St. Mary s CE (A) Primary School. Handwriting Policy

Transcription

1 St. Mary s CE (A) Primary School Handwriting Policy Policy written: May 2014 by Jane Newton Policy reviewed and approved by Curriculum, Teaching and Learning Committee - Autumn Term 2014 Policy adopted by the Full Governing Body on 2 nd December 2014 Next review due: Autumn Term 2015 Aims 1. to know the importance of clear and neat presentation in order to communicate meaning effectively 2. to write legibly in both joined and printed styles with increasing fluency and speed These aims will be achieved by: teaching an effective pencil grip; learning that all letters start from the line, following the new cursive script learning to form all letters correctly knowing the size and orientation of letters learning the correct way to join letters Handwriting is a taught skill and it is important that teachers are seen to put a high value on teaching and sustaining good handwriting. We believe that children s self-esteem and pride in their work can be raised by good quality presentation. We aim to teach children correct letter formation and correct ways of joining letters so that they can develop good handwriting habits. This will enable them to write fluently and legibly and help them to begin to develop a distinctive style by the end of Key Stage 1, We intend to: Teach children to write with a flowing cursive hand which is legible, swift and pleasant to look at. Enable children to develop their own style of cursive handwriting as they progress through Key Stage 2. Support the development of correct spelling and aid in the elimination of letter reversals by the learning of word patterns and the correct joining of letters. Ensure that children of differing abilities are provided with appropriate and achievable goals. Assist children in taking pride in the presentation of their work. Teach correct letter formation. Appreciate handwriting as an art form. Display excellent examples of handwriting in every classroom and around the school. 1

2 Teaching and Organisation We use the Cursive handwriting scheme throughout the school. Handwriting is taught at least once weekly, as a class and/or group lesson in all year groups. In Reception children are taught letter formation in conjunction with Letters and Sounds. Children will also be given opportunities to practise their handwriting (i.e. as an early morning activity) During handwriting lessons we ensure that children sit, position their paper/book and hold their pen/pencil correctly, using their other hand to hold their work firmly. Chair height is checked to ensure it is correct. It is important that in the Early Years and at Key Stage 1 children are observed closely during the lesson to ensure that letter formation is correct. In addition to specific handwriting lessons children are expected to apply their learning in their exercise books and to show care in how they present their work. Regular opportunities for children to focus on the presentation of their work are also planned, for example in topic books or for display. It is important for teachers to set a good example to children by modelling good handwriting when writing on the board, IWB or when marking children s books. Teachers model the appropriate style and use the appropriate joins, demonstrating the fluency and legibility of the style. Children are expected to take responsibility for the general presentation of their work. They should date work, underline where necessary and not make any marks on the covers of their books. Curriculum Requirements The recommendations of the curriculum are as follows: Year R Recommendations Children use a pencil and hold it effectively to form recognisable letters, most of which are correctly formed.letters start on the line and children learn the pre cursive style with flicks. 1 Pupils should be able to form letters correctly and are beginning to join letters. 2 Pupils should be taught to write with a joined style as soon as they can form letters securely. 3/4 Pupils should use joined handwriting throughout their independent writing. They will continue to be taught handwriting in order to increase their fluency. 5/6 Pupils will continue to practise handwriting. They should be clear about what standard of handwriting is appropriate for a particular task. Scheme of Work The children learn to form letters correctly with flicks. Those children who are forming letters clearly with the correct flicks will begin to learn how to join their letters as soon as possible. Joining patterns begin in Reception as a preparation for the flow of joining letters in words. 2

3 Early Years Foundation Stage During the Reception Year the children are given a wide range of opportunities to develop an understanding that writing conveys meaning, e.g. books, story telling, signs, labels etc. Children experience a wide range of handwriting-related skills, e.g. letter and number formation in sand trays, through tracing, use of ribbons, 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 those children that are ready for handwriting practice, large pencils can be used in conjunction with lined/unlined paper. Pencil grips for correction of pencil hold are also used where appropriate. Teachers model correct letter formation and children practise this alongside their Letters and Sounds Phonics programme. Correction of letter formation takes place on an individual basis. Children practise name writing. Children learn to join the letters in digraphs at the same time as learning the sound made by the digraph. Children learn to do flicks on most letters in anticipation of learning a joined cursive style. Key Stage 1 Children work on handwriting skills daily and in a variety of activities, e.g. writing in books, multi-sensory activities (where appropriate), phonics sessions. Wide-lined exercise books, handwriting books and a choice of different sized pencils are used. There is a handwriting lesson once a week and children practise their spellings daily using correct letter formation. They continue to learn joins for new digraphs and trigraphs. Once a week they do further handwriting practice based on what they have learned in their lesson earlier in the week. Y2 children are taught a wider range of joins and are encouraged to use the joins they have learned whenever they are writing. They are encouraged to take an increasing pride in the presentation of their work. Key Stage 2 Y3 and Y4 continue to learn to develop the cursive style during a weekly handwriting lesson. Children are encouraged to take pride in the presentation of their work and are given a pen licence when they have demonstrated that they can write in a consistently neat joined style. Improving handwriting Each child from Y1 upwards has an individual handwriting sticker target Examples of good handwriting are displayed in each classroom Books are monitored regularly to look for improvements in presentation KS2 children are given a pen licence, allowing them to use a pen to write with instead of a pencil, when they have achieved a consistently neat joined style Presentation in Books Children must ensure that all work is presented neatly. The date and title of all work must appear at the top of the page and must be neatly underlined. Any mistakes must be neatly crossed out. In numeracy the short date may be used. Any drawings in books must be done in pencil and drawn inside a box. Resources Foundation Stage Thick, stubby paintbrushes, fine paintbrushes, thick and fine felt pens, jumbo pencils, stubby crayons, chalk, sand trays, templates, shaving foam, pencils, ribbons. 3

4 KS1 Variety of paintbrushes, thick and fine felt pens, jumbo pencils, stubby crayons, chalk, letter and number templates, pencils, coloured pencils, pencil grips, tracing cards, sewing cards, oil pastels, magnetic letters. KS2 Pencil grips, HB pencils, handwriting pens, handwriting paper. Left-Handed Children Children who are left handed will be given equal opportunities and support in handwriting. Continuity and Progression Across the Early Years Foundation Stage Children will have opportunities to: watch adults writing and to write for themselves attempt writing lists, labels, captions, stories and instructions write their own names begin to form simple sentences, sometimes using punctuation use their phonic knowledge to write simple regular words and make phonetically plausible attempts at more complex words use a pencil and hold it effectively to form recognisable letters and numbers, most of which are correctly formed. By the end of Foundation Stage/Reception By the end of Reception Year children will have been taught to: use a comfortable and efficient pencil grip produce a controlled line which supports letter formation write letters using the correct sequence of movements write letters with flicks pre cursive to enable them to learn a joined style in KS1 do pattern-making and letter/number formation in various media Year 1 During Year 1 handwriting will be taught frequently and discretely children will learn to form letters correctly and confidently using an appropriate writing implement children will be able to hold the implement easily and correctly so that bad habits are avoided left-handed pupils will receive specific teaching to meet their needs Year 2 During Year 2 children will revise and practise correct letter formation frequently they will be taught to write with a joined cursive style as soon as they can form letters securely with the correct orientation Years 3/4 During Years 3 and 4 children will use joined cursive handwriting whenever they are writing independently they will continue to have handwriting lessons to secure use of correct joins and to enable them to write with increased fluency 4

5 Years 5/6 During Years 5 and 6 children will continue to practise neat handwriting they will be encouraged to increase the speed of their writing they will show an awareness of what standard of writing is appropriate to the task they will be taught to use an unjoined style where appropriate (labelling diagrams, writing an address etc.) Equal Opportunities: All children will be taught equally. Inclusion: More able children and children with Special Educational Needs are supported in their Handwriting work, with reference to Support Plans. Teachers will put in place suitable interventions for children who are underachieving or require further challenge. Monitoring and Evaluation: It is the role of the English subject leader to monitor the teaching and learning of handwriting throughout the school. This is done through regular work sampling, analysis of assessment pieces and lesson observations. Feedback from this monitoring is used to inform staff of necessary developments in order to raise standards. Monitoring is supported by the Headteacher. Resources: At the time of writing the school is looking into buying support materials to guide staff in the teaching of cursive style. Signed: Jane Hughes Headteacher Dated: Signed: Sally-Ann Shotton Chair of Governors Dated: The School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. 5