THE TEACHING OF HANDWRITINGJoining lettersThe learning of common letter patterns and letter sequences in written English and the learning of joined writing to increase writing speed are complementary processes. Once students have been shown the basic joining techniques, they can be continually encouraged to write words by clustering or chunking learned sequences of letters in a single fluent movement.

To assist them in developing understandings of the predictable nature of English spelling, students can be encouraged to look at the internal structure of words.

They should learn to write words using appropriate joining techniques since the act of joining letters provides visual and kinaesthetic feedback which supports correct spelling. Students who write with fluency and speed are likely to enjoy writing and develop positive attitudes towards spelling.

While mature writers will adopt their own combinations and spans for pen-lifting, fluent writers can initially practise joining legitimate sequences of two or three letters.

By monitoring students’ handwriting development against the developmental stages, teachers will know when students are showing signs of being ready to join letters. To avoid the development of inappropriate joining techniques, the teaching of joining can begin as soon as the student is ready.

Teachers can support students to develop an effective and fluent cursive style by demonstrating the following five techniques which are the foundations of joined writing:

diagonal joins

horizontal joins

no joins

no touch joins or pen lifts

joining to ascenders.

The Teaching of Handwriting Revised EditionPublished by the Department of Education & Training, GPO Box 4367, Melbourne, Vic. 3001, Australia.© State of Victoria. First published 1985. Revised 2002 and 2018.

Diagonal joins are the most common, making up approximately 70 per cent of all joins

always link the next letter at the top of the letter’s body

link to the next letter at an angle of 45 degrees.

As a mnemonic for maintaining a consistent angle of 45 degrees in diagonal joining, draw students’ attention to the capital A shape within the area where the join links the two letters.

A mnemonic is an aid to memory.

Horizontal joins are used after the letters b, f, o, r, v and w to connect them to the following letter.

No joins initially there is no join taught after the letters g, j, y, and z.

The Teaching of Handwriting Revised EditionPublished by the Department of Education & Training, GPO Box 4367, Melbourne, Vic. 3001, Australia.© State of Victoria. First published 1985. Revised 2002 and 2018.

Touch joins or pen lifts

By allowing letters to be ‘lifted and dropped’ into place, pen lifts give the appearance of joined handwriting without the need for retracing.

It is important to teach students explicitly when to lift the pen while writing words. Effective pen lifts give a balanced pattern of tension and release and allow the support edge of the hand to be moved along before the hand becomes compressed to the point when letters are distorted. Pen lifts also avoid cramping of the hand and help create freedom of movement.

The use of pen lifts reduces retracing of letters which can occur when joining, particularly with the letters a, c, d, g and q. Touch joins occur before these one o’clock starting letters. When joining to these letters, the pen is lifted and carried across to the one o’clock starting position.

For example, in writing the word ‘damage’, the procedure is as follows:

• the d is formed and the pen is lifted

• the a (to be joined to the d) starts at one o’clock well to the right and is joined to the exit stroke of the d by being ‘dropped into place’.

The exit strokes which make the actual touch joins (marked by arrows in this illustration) are almost on top of the letters that have been ‘dropped in’.

Joining to ascenders

From a diagonal entry point• the joining stroke moves upwards to the top of the body height at 45 degrees

• the angle changes to an upward movement of 80 degrees

• the movement is completed with a downstroke.

When students are learning this join they may initially find it helpful to pause at the points indicated.

The Teaching of Handwriting Revised EditionPublished by the Department of Education & Training, GPO Box 4367, Melbourne, Vic. 3001, Australia.© State of Victoria. First published 1985. Revised 2002 and 2018.

From a horizontal entry• the joining stroke is horizontal at body height

• the angle changes to an upward movement of 80 degrees

• the movement is completed with a downstroke.

Some left-handed students may be unable to develop a right sloping handwriting style and may be better suited to upright writing – 90 degrees – rather than the 80 degrees recommended for right-handers.

With practice, this will become a continuous movement.

The Teaching of Handwriting Revised EditionPublished by the Department of Education & Training, GPO Box 4367, Melbourne, Vic. 3001, Australia.© State of Victoria. First published 1985. Revised 2002 and 2018.