Handwriting

In the Foundation Stage the children experience many opportunities to develop their fine motor skills in preparation for formal handwriting, of which the Write Dance programme is an important part. This programme is continued throughout Key Stage 1 as appropriate.

By the end of Key Stage 1/Year 2 we aim for pupils to develop a well formed, legible and cursive style of handwriting and to be able to communicate efficiently through their written work.

We provide an environment in which our pupils:

• Have many opportunities to develop their writing and experience;
• Experiment and experience a variety of different texts and writing;
• Use a range of writing materials to write freely;
• Practise and revise their style of handwriting. This will also be reinforced through weekly handwriting homework in Years 1 and 2;
• Form initial letters correctly by the end of Reception/middle of Year 1 – see below for agreed letter formation;

• Use upper and lower case letters correctly and consistently by the end of Year 1/beginning of Year 2;
• Develop a legible joined up style of handwriting through following the Nelson handwriting scheme, which is started at the beginning of Year 1 and consolidated in Year 2 – below is an example of this style using all the letters of the alphabet;

Ideas for Literacy at home

Speaking and Listening

Board games

Any traditional game (Cluedo, Monopoly, Child’s Trivial Pursuit, Scrabble, Twister, Snap, Happy Families, etc) encourages conversation between the players. It also requires children to listen to or read the rules, as well as developing reading skills when new cards are picked up which explain what the player must do next.

Charades

Excellent for developing drama skills as players take turns to mime a favourite book, TV programme or film

Role play

Encourage children to ‘put on a show’ for you using dolls, teddies, etc. This is another excellent way for children to develop confidence through presenting.

Newspapers

Cut out a picture from a magazine. Can your child talk about what might have happened before or after the picture was taken?

Story tapes

Listen to stories together. Libraries often have story tapes for loan if you don’t want to buy them. What about listening to a children’s programme together on the radio? Can your child record a story on tape for the rest of the family to listen to?

Drama

There are several companies that run drama clubs after school or on a Saturday morning in the London areas. Big Foot Theatre Company and Stage Coach Theatre Schools are just two that you will find through a Google search.

Reading

Adults are role models for children. If mum, dad, grandpa, auntie, etc are reading then your child will too. Have family reading time. Share a book together. Model the importance of reading by looking at different reading materials from newspapers, magazines, TV guide, emails, recipes, DIY instructions, etc. If your child isn’t too keen on long stories order a regular magazine they will enjoy instead, or try some comic poems and jokes.

Join a library and make regular visits together

Homework

Get your child to read their homework to you. Can they suggest ways to improve it? Perhaps suggest one thing that they could change i.e. improve 1 adjective or include an adverb. Are all capital letters correct? Etc

Internet

Look at the internet together. There is so much information for you and your child to explore together. Take it in turns to look up subjects of interest. You can also download material to support the topics that your child is learning about in school.

Signs

When walking or driving along a road, can your child tell you what any signs, posters and/or adverts say?

Bed time story

Excellent for the end of the day wind down and a chance for some quality time together with your child.

Writing

Look at your child’s homework. If they need help with their handwriting the following things will help: Make sure you have:

• A table and chair that is the right height.
• Turned off the TV/radio/CD player and there is peace and quiet so your child can think.
• Made sure that your child is sitting (not kneeling and not leaning in with the chair a metre away from the table) with their feet on the floor.
• Checked that the paper is not at an angle to your child’s body and the pencil is sharp (or a good pen is being used – not scratchy or italic or felt tip).
• Checked that your child is not slouching or lying on the table almost.
• Shown your child how to hold a pencil or pen correctly

You can buy lots of homework books from WH Smith which have Literacy activities in them. However, here are a few more ideas if you would like to support your child at home:

• Cut out a headline from a paper. Can your child write a new article?
• Cut out a picture from a magazine or show your child an old photo. Can your child write about what might have happened before or after the picture was taken?
• Take the first line from a well known children’s story. What happens next?
• Cut out a photo of a famous person from a magazine. Can your child write questions for an interview? What might their responses be?

