Cursive Writing

[Guest Really]

We want to introduce cursive writing throughout the school starting from September. Does anyone follow a particular scheme or recommend anything we can use?

Thanks.

[Susan]

We use continuous cursive which starts on the line, but its very difficult for beginners although should help dyslexics! I quite like Cripps and the Penpals stuff looks good.

[tuffspot]

I have been teachin cursive h/w for the last 10 years so may be of help.

 

I have never followed a scheme but teach the letters alongside phonics. So teach a sound and how to write it. Until recently there were very little resources available or cursive but more and more are becoming available as the benefits of teaching cursive become apparaent.

 

I used Jolly Phonics for the phonics but changed the order of the letters learnt. Now I use Living Phonics (Ransom) which has a phonic scheme that includes a cursive handwriting scheme. http://www.schoolzone.co.uk/resources/eval...asp?evalID=4431

 

I don't follow the scheme as such as I have loads of resources but it is a good tool to have.

 

My advice for what it's worth- I get nagged at by my EY advisors for this so do what you will with it! Having said that I have 5 children in my class (Reception) who are doing joined up writing, without ever being "taught". I also have the rest of the class always forming their letters correctly.

 

1. You will have to break bad habits and persuade parents to HELP you by encouraging their children to use "school writing" at home.

2. Always use lined paper for "formal" work. Use WIDE spaced lines and start off with learning the formation of each letter in a large format, gradually decrease size as they are confident with the formation.

3. Constant reminders to children about "school writing".

4.10 minutes everyday. We have a 10 min session every morning where we all sit with our handwriting books and practice a letter. I cannot express how painful this is at the start of the year- tears, can't do its, it is agony I assure you. BUT it is worth it by haf term! My class now mark their own writing, they know when it's right and they love looking back and seeing how much better they have got. We stick stickers on the front of the book each time they have a good session and they love counting the stickers, comparing, "I'm going to get a sticker today" etc.

5. Teach the lettrs in the following order:

l i t

c a o d

r n h m

s e

u b

j y g f

c p

ch sh th oo ng

v w qu x z

 

I've got more stuff at school that may help.

Good luck

[Guest]

We have been teaching cursive writing in Reception for about 4 years now, its hard work but worth it for the results in Y1 and 2.

HOWEVER....Was on a Rec Profile moderation course the other day and County advisors now say,and apparently govt. say too; in view of Rose rept. etc, that children are not to be taught cursive in Reception as the text in books is so different from what they are writing that it is a detriment to their learning.

Am totally confused and will be ringing the Early Years dept to ask for advice, when to start cursive etc etc!

Not very helpful I know but thats what I was told.

[Guest]

I hate cursive for all of the reasons outlined by Liz! Children at my school used to be taught the Berol scheme from Reception onwards but when I moved to Reception I changed that and now teach letters with a flick out to help joining at a later date. We are now going to review our handwriting policy as when we were Ofsted-ed last June one of the few negative things they commented on was the appearance of the children's handwriting later up the school - these were all the children that had gone through years of the cursed Berol! YR, 1 & 2 are now going to decide on a progressive approach and style that we're happy with and then everyone else will have to follow this as the children move up through the school. Hooray!

[Susan]

Oh Liz, thats very interesting! For the first year ever I am not going to be able to score that point for anyone "holds a pencil effectively" etc and although I have spent a long time on handwriting with lots of motor movements etc and more formal handwriting excerices even the print script that they automatically produce is not correctly formed so very much bad habits being continued. Guess what Im going to concentrating on til the end of term though!

[Marion]

As you know I missed a full term due to a back injury and when I returned the nursery teacher had removed all signs in the unit that weren't in fully cursive (from the line) script Her argument being that we teach them to write with cursive script so they should only be exposed to cursive script for reading It has taken me a full half term of argument to make her and the head realise that books aren't printed in cursive script so children should be aware of a variety of print types. I know this is a bit off track but hope you can see the link with Liz and Moose's posts.

[Lorna]

Interesting discussion.

 

I can see why you teach the letters in the order you have given

 

However with the new sound document they have change the sequence of introducing the letters to read (to Jolly Phonics) and now the pace is much quicker.

 

How will this effect the way you teach handwriting.

 

I too have grouped the letters for writing.... those that have a the same formation as you have above.... however we don't do a lot of handwriting until the second half of the autumn term or later depending on motor control etc....

We also have a pre school that force the children to write everyday.... so we have to have half a term or so for these children to want to hold a pencil... let alone have a go at writing.

 

Marion I agree with you the more fonts you can have around a setting including handwritten notices the better.

 

 

L

[Marion]

The Letters and Sounds order is very similar to Jolly Phonics. The first set is the same and the next three sets have some cross over but contain the same letters as JP. I teach 5 letters a week with JP so Letters and Sounds pace is slower. It will take into the 5th week of Letter and Sounds to cover the sounds I would cover in three weeks with JP.

 

Jolly Phonics order is s a t i p week 1 Letters and Sounds order is s a t p

n c/k e h r week 2 i n m d

m d g o u week 3 g o c k

week 4 ck e u r

week 5 h

[tuffspot]

it's neither here nor there what pace JP or EY say... I follow the child

 

As I said earlier I have some in my class joining up and some still struggling with the basics- but hey! all having a go and making progress.

 

As for the samples of print, we have different styles of print all over the room from handwritten to published, the EY advisers who said teaching cursive was detrimental were talking absolute bobbins! I personally prefer it, but it doesn't matter what style of writing you teach providing the children learn to form the letters correctly from the outset. Bad habits are a nightmare to break!

 

The children in my class write for pleasure and purpose and because I tell them to. Sometimes their writing is good sometimes it is dreadful and so is mine. They decorate their writing with swirls and hearts and faces in circles and that is all part of experimenting with writing. By teaching correct letter formation we give the children the confidence to experiment and explore the possibilities of writing and letter formation. Once the child feels confident in his/her letter formation they begin to explore the text and fonts around them with a new eye.

It doesn't matter what style or order you teach as long as you teach.

[Guest Really]

Thanks for all the comments, given some food for thought! I have a meeting with HT this week to discuss how we are going to do it.

[Guest]

We want to introduce cursive writing throughout the school starting from September. Does anyone follow a particular scheme or recommend anything we can use?

Thanks.

 

My school introduced a cursive script across all years starting in Reception, the county's specialist teaching service recommended that we do this and also stated that it was a way to help dyslexic children. All lower case letters start in the same place on the line so its easy for children to work out where to begin a letter. Children in Year 1 are now producing lovely joined up writing where before this was not happening until the end of Year 2 - 3.

 

This is not a published script but by purchasing 'Handwriting for Windows 2.1' from

 

http://www.kber.co.uk/hfw.htm for £29.99

 

We are able to have a simple wordprocessor that can convert text into cursive and dotted cursive text using a range of letter styles - you have a choice of b's, f's, and other letters so you can create a script to suit you. The wordprocessors not great but you once you have converted the text into cursive you can copy it into word or other program and adapt it their to suit your publications.

 

I think the cursive script is a great way to start the children off on wiritng. It is not more difficult than teaching the children one script in Reception and then having them alter it later on. Once the children have worked out how the letters are formed they naturally begin to join up their letters.

[Guest]

Yes my school does, it's called 'Kingston Cursive' and has been a resounding success from Nursery to year 6

Whitehouse Common Primary School, Suttoncoldfield, West Mids if you want any further info. about how we teach it!

[Guest]

OOh some mixed views here, what a great discussion! Spoke to EY advisor at last and they say non cursive in Reception as govt etc now advise, but make sure flick on end and introduce cursive in KS1, nothing more specific just KS1. Seems to be go with the child and is up to the school what you decide to do.

[Susan]

Is that written down anywhere Liz?

 

Im really frustrated at the lack of writing scores in the profile this year because of the from the line cursive script. I have in a previous school used Cripps "A hand for spelling" very successfully and would much prefer to be using this approach in Reception particularly as I have had the January intake.

[Susan]

A big welcome too to the new posters in this thread who seem to have slipped in unoticed

 

Welcome Andrew07 and mariond.

[Guest]

OOh some mixed views here, what a great discussion! Spoke to EY advisor at last and they say non cursive in Reception as govt etc now advise, but make sure flick on end and introduce cursive in KS1, nothing more specific just KS1. Seems to be go with the child and is up to the school what you decide to do.

 

I am so pleased with what you're saying. I have returned to reception after a spell with year 5 and was dumbfounded by the push to use cursive handwriting with foundation stage. I have been using cursive against my better judgement as I had no fuel to fire my argument but will now be standing my ground on this issue. Where might I find written confirmation of the government stance? I have searched through new Letters and Sounds but found no help here as to when exactly joins should be introduced.

 

Helen

[Susan]

Hi Helen and welcome!

 

I'm awaiting that info too.

[Guest]

Well I am not sure where the info came from but advisors were adamant about it. Think maybe they were told when they went on their training for either letters and sounds or new curriculum. I need to have a good look through letters and sounds to see if it mentions it there, although Helen you say you have already looked. My advisors were not very specific about when to start cursive actually. But great if its when the children are ready!

Sorry thats not much help for those of you who want it written down somewhere!

[Marion]

The recommended font for Letters and Sounds is Sassoon Primary Infant so maybe that's why they are saying no to cursive?

[Guest]

Thanks for that Liz and Marion. I will e-mail my EY advisor in Lincolnshire CC to see whether she can give any further advice. Will keep you all posted.

 

Helenx

[Susan]

Any news on this one?