1

2016-2017

Guidelinesfor

HandwritingInstruction

2

GuidelinesforHandwritingInstruction

PurposeofthedocumentThe purpose of this document is to provide clarity and consistency to handwriting instruction.Handwritingisafunctionaltoolforwriterstocommunicate.Practiceinhandwritingmustbeintegratedwithdailyclassroomactivities.Asstudentsseetheirteachersmodelwritingduringthewritingprocess,theywilllearnthenecessityforlegibilityandfluency.Whatisthepurposeforteachinghandwriting?Writing for genuine audiences conveys the importance of legibility. It is an essential element of thewritingprocessandtheliteracycurriculum.Thepurposeofhandwritinginstructionis

• todevelopanduselegiblehandwritingtocommunicateeffectively;• todevelopfacility,speed,andeaseofhandwriting;• toprovideopportunitiestousehandwritingskillsasanintegralpartofthewritingprocess;• toenablestudentstounderstandtheimportanceofcontentandlegibilityinwritingforgenuine

audiences.

Thegoalsforhandwritinginstructionareforstudentstoprintandwriteletterslegiblyandefficiently,sothatwritingbecomesfluentandautomatic.Havingachievedthis,studentswilldevelopasenseofpridein their writing and communicate effectively. The negative implications of students not developinghandwriting skills are long-lasting (Handwriting in the 21st Century 2012). Research indicates thatwithouttheconsistentexposuretohandwriting,studentscanexperiencedifficultyincertainprocessesrequired for reading and writing including: retrieving letters from memory; reproducing letters onpaper; spelling accurately; extracting meaning from text or lecture; and interpreting the context ofwordsandphrases.

Howdoweteachhandwriting?MISpromotesandteacheshandwritingreadinessinprint(PP3-PP4-K),modelsdirectinstructioninprint(Kinderand1st)andprovidesformalinstructionofcursivehandwritinginsecondgradeoncethewritingprocessisconsolidatedinbothEnglishandSpanish.Studentsinthirdgradeandbeyondwillbeallowedtochooseeithercursiveorprint.Ashandwritingisaprocessforwhichstudentsneedtodevelopspecificmotorcoordinationskills,itisimportantthatteachersassesstheirstudents’finemotorandwritingskillsregularly.Thiswillhelp themdeterminewhetherastudent is ready for thenext stage in theprocess.Althoughchildren’scognitiveabilitytorecognizelettersandwritespontaneously(fromscribblestofirstattemptsatcopyingletters)canbeginasearlyasPP3,theirmotorcoordinationneedstimeandspecificexercisestodevelop. Teachersmustrespect thesedevelopmentalstagesandmakesurestudentsareready to transition from readiness to formal handwriting instruction. This transition could take place

3

between the third trimesterofkindergartenand the first trimesterof firstgrade. Differentiationandaccommodationsforstudents’specificneedsmustbeprovidedatourschool.

HandwritingReadiness(PP3,PP4andKinder)In preschool and kindergarten handwriting readiness should consider a developmentally appropriate,play-basedenvironment.SuggestionsforteachingPP3-PP4

• Provideopportunitiesforstudentstodevelopgrossmotorskills• Provideopportunitiesforstudentstodevelopfinemotorskillsusingmaterialssuchaspuzzles,

strings,beads,orplaydough• Provideopportunitiesforstudentstolearnhowtograspapencilandhowtositforhandwriting• MakesurethatstudentshavetherightpostureandcorrectpencilgripstartinginPP3.• Provideopportunities forstudents toexploretheirownspacethroughmovement,dance,and

artwork• Provide opportunities for students to play with the alphabet. Provide alphabet cards, books,

magneticletters,feltletters,rubberletters,etc.• Usingstudents’names isapowerfulandeffectivewayforstudentsto learnthealphabet.The

namepuzzleisafocusedwordworklessonthathelpsstudentsseetheirnameasaword,aswellasindividuallettersintheword

