International studies show that the actions of handwriting actually put the brain in a state that facilitates learning and remembering.
Room 4 is using the Handwriting Heroes programme to help us to form our letters correctly. This makes it easier for us to write and reread our writing.
Did you know that posture and pencil grip are the first things we need to look at when beginning to write?
It’s essential to have your feet flat on the ground, hips touching the back of the chair, shoulders slightly forwards and hands and forearms resting on the desk. How you hold your pencil also plays a massive part in how we form letters and the control over it we have.
You pinch it right above the tip of your pencil, flip it over into the webspace between your thumb and pointer finger. You need to hold your pencil with your thumb and pointer finger, and rest it on your middle finger. By thinking about these little tips, you will be amazed how this will help support your students with their letter formation and control over the pencil.
Believe it or not, there are groups of letters that share a letter pattern. These patterns make it easier for the students to remember how to form their letters correctly and most importantly, where to start.
In Room 4 it has been very beneficial to learn and listen to the songs as they often get confused where to start. So far we have learnt that skydivers dive and cannon pops start like c.
It helps me form my letters right, plus I like the songs that go with it.
Using the visual pictures to describe how to form letters and where to start from give the students a visual to see how the letters are formed correctly. Handwriting heroes use familiar terms such as ‘the skyline, the clouds, the grass and go into the dirt’ for students to follow.
I know that a b goes right, and it bounces around and a d starts with a c and curls around and then goes up gets dizzy and then goes back down.
Room 4 is working on mastering lower case letters, as these make up most of our writing. They are working hard to cross this over into their writing, as sometimes we add capital letters into the middle of words by accident.
We have space men available for those who would like to use them as sometimes they forget to add spaces, this helps remind them as they physically have to move the spaceman to add a space after their word.
It helps me do some letter writing, and it’s good to do writing.
My mission here at Wairakei Primary School is to assist children in developing their passion and skills to become lifelong learners. I believe it is vital that we allow the children to have an impact on the world one step at a time.
On a personal note, I am a fun and energetic person who loves all things sport. You will find me on the sideline of almost any sports game. I am involved in touch rugby, social football and hockey. I am also a little bit of a gym-junkie, who is always up for a challenge.
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