Handwriting 

Writing can be a very challenging skill for children to master. In order to write, children have to be able to hold a pencil comfortably, understand direction - up, down, round, etc, hold words or a sentence in their head, and know what the letters look like in order to write it down! A skills we as adults do every day and take for granted.

Children can very quickly get into 'bad habits' and, if not correctly early and swiftly enough, are very difficult to get out of. These misconceptions start when the children learn to write their name. 

When asking your child to write, please make sure they are seated comfortably at a table. 

Place the nib of a pencil towards them (on the side of which they hold a pencil)  and ask the child with their index and thumb (baby shark fingers!) to 'pick and flick'. 

When children are writing letters, particularly in their name, please ensure that they form the letters correctly. All letters, with the exception of 'e' start at the top of the letters and the child's first movement will either be a 'downward movement', (b, h, i, j, k, l, m, n, p, r, t, u, y)   'anticlockwise movement' (a, c, d, f, g, o, q, s). Children will also need to 'retrace' some letters - go back up the same line. Letters never start from the bottom up - which is a common bad habit that children get into (for example, writing 'm' from the bottom and going up and over) 

The attached sheets will help you and your child to know the correct formation of each letter.

When your child is completing any writing, please encourage them to form all letters correctly.