Handwriting Intent

The National Curriculum emphasises the importance of Handwriting by stating that by the end of Key Stage 1 children should have developed a comfortable handwriting style, letters should be correctly formed, of relative size and children should begin to use the horizontal and diagonal strokes needed to join letters.

Aims:

• Children practise handwriting as part of dedicated phonics lessons.
• Children practice pre-writing skills involving pattern work and mark making, developing perception and hand & eye co-ordination.
• Attention is drawn to pencil control, pencil grip and posture, the  teacher being alert to the different needs of left handed children. Children are encouraged to use ‘froggy grip’
• Children are demonstrated to and observed forming their letters.
• When children can form their  letters appropriately , they are encouraged to join – this is usually in year 2.

It is necessary for the children to see that there is a need to carry over their handwriting skills to other areas of the curriculum.  To reinforce this need, a positive approach is adopted to presentation and display of handwriting within the school.

Implementation

• Chalk board activities, overwriting of patterns with dry wipe pens, tracing, drawing between two lines. The above provide practice before letter formation instruction begins.  Circles, lines, geometric shapes, zig-zags etc.
• Finger painting, writing in sand, moulding with clay, practicing writing shapes using fingers.  These help with writing movement and correct formation of letters and numbers.  Children also use their fingers on the interactive whiteboard to form their letters.
• Position. The child needs to sit in a comfortable chair with feet flat on the floor and both forearms on the writing surface.  The non writing hand should hold the top of the paper.
• Letter formation.  A complete figure is modelled with emphasis on where to begin and where to end. children are encouraged to use a ’lead out’ in preparation for cursive writing.

Assessment

1. Children are observed forming letters
2. Presentation of work
3. Interim Framework assessment.
4. National Curriculum assessment KS1.

Printed copies of this page can be provided free of charge upon request from the school office.