******mrz**************

[missbeehiving]

Just wanted to say thanks for some advice that I picked up from another thread about "Write from the Start" which you recommended.

DS1 (6) was having problems with his writing at the end if the summer term - poor pencil control and not forming the letters correctly. He hated writing and he had no confidence. Over the summer and the last few weeks we have done the progam and practised letters (maybe 10 minutes a day) - we've almost finished the workbooks.

He has started Y2 now and he feels totally differently about writing - he loves it and is so confident about doing it - it's great! He's so much happier. He's aiming for a level 3 and it is difficult to believe that 10 minutes a day have made such a huge difference.

So - a truly heartfelt thank you from both of us!

Wow! Great to hear.

Self esteem and self belief should never be underestimated.
pleased he is feeling happier

My possibly dyspraxic daughter has also come on leaps and bonds, thanks to Mrz's comprehensive advice on motor skills. She's also found "Dancing Bears" really helpful with her reading, which I think was also recommended by Mrz.

Thank you :)

What is 'write from the start' please? can anyone please post a link to the thread with the advise on motor skills. thanks.

Could someone please advise me, and would a school SenCo be able to do this, as DS2 won't write at home for me (at ALL), and due to him having hypermobility syndrome, his writing is pants, he is writing at what I would say is a 4yo level, and he is in Y2, and will be 7 in a few weeks. The SenCo is shit promised me a writing slope for him before he started in reception, but it still hasn't materialised. Have ongoing problems with awful SEN dept at the school, need to go to the SenCo with a plan of action that I want her to carry out that would be reasonable.

I don't even get an appointment when his IEP's are done, she posts them home to me, and when I send a response back, I am ignored. I need some help on how to deal with this, as he has SATS this year, and verbally is working on Lvl 1/Lvl 2 (dependant on subject), but going by what he can actually put down on paper, he is still on p-scales. (He isn't). The SenCo refuses to get him a scribe for his SATS. DS2 is on SA, they took him off SA+ (against my wishes) in reception despite his inability to write.

P.s. sorry for thread hijack.

Write From the Start is a handwriting/motor skills programme which doesn't actually use letter formation in its exercises.

I used it quite a lot with older primary SEN children. It exercises the hand in lots of different ways without the stress of "proper" letter formation.

You can buy it off Amazon.

Ixia - it might well have been me that recommended Dancing Bears.

It's so unfair. Dancing Bears didn't help my DD and Write from the Start didn't help my DS :( And they both are excellent programs that help most kids.

Which Write From the Start is it? There are several different books with that name on Amazon.

Oooh, I see, didn't realise.

This is the one we use in our school:

www.amazon.co.uk/Write-start-Programme-Perceptual-Handwriting/dp/1855032457

how lovely to know that people have been helped so much by the suggestions that they have received on here. Hurrah for mrz and all the other brilliant teachers who take the time to come and advise people on these boards! :)

Loudlass I am a school SENCO so yes they should be able to do this.

So if I tried to book an appointment with the SenCo and ask if she can do this with DS2, she should be able to then. Thank you.