End of reception - help with writing

[Giraffefantastico]

Hi all

Just had DS report for end of reception. He is a summer born boy and it sounds as though his writing is really behind. I really struggle to get him to sit still and concentrate on anything. Does anyone have any ideas for how I could encourage him to keep working on it over the summer?

Thanks

Have a look at ‘five minute mum’ lots of nice and fun ideas

Cgp writing books

I'm not a teacher, but I've been reading these forums for a few years (my DC is in Y5) and I get the impression this is quite common, particularly with summer-borns, and particularly with boys! If you do some searching on this forum you'll probably find a few historic posts on a similar theme, with some great advice and reassurance.

People tend to suggest not panicking or forcing at this early age. You don't want to put him off writing!

Building gross motor skills will help him with holding himself in a good position for writing, so plenty of running, climbing, monkey bars and suchlike to strengthen the core, back and shoulders. Swimming?

Also other activities for developing fine motor skills, such as play dough, threading beads, Lego, Aquabeads - anything a bit fiddly to do.

Writing/drawing with chalk on the patio over the holidays?

Some find it easier to write 'upright' so if you have a whiteboard on a wall, or maybe stick large paper onto a wall/window and encourage him to draw/write that way.

Postcards to relatives, if you go on holiday.

It'll come on in the next year or so. Dc4(6, June birthday) had similar in his report last year. This year the teacher has consistently complimented his writing & he's now right where he should be, it was similar with Dc2(10, May birthday) as well but it was year 2 before his really got to where it should be, he's now got incredibly neat writing.

My dc like helping me write shopping lists, meal plans etc. Last summer dc4 got in to drawing treasures maps so I'd get him to label them. Even 5-10 minutes a day will help.

I think the writing expectations for reception are really very high especially for the summer borns. I’ve got a child that exceeded in everything except writing. I don’t say that to boast but more that she’s very bright and enthusiastic but probably just scraped the expected. I’d also say I think she’s worked far harder to get ‘expected’ at the writing than any of the other elements of the EYG where she exceeded. For a child that is still young and not that keen it must be so hard and they’re probably just not really ready.

I have 3 kids one is an august born after a big gap ..
I can't remember if she was late with her writing but just wanted to say that looking back she was under more pressure to attain in reception than my previous 2 who are 9 / 11 years older.
I feel so strongly about this , she turned 4 three weeks before she started school , so very young to have such expectations put on them.
Your son will be fine ,make a game of things , he won't be aware he is learning.
He is a little individual and will achieve when he is ready despite what you are told .
I am aware schools are put under pressure by government but i wish they would all back off a bit and let children be children , why would you want to sit writing at school when you could be enjoying yourself playing !

M’y youngest is also in reception and a summer born, I agre with the above that there is a huge pressure in EY for writing, a huge pressure really.
I have also noticed that this is not sustained all the way through KS2 so my middle DC were actually not stretched anymore by year 5/6 !!!
So all in all it is quite a shame to have such a stressful start and not that much by the end of primary
I think that has happened with the curriculum changed in 2016 as my eldest now sixth form was less pressured in reception and still properly stretched in Year 5 and 6 (they still had the level 5 and 6) papers to study.
I wouldn’t worry just try and multiply the opportunities for writing (lists, cads, labelling toys maybe…

@Bunnycat101

I think the writing expectations for reception are really very high especially for the summer borns. I’ve got a child that exceeded in everything except writing. I don’t say that to boast but more that she’s very bright and enthusiastic but probably just scraped the expected. I’d also say I think she’s worked far harder to get ‘expected’ at the writing than any of the other elements of the EYG where she exceeded. For a child that is still young and not that keen it must be so hard and they’re probably just not really ready.

This100% DC4 joined the year 1 class for the literacy sessions. He has completed the blue RWI set, which included writing activities. He was able to write in cursive (school policy) spelling most high frequency words correctly and use capital letters, full stops, exclamation marks and question marks appropriately. He still got expected rather than exceeding.

The pressure on them is too great. Give him lots of fun finger strengthening activities to do, threading, Lego, play dough, etc and send postcards to himself from days out. It is fun to see them arrive and can act like a diary of his holidays.

Two things

1. make sure he is holding the pencil correctly as often as possible

2. this is boring but.... Ask him to write out each letter. You look carefully and note which are formed incorrectly (important for when he does try cursive).

My dc2 - the letters on paper look great but when I watch how he formed some I was like ahhh that's a problem. For example 'e' he would start on the tail bit at the bottom and the come up to the left and round. If I had not observed him I would say it was beautiful (on paper) but when it comes to cursive it will be hard for him because forming it that way will not help him floe to the next letter in cursive.

When you have identified each incorrectly formed letter tackle one at a time. We do things like fill a water bottle and shoot it at the patio/fence/pavement, write the letter with your finger in a plate of sand/uncooked rice, use shaving foam on the tiled wall in the bathroom and write with your finger and then use a pencil on paper. Also ask the school because they usually use rhymes to form the letters. I.e. my dc2s school has rwi and the rhyme for e is something like cut out the top and scoop out the bottom

Thanks for the suggestions everyone, really appreciate the input.

He’s a great kid and seems to be achieving well in all other areas so I don’t want to be too intense with it. I think he might just need a bit more encouragement with his writing compared to other things that have come more naturally.