If you go and visit a museum/place of interest or sporting event, can your child write a report of their visit for the rest of the family?

Encourage your child to write to a relative, either via postcard, letter or email.

Going shopping? Can you child write out a list as you think out loud?

Having party? Can your child design and write out the invites?

And of course, don’t forget thank you letters for any presents!

Word games to play at home

With a minimum of two people (A and B)

Alphabetical Games

• Alphabet game – Write down the spellings on pieces of paper. Mix them up and put them into alphabetical order. Or mix them up and put them in reverse alphabetical order.
• Hunt the letter – A chooses a letter and B has to find as many things in the room/park/shop (depending where you are) that begins with that letter. Variation: You can set a time limit, or write the words down.
• Alphabetical order game – Go through the alphabet naming a different animal which starts with each letter. Variation: change the theme e.g. countries, sports, names etc…
• My Grandmother went to market – A begins by starting the sentence My grandmother went to market and bought a …(something beginning with the letter A.) B continues by repeating what A has said, and adding something else to the list beginning with the letter B. The game continues building up the list in alphabetical order. Keep going until somebody forgets the order of the words. Variation: Change the person, place, or action e.g. Mum went to the seaside and saw a…

Syllable Games

• Clap the beats game – Look at a word list and clap the number of syllables in each word. As well as using spelling lists you can use shopping lists, days of the week, months, TV programs etc. Variation: look at the word list and try to spot all the words that have two syllables, four syllables etc.
• Syllable count up game – A and B take turns to roll a dice. Each person has to think of a word which contains that number of syllables e.g. 5 = imagination

Phonics Games

• Change a rhyme game – Take a well-known nursery rhyme and change some or all of the words. Try to keep the same rhythm e.g. Humpty Dumpty stood on a bear.
• Skywriting game – A draws a letter or word in the air with their finger and B has to guess what it is. Swap over. Variation: A writes a word with their finger on B’s back.
• Parson’s cat – A chooses a letter and says a word that begins with that letter e.g. mouse.Then B adds a word beginning with the same letter e.g. mighty mouse keep going taking it in turns and try to memorise the list as it builds up e.g. melting, mega, mighty mouse.
• Silly sentences – Using spelling patterns try to make sentences using as many words with that sound e.g. We bought shiny shoes in the shop. Variation: Make the sentences as silly as possible or try to write tongue twisters.

Rhyming Games

• Rhyming chains - Using the spelling list or a topic of their choice A chooses a word and B has to think of as many words that rhyme with that word. Swap over. Variation: You can set a time limit, write down the words, include nonsense words.
• Rhyming sentences – A Chooses a word from the spelling list or a subject of their own choice and B makes up a sentence with that word and another one that rhymes. B must try to make sure that the sentence makes sense e.g. The cat is very fat. Swap over. Variation: Make nonsense sentences.
• Rhyming charades – A Chooses a word from the spelling list or a subject of their own choice e.g. time. B has to think of a word that rhymes with this word and mime it to A who has to guess it e.g. climb. Then swap over.

Word building Games

• Brainstorming – Using the spelling pattern that you have been given, brainstorm as many words as you can with the same pattern.
• Antonyms – Look at the spelling list and try to find words that are the antonyms (opposites) of them.
• Synonyms - Look at the spelling list and try to find words that have a similar meaning to them.
• How many words can you make? – A chooses a large word which could be from the spelling list e.g. beautiful and B has to find as many words as they can that are in it e.g. tub, fib, leaf …
• Number Plate – Using the letters in a number plates try to build up words. The winner is the person with the longest word or the most words.

Guessing Games

• Missing word game - Write down the spellings on pieces of paper, A takes a word away and B has to guess which one is missing. Swap over.
• Pictionary – A chooses a word which could be from the spelling list and then tries to draw what the word means. B has to guess it correctly.
• Hangman – Play hangman with words from the spelling list.

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