box what whizz Created by L.Davis 2013 70
Handwriting Phase 3. H2.2 I can start using some of the diagonal and horizontal strokes needed to join letters. H3.1 I can use the diagonal and horizontal strokes that are needed to join letters. 3a. The arm join to small letters The arm join should not be too straight, nor too curly. Phrase: Sweep up your arm to touch... (say letter). Checklist Write the first letter carefully Make the flick gentle not too round, not too spiky Make the arm sweep up in a gentle curve Write the down stroke of the second letter very straight Use for joining letters from: a c d e h i k l m n t u to e i j m n p r u v wx y z Example patterns: ai ae aj am ar Created by L.Davis 2013 71
ci ce cu cy di dr dy de ee ei em er he hu hi hy ie ir ip iw iy ke ki kn ky le lm lu ly me mi mm mu ne ni nu ny Created by L.Davis 2013 72
te ti tu ty tw ui ue uw uy 3b. The arm join to most tall letters The arm should still meet the next letter just over halfway up. It should sweep smoothly into the tall letter. Phrase Sweep up your arm to touch... (say letter) and shoot up to the top. Checklist: Write the first letter carefully Make the join like an arm not too straight, not too round Continue the line up to the top of the next letter Write the second letter carefully Use for joining letters from: a e i d h k l m n t u to b h k l t Example patterns: ab ah ak al at eb eh ek el Created by L.Davis 2013 73
et ib ik il it al ch mb th da 3c. The arm join to the around letters The arm should touch the around letter s forehead and then go to the back of the head as though resting a hand. Phrase Sweep up your arm to touch... (say letter) and stroke the sister s head. Created by L.Davis 2013 74
Checklist: Write the first letter carefully Make the join like an arm Continue the arm join over the head of an around letter as though a hand is stroking back of head Go back along the hand Write the second letter carefully Use for joining letters from: a c d e h i k l m n t u to a d g c o q Examples: ic ka ko la ld lo 3d. The washing line join to small letters The washing line should not be too floppy (the clothes get dirty), not too straight (the line breaks in the wind). Phrase Not too droopy, not too tight. Checklist: Write the first letter carefully Make the join like a washing line not too tight or too droopy Write the second letter carefully Created by L.Davis 2013 75
Use for joining letters from v w r f o to i j m n p r u v wx y z e Examples: vi vu wi wr wy we ri rr ry re fi fr fn fu fy oi or ow ou oy 3e. The washing line to most tall letters The washing line should still meet the next letter just over halfway up. It should sweep smoothly into the tall letter. Phrase Not too droopy, not too tight and shoot up the next letter. Checklist Write the first letter carefully Make the join like a washing line not too tight or too droopy Continue the washing line up to the top of the next letter Write the second letter carefully Created by L.Davis 2013 76
Use for joining letters from v w r f o to b h k l t Examples: wh wl rb rh rl fl ob oh ol ot 3f. The washing line to the around letters The washing line should touch the around letter s forehead and then go to the back of the head as though stroking back the sister s hair. Phrase Not too droopy, not too tight and shoot up the next letter. Checklist Write the first letter carefully Make the join like a washing line not too tight or too droopy Stroke back the around letter s head Write the second letter carefully Use for joining letters from v w r f o to a d g c o q Created by L.Davis 2013 77
Examples: vi vu wi wr wy we va vo wa wo ra ro rd rg fa fo oa oo od og Created by L.Davis 2013 78
Handwriting Stage 4: Pangrams H2.4 I can use spacing between words that reflects the size of the letters. H4.1 I can increase the legibility, consistency and quality of my handwriting, e.g. by ensuring that the downstrokes of letters are parallel and equidistant; that lines of writing are spaced sufficiently so that the ascenders and descenders of letters do not touch. Heavy boxes perform quick waltzed and high jigs. Painful zombies quickly watch a jinxed graveyard. A wizard s job is to vex chimps quickly in fog. My girl wove six dozen plaid jackets before she quit. Amazingly, few discotheques provide jukeboxes. Six big devils, from Japan, quickly forgot how to waltz. The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. The five boxing wizards jumped very quickly. Created by L.Davis 2013 79
Capital letters H1.3 I can form capital letters. H2.3 I can write capital letters and digits of the correct size, orientation and relationship to one another and to lower case letters. Created by L.Davis 2013 80
Digits H1.4 I can form digits 0-9. H2.3 I can write capital letters and digits of the correct size, orientation and relationship to one another and to lower case letters. Created by L.Davis 2013 81