How is this handwriting for year 1?

[cotdotton]

I'm a bit concerned about DD's handwriting. She's an only so I have nothing to compare it to - would really appreciate some honest opinions.

In foundation they were taught to print their letters and by the end of the year it was nice and legible.

Moving up to year 1 however they've started on cursive and it feels like she's really gone backwards. She's trying hard but not all of it is joined properly so it looks messy but more concerningly, looks like she can't spell (see in photo "place" looking like plane)

I'm going to do some practice with her over half term, focusing on forming letters on the line as well as practising joins. But honestly - is it ok for this stage in year 1? Thanks

I join all my letters when writing in cursive. It depends on the style used by the school.

Does the sheet you have been given have an exit flick on all letters or just some?

My DC is year one and that is considerably better

When I was taught handwriting, much later clearly and in a very old fashioned way, we were taught that the pen shouldn't leave the paper (obviously allowing for spaces etc). My older two learned in a far less rigid way but personally I don't think their handwriting is as good. But teaching styles have changed so much. We had handwriting lessons which now seems not to happen, but they do have much more to learn at an earlier age so probably don't have the same time to focus on that. I'm just not sure what benefit there is to a young child who isn't totally secure in spelling, punctuation etc learning how to join letters.

Handwriting is part of the curriculum so should be taught

A fluid handwriting style should help with spelling motor memory

.

I just think I'm very old fashioned. Certainly my older childrens' handwriting doesn't follow the very rigid rules that I was taught (and was rigidly enforced). I'm obviously not a teacher. When is the best age or rather at what point should they be teaching cursive? Without hijacking OP'S thread ;)

Ds is Year one too and not as clear as this. It's fine. They are still teeny,it'll come.

Here is a copy of the style they should be using. Looking at it again it looks like not all letters need to be joined

Hard to tell because that's printed in a commercial font which would allow all letters to be joined if handwritten

If you look in the typed example only the w isn't joined but in your daughter's writing the w is joined and many others aren't

The 'r' isn't joined either. That's unusual isn't it? It looks very odd sitting on it's own in the middle of the word 'handwriting'.

Yep it's confusing! Will ask the school if they have any better examples. Like you say Mrz it's hard to tell when it's a printed font.

They're not joining out of letters that end at middle height. (Or of letters with tails, but that's more common.) Maybe because they've only taught lead-ins that start on the line? The o in 'join' is also not joined if you look carefully. My DD currently keeps trying to join out of these letters by looping down in order to then start a lead in on the line, which looks all wrong.

Whether this is an aspect of the final handwriting style, or a temporary thing until they've taught more joins, or actually just the printing font, is not clear.

That's because the commercial font can't adjust for different letter combinations whereas in handwriting we make small changes

I think the main problem is that her writing is too big for the lined paper they are using, rather than joining or not joining. It's probably the effort of trying to squeeze it in that is making her writing look untidy. She is expecially struggling with the letter 's' which she may be finding especially hard to write small. Last year, when she was printing, was it on plain paper or were the lines wider?

Although many of the letters are joined, she has not adopted the schools style of starting each letter on the line at all. She has also joined (unsuccessfully) the 'g' when the school's style does not join letters with descenders. She has, however, taken a common-sense approach to joining the letter 'o' where the school's style shown in your picture does not join letters that end at middle height.

That was written on paper at home - I think they do use wide lined at school to be fair.

I agree that making sure she starts on the line should help a lot. I'll make some wide lined for her to practice on, thanks

My ds did really struggled with joined up. He had lovely print and hated joined up writing. He still struggles a bit, but a lot better now.(yr4)
So, keep practicing, and she will get better.

She should be able to adjust her writing to the lines. I use 8mm lines in my Y1 class.

How does it compare to the children in your class Mrz?

Mine don't use cursive writing at this stage in Y1 and I have a huge range of ability. Some are much worse and some better. Personally I'd work on ensuring tall letters are tall especially h as I notice it looks very like n

Much tidier than my DD's also in year one, also doing cursive. Her letter sizes are all over the place! However, it's really difficult to learn to do it so I'm not stressing. They're only little.

Am I the only one that thinks join looks like jain in that style sheet. I don't understand the focus on cursive. I've never joined my letters and have lovely penmanship. It's a pointless waste of effort. Plus very hard for people (like my son) with visual impairments to read.

But your kid's writing looks fine cot (missing point of thread completely with my rant)

It's because the computer can't adjust to join the o to the i at the top rather than the bottom so leaves it separate ...handwritten it should look right but doesn't help parents supporting their child