Continuous Cursive Handwriting

Foundation Stage (4-5 years old)Children use their phonic knowledge to write words in ways which match their spoken sounds. They also write some irregular common words. They write simple sentences which can be read by themselves and others. Some words are spelt correctly and others are phonetically plausible.Typical behaviours that relate to handwriting for this learning goal:

Uses some clearly identifiable letters to communicate meaning, representing some sounds correctly and in sequence

Write own name and other things such as labels and captions Attempt to write short sentences in meaningful context

Core learning skills for handwriting:Use a pencil and hold it effectively to form recognisable letters, most of which are formed correctly

Key Stage 1 (Year 1)Pupils should be taught to:

sit correctly at a table, holding a pencil comfortably and correctly begin to form lower-case letters in the correct direction, starting and finishing in the right place form capital letters form digits 0-9 understand which letters belong to which handwriting ‘families’ (i.e. letters that are formed in similar

ways) and to practise these. Notes and guidance (non-statutory)

Handwriting requires frequent and discrete, direct teaching. Pupils should be able to form letters correctly and confidently. The size of the writing implement (pencil, pen) should not be too large for a young pupil’s hand. Whatever is being used should allow the pupil to hold it easily and correctly so that bad habits are avoided.

Left-handed pupils should receive specific teaching to meet their needs.

Key Stage 1 (Year 2)Pupils should be taught to:

form lower-case letters of the correct size relative to one another start using some of the diagonal and horizontal strokes needed to join letters and understand which

letters, when adjacent to one another, are best left unjoined write capital letters and digits of the correct size, orientation and relationship to one another and to

lower case letters use spacing between words that reflects the size of the letters.

Notes and guidance (non-statutory) Pupils should revise and practise correct letter formation frequently. They should be taught to write

with a joined style as soon as they can form letters securely with the correct orientation.

Key Stage 2 (LKS 2)Pupils should be taught to:

Use the diagonal and horizontal strokes that are needed to join letters and understand which letters, when adjacent to one another, are best left unjoined

Increase the legibility, consistency and quality of their handwriting [for example, by ensuring that the down strokes of letters are parallel and equidistant; that lines of writing are spaced sufficiently so that ascenders and descenders of letters do not touch].

Notes and guidance (non-statutory) Pupils should be joining handwriting throughout their independent writing. Handwriting should

continue to be taught, with the aim of increasing the fluency with which pupils are able to write what they want to say. This, in turn, will support their composition and spelling.

Key Stage 2 (UKS 2)Pupils should be taught to:

Write legibly, fluently and with increasing speed by: Choosing which shape of a letter to use when given choices and deciding whether or not to join

specific letters Choosing the writing implement that is best suited for a task.

Continuous Cursive Handwriting

Step 1: Pre-handwriting patterns With young and pre-school children it is best to use plain paper so that they don’t feel restricted in their movements or constrained by size

Provide vertical surfaces to paint, write and draw on, as this helps to strengthen and develop the wrist flexibility they will need to grasp and hold a pencil properly

Check how your child holds a pencil against our pencil grip development guide. Don’t be tempted to move a child on too quickly as it has been proven to encourage poor pencil grip later on, as well as de-motivating children.

As you child’s gross and fine motor skills develop so will their ability to control writing tools, allowing them to move from large to small letter pattern sizes

Teaching the pre-handwriting patterns in groups can make it easier, as your child can concentrate on specific directional pushes and pulls

Start with patterns your child is already starting to use as it will build their confidence and encourage them to try harder patterns later.By taking a closer look at your child’s drawings or scribbles you will be able to see which lines or shapes they are beginning to form

Being able to write their name is such an important milestone in a child’s life. Why not introduce the patterns that are needed to form the letters of their name? Talk through the shapes being formed and how and where they appear in their name

The age at which to start a more formal approach to teaching handwriting patterns varies and is dependent on your child’s fine motor skills ability. Some children can be taught from 4 years old while others may be 5 or 6 years old.  

Step 2: Associating letter shapes with meaning Children will associate the most frequent letter shapes that they see with meaning. The simpler and

clearer the letter shape the easier it is for emergent writers to attempt to replicate and begin to inject letter and sound associations into their writing. Children will make letter shapes that attempt to replicate what texts they have seen.

At this stage we should celebrate all of the children’s attempts to form letters in their own style and with their own formation. Forcing a particular formation is a deterrent to emergent writers as it makes them feel the process is too daunting. Gently modelling a simple and clear formation will encourage progress towards where we want them to end up.

Patterns and a basic letter formation should be used – one that matches the text that they are exposed to most frequently.

Hearing and writing the sounds and words and remembering how to spell words will be slowed significantly if we do not allow young children this freedom and simple approach to begin with.

Children at this stage will be made aware that this formation is not the end point but part of the process that is going to lead them to be cursive writers. They will be introduced to the letters of the alphabet formed in both ways and encouraged to remember that the final stage will be joined cursive writing as they progress with their skills.

Step 3: continuous cursive letter formation

Continuous Cursive Handwriting

As Continuous Cursive letters naturally join, children only have to learn this one font for lower case handwriting. Continuous Cursive letters flow rhythmically from left to right, aiding the speed and fluidity of the writing. The starting and finishing points for all Continuous Cursive letters are easier to remember (they all start on the line and, other than a few exceptions, all finish on the line), which can be especially helpful for children with specific learning difficulties. Teaching Continuous Cursive letters in family groups reinforces the shapes and directional pushes and pulls of the pencil needed to handwrite and can limit letter reversal issues, such as b & d. The transition to joined writing is simple and occurs sooner, allowing children to concentrate on the composition of the writing, because they no longer have to think about how to form the letters. Words are written in one set of movements, without the pen being taken off the paper, helping the motor memory store spellings. This is especially important for those irregular spellings which so many children find hard to commit to memory.

Capital Letters and NumbersWhen teaching handwriting to children, capital letters of the alphabet are quite often taught in groups rather than in alphabetical order. The letter groups comprise letters that use the same, or similar, shape and directional push and pulls of the pencil to form them. For this reason we have grouped  the letter animations and worksheets in the same groups that many primary schools will introduce them.

Numbers are formed using the same directional pushes and pulls of the pencil as those needed to form letters.

Step 4: Continuous cursive letter joinsOnly the top to “e” and top joiners need to be taught for continuous cursive, as the nature of the font style means that the lead-in and exit strokes needed to join the majority of letter combinations have already been taught.To join letters all your child has to do is write the letters closer together, without lifting their pencil off the paper. The bottom, bottom to “c” shape and “e” bottom joiner animations demonstrate this.The top joiners tend to be the ones that children find most confusing and difficult to remember.The joins section of the pre-handwriting patterns has been designed to help children develop these individual joining stokes.

Capital letters never join lower case letters.

Continuous Cursive Handwriting

The examples given below show letter combinations often taught in key stage 1 and 2 phonics and spelling.

Videos and worksheets can be found at www.teachhandwriting.co.uk (the source of the images within this document)