• Provideopportunitiesforstudentstowritespontaneously• Provide opportunities for students to read high frequency words such as days of the week,

classroomlabelsorsigns

ModelingandPrintInstructioninKinder InKindergartentheteachershouldmodelthealphabetinprintalthoughthestudentswillbeexposedtocursive writing around the classroom. It is very important that educators demonstrate correct letterformation duringmodeled aswell as shared and guidedwriting. Thiswill allow the child to producespontaneous and creative texts and will promote more freedom in the written expression. Theeducatorswill provide digital templates, homework assignments andworksheets using print. It is notintendedthatchildrenmakerowsoflettersbutthattheyhaveampleopportunitytowriteeveryday.

Theschoolwilladoptahandwritingapproach,Handwritingwithouttearsthatdrawsfromyearsofinnovationandresearchtoprovidedevelopmentallyappropriate,multisensorytoolsandstrategiesforteachers.Theapproachfollowsresearchthatdemonstrateschildrenlearnmoreeffectivelybyactivelydoing,withmaterialsthataddressallstylesoflearning.Theteacherswillfollowanactivelyandexplicitlydevelopmentalsequence.Thisapproachusesmultisensoryteachingtoincorporateallthesensesinafunandengagingway,ensuringthatallchildrenlearnregardlessoflearningstyleorbackground.

4

HandwritingwithoutTearsworkbookisdesignedtomakehandwritingeasytoteach,andeasytolearn,injust15minutesaday.Thisapproachteachesasimple,clean,verticalstyleofprintingthathelpschildrensucceedinhandwritinginaninclusiveclassroom.Thecontinuousstrokeprintlookslikethelettersandwordschildrenreadeveryday.It’sdevelopmental,preventsreversals,andprepareschildrenforasmoothtransitiontocursive.

TheSpanishteacherswillbeusingthekindergartenworkbookLetrasynúmerosparamí.

TheEnglishteacherwillcontinueworkingwiththeJollyphonicswritinghandouts.

PrintInstructioninFirstgrade In First Grade the teachers will support the handwriting process in print started in Kindergarten.Studentswillbeexposedtocursivewritingaroundtheclassroomtopromotereadingbeforewriting.Itisimportant thateducatorsdemonstratecorrect letter formationduringmodeledaswellas sharedandguidedwriting(i.e.,toptobottom). It isnot intendedthatchildrenmakerowsof lettersbutthattheyhave ample opportunity to write every day. Providing children with opportunities to engage inmeaningful writing reinforces that they are writers, as well as allowing them time to practice letterformationinthecontextofwriting.Theeducatorswillprovidedigitaltemplates,homeworkassignmentsandworksheetsusingprintatthebeginningandgraduallytransitioningtocursive.

TheSpanishteacherswillbeusingthefirstwritingworkbookMilibrodeescribirimprenta

TheEnglishteacherwillcontinuetoworkingwithmultipleresourcesandcontinuereinforcingletterformation.

Ifastudentisreadyandhasconsolidatedthewritinginprint,theteachershoulddifferentiateandprovidethestudentwiththeopportunitytostartlearningcursive.

CursiveConsolidationandPractice2ndgradeStudentswillbeexpectedtousewritingandotherformsofrepresentationtoexplore,clarify,andreflectontheirthoughts,feelings,experiences,andlearnings;andtousetheirimagination.Theywillcreatetextscollaborativelyandindependently,usingavarietyofformsforarangeofaudiencesandpurposes.Studentswillusearangeofstrategiestodevelopeffectivewritingandmediaproductstoenhancetheirclarity,precision,andeffectiveness.

Teachersneedtoprovidealldigitaltemplates,homeworkassignmentsandworksheetsincursiveusingthelearningcurveprofont.Whenusingcursivemanuscript,theteacherneedstofollowthealphabetpresentedbelow(seeappendix).Teachersmustusetheschool’spagetemplate(seeappendix)whenstudentsarecompletingwrittenwork.

Newstudentsarrivinginsecondgrade,whocomewritinginprint,shouldbