Letter Formation Activities - Help!

[Guest]

We always look forward to a rest during school holidays and then when we get there, we start thinking about how things will need to be changed when we get back to work!!

 

I am currently thinking about the standard of writing in my cohort. Children have a good grasp of phase 2 phonics now but letter formation is holding some of them back.

 

We all know it is not good practise to just sit children down with pencil and paper until thier formation is beautiful and then move on to the next letter. SO.... what are you all finding that works well? I was wondering if there was anything that was working for others apart from formation in sand, finger painting, shaving foam etc??? I think I am looking for good structured lessons that are lots of fun for adults and children!!!

 

It is so lovely to see children wanting to write but as they know what the letters should look like now, some of them are being put off when they can not form the letters.

 

I look forward to hearing how others are getting around this issue.

 

Many thanks XX

[Guest LornaW]

Hi punto have you tried Write Dance? Structured and children and adults love it!!!

Lorna

[Guest LornaW]

Hi punto have you tried Write Dance? Structured and children and adults love it!!!

Lorna

[HappyMaz]

I'd love to know more about Write Dance - I just can't imagine what it looks like in practice!

[mundia]

Im a big write dance fan too, I noticed a big difference in the children posture and handwriting when we used it regularly.

 

Maz have you seen the videos? Id come and show you if you lived nearer!

[HappyMaz]

Maz have you seen the videos? Id come and show you if you lived nearer!

No I haven't seen the videos! That would be a great way of seeing how it all works!

[Guest LornaW]

The books are on Amazon and they have a nursery and a reception book and both come with as DVd with everythinng you need.

 

Lorna

[Guest]

I use SMART to write the children's names using comic sans on bold and make it yellow. I make the names huge on the board and lock them on and get the children to overwrite using the pens. As they get good at it I make the writing gradually smaller and add surnames. I use this as a one to one activity during skills time each morning (when I remember!). I've seen a real improvement in letter formation in some children using this idea.

I have also in the past done a similar thing but with the words printed and laminated and the children use dry wipe pens to overwrite then post in a box as a self-registration. And I've made laminated alphabet sheets with the letter outlines with a dot and arrow to show where to start writing. The children all seem to enjoy these activities but they are really individual or small group activities. In the past I did handwriting sessions as a whole class with each child having a small whiteboard and me writing on the board, demonstrating correct formation and getting them to copy first with a finger in the air then with a pen on their board, then get them all to hold up their boards and show me, which they also enjoyed (even though I found it quite boring!) and it definitely helped them improve.

 

I'd definitely agree with the others though and recommend write dance to start with because it really helps them to build the muscles needed and get to grips with the movements.

 

Sorry my ideas aren't exactly revolutionary and do remind me of the way I was taught in the dark ages before the NC but they do seem to work.

[Guest]

Hi, I was looking for ideas for developing pre-writing and writing skills here in November and came across someone's recommendation for a book similar to write dance, but have stupidly forgotten what it was called! I have been searching the site but it's taking me ages. Does anyone know? Thanks.

Lucy

Edited December 28, 2010 by Guest

[WChurchill]

Hi. I know this sounds boring but it has had a big influence on handwriting in my class. During letters and sounds we always have the whiteboards and as each sound was introduced the children wrote it on the whiteboard AT THEIR LEVEL. As it was on the whiteboards there was no pressure as could rub out as they wished. I found the children loved this. It could be used to their developmental needs, eg some needed to learn to write name which they did here as well. This meant that they always did some sort of derected writing over the day. We have trained the children so they get their own whiteboards and pens with little fuss, also trained them to put pens on erasers when not using them. We have l and s in 2 groups so all this is manageable. The children ask to write! Now they are writing cvc words. I feel whatever you do it has to be daily as one off lessons are quickly forgotten and practise is the key. With this in mind the children now sign in in the morning and all have good letter formation for their first names. Ater Christmas we will move on to second names and may even move on to surnames. All this has been done without pressured for children as I have a real issued with this having seen boys cry doing letter formation with pencil and paper!!!!!

Let us know how you get on.

Edited December 28, 2010 by Mumm