Any bright spark know how I could help to improve my Y3 ds's writing at home?

[MrsHeffley]

Think Ds got a 2b in his SATS.

He's left handed but correct grip(dislikes writing which makes his hand hurt allegedly),apparently still not always using his knowledge of Phase 3/4 phonics in his writing,isn't joining and presentation is a lot to be desired,doesn't produce a lot. Seems to be making little progress and has reached a standstill.

I'm thinking making him write pages of writing at home will simply make him dislike it more so what an earth can I do? Helping with maths/reading seems easy in comparison.

Really want to boost his confidence plus I think it's having an impact on other areas of the curriculum.

TIA

Have you got any friends or family who he could write to and receive letters back? This often encourages reluctant writers due to the excitement of receiving their own post.

Spooky,I was just this very minute thinking a penfriend might be a good idea. Does anybody know how you can find penfriends?

Hi MrsHeffley:

Your DS sounds a lot like my left-handed DD now in Y4 - who received a 1a in KS1 SATs but now is greatly improved. We opted for writing on the sly.

-Postcards: have DC send postcards from every place they visit (even if only a day trip to a local historic site). Send them to favourite teachers, friends, grandparents, etc...

-Competitions: have DC enter competition - but use the postal address & snail mail.

-Father Christmas: insist that a letter for Father Christmas is drafted each year.

• Birthday cards - have your DC make hand-made cards for friends birthdays or if store bought have them write something more than just their name. DD started with Hope you have a nice day and now expands to things like Mum and I found this when we went down to Grandma's - I've been waiting ages to give this to you. I hope you like it!

-Thank you cards - yes it's very old fashioned, but insist that your DC sends thank you cards for presents, treats, nice days out.

Now this may be more a girl thing than a boy thing - but my girls are constantly trying out new and interesting ways of writing (very into swirls and curls) - so I've let them chose a little hard-bound notebook and pen from an office supply shop. They loved chosing if for themselves.

We also found that using crayolo twistable pencils and more detailed colouring books also helped with fine motor skills (e.g. geometric designs - see www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=geometric+colouring+books&x=0&y=0)

Finally we also found a left-handed pen helped a lot (we use stabilo left-handed pens - can get these from WH Smith & other major office supply chains).

Our DD really complained about writing - but it turns out she does very little actual writing at all at school. So with school work - I'm afraid I opted for just doing slightly more.

So with spellings: encouraging DD to write out sentences using words. If that's already required encouraging DD to research with on-line dictionary the origin and age of the word. Most kids respond well to words being from the Vikings.

With reading diary: Our school provided some suggestions of what could be done and only requires one entry a week (which can be as short as 'I read Chapter 3') - so I encourage 2 entries a week. Sometimes it is just drawing characters with speech bubbles, but it's still working those muscles.

HTH

Some great ideas there Past,many thanks!

Is the problem with his handwriting or writing in general?

And how do you know if his hand does or doesn't hurt?

I think (although it's like pulling teeth) he's forming his letters fine but not joining.He says writing hurts his hand though,although this could be writingitus iykwim.

From what I gather he's still not putting Phase 3/4 phonics in although he leant them bloody ages ago. They've yet to start him on 5 so I'm getting a tad twitchy as the longer they leave it the longer he won't be using split digraphs etc.

I thought his presentation was dreadful.I'm guessing punctuation too.The whole shebang to be frank.Don't think he writes much either and I'm worried about it having an impact on other areas.

Well, if writing does hurt his hand, then he'll do as little as possible and will fall further and further behind.

It's not that uncommon for writing to hurt.

Often parents and teachers put it down to writingitus when there really is a physical pain so it is worth investigating.

Phase 5 is meant for Y1! Those stupid bliddy phases really annoys me but not half as much as the stupid bliddy teachers who handicap children by only half teaching them!!! Sorry rant over.

I would suggest you teach the alternatives including split digraphs ASAP

Ink Waster
To warm up the brain and get into a creative mood - give him a topic and ask him to write as much as he can in say, one minute. Time him and ask him to count the number of words then try again with another topic. He should write as rapidly as possible. This limbers up and frees up the mind.

Disasters
Children - indeed, most humans, - are fascinated by disasters. But what might be a disaster for superman or an ant?
5 Disasters for Superman.
? His tights are in the wash.
? The colour in his boxer shorts washes out and now they're pink.
? His Mum says to be in by 8.00 and in bed by 9.00.
? His Dad tells him not to start fights.
? His Gran gives him Kryptonite pants for Christmas.

Wow those are great ideas Mrz,he'd love all of them.Thanks.

You're so right re the phonics.I feel like I'm banging my head against a brick wall,this will be my 3rd meeting discussing exactly why they're obsessing over the 3/4 phase.On asking at parents evening I was told 2 weeks ago he put c instead of k in when spelling skin. Now I know that isn't great but he has been doing L&S since rec in which he learnt the lot.We thought he was on Phase 5 in year 2.

I just don't get the obsession with Phase 3 and 4. I've been doing dictated sentences with Phase 3 and 4 words and he gets the entire lot right.He bloody sound talks every word you give him and spells them correctly in grids he just occasionally slips up in his actual writing.

I will start 5 asap then. Kind of annoyed as I could have been doing this ages ago.6 months in year 3 and he's made zero progress with phonics,I just don't get it.He was a free reader in rec.I know reading phonics is diff but he had excellent phonic knowledge,I'm an ex literacy co-ordinator so know he learnt them correctly.

So worried. His twin has finished the lot and his writing is amazing. They're so similar,started off the same but had diff teachers. The school also has a serious issue with not pushing the lower/middle able kids imvho.The extra stuff my good writer has done which the less able has been excluded from thus setting him back further makes me so angry.

At parents evening his teacher suggested they may be scrapping the phonics in his year group all together so errrr will he never do Phase 5 and 6 then?

Sorry my rant is over now!

Any suggestions on how to get the knowledge of phonics into writing,the school is clearly obsessed with it and I know it's important.I have no choice but to support what they want.

Many thanks Mrz.

If I can be blunt ... they don't know what they are doing!!!
He obviously is applying his phonic knowledge to write scin ok it's not correct but he can't be expected to apply phonics knowledge he hasn't yet been taught ...

Well you said it.

I think the KS1 do a very good job with Phonics and I think it's a new thing for KS2.I think they're trying to improve the Y6 writing results. Think the groups in KS2 were a new thing. Just my suspicions.

Actually said teacher said the 'skin' thing was part of Phase 3.It was pretty much all she could come up with when I asked why he hadn't gone up to Phase 5 given he is continuously complaining about his homework being too easy etc.

I'm convinced they're wading through treacle. Had thought of asking dd's fab Y2 teacher who is an amazing phonics teacher what to do but fear it will cause upset so I'm boring you poor teachers on MN instead.

So shall I not worry too much re getting him to get every Phase 3/4 sound right in his creative writing and plough on with Phase 5 and 6.

The awful thing is his twin as I said is doing amazing writing and his sister a year younger is doing very well and is on Phase 5/6. It's just crap for his self esteem.