Handwriting

[habsboys2020]

Any suggestions on how to improve the handwriting for a child in reception. Any particular workbooks that are specifically helpful. His numbers and letters fly off the lines and it is not as legible as the other kids in the class. Any help or suggestions?

Teacher here - don’t panic too much about handwriting at that age. Focus on the fine motor skills that help improve handwriting, encourage drawing, tracing lines etc. Every letter is made up of circles and straight lines so these are important to master, over time that will apply to the handwriting

Keep it fun, ask them to trace with their finger, use a white board, a stick in the mud, use fun colours, play noughts and crosses etc

Appreciate the suggestions. I will try however due to limited time it is easier at times to do specific worksheets or books. As we both work it is tricky to set activities specially with a full school day. Any advice on books?

Collins are usually our go to, I’m sure if you check on Amazon or WHSmiths etc you’ll find lots of early years handwriting books

I know you say it’s easier to do the books, but please be conscious that this may be easier for you but not easier for your child. Handwriting doesn’t need to become a chore. Some children love doing work books, so if yours does then that’s great, works well for everyone! But if they don’t, there’s a lot of other ways you can help them improve

We’ve got some wipe clean Collins ones, and CGP reception specific ones that are a page for each week of term. There’s an Autumn, Spring and Summer term version.

A page for each day of each week of term

Get some wide-lined paper and then use a highlighter to put a thick, bright line sitting on each line on the page. Encourage dc to form the main part of letters in the coloured section.

We were recommended the ‘write from the start’ series, which is all about fine motor control rather than letter formation. Designed by an occupational therapist, I think? The exercises tend to be joining the dots, making shapes in do.fervent ways etc - for my 5 year old it is a bit like an art exercise (that’s how I present it) than ‘writing’ which they have mixed feelings about.

we do a couple of exercises here and there, and I do see a big improvement over time in handwriting. Difficult to know ho much to attribute to the books vs. General development and practice they do in school.

We used wide lined handwriting paper (the ones with dotted lines and solid lines). We were also told by teacher at reception that it didn't matter as long as they knew the letter formation, but we always used lined paper at home as DS hated tracing.
His handwriting suddenly improved and started doing joined up writing by himself in end of year 1.

Thank you for the suggestions! Today the teacher was so harsh in feedback. They said he can read tray as in t r ay but when given stray would read as s t r a y. No needs to be reminded. He knows phase 2 sounds but doesn't apply perfectly. Slow in counting as in just slow in speed. He does know number bond of 5 and 10.

Also, when coping 5p would write it as p5 (that too not nearly like under the line).

He is summer born and maybe my expectations from reception age was low but it seems so harsh. Or is it honest and I have the wrong ideas.

Can any teachers give their thoughts and how can I help him?

Not a teacher, but i'd go for something that mirrors how they teach handwriting at his school, so as not to confuse him.
E.g. Our school start with pre-cursive rather than printing.

When my DD was in Reception, we used the highlighter method as a PP mentioned. It really helped her to get the sizing of her letters correct, relative to each other and now she's in Year 1, her handwriting is lovely and we don't really have any issues at all. Having said this, I would say that it probably took 6 months of doing this for every piece of Reception homework and she is also a December birthday.

With regards to reading sounds, do you have any flashcards? My youngest DD is just learning to read now and she finds the digraphs much easier to spot when they're on a separate card, or with a line joining them together (could do this on a worksheet, but maybe not a reading book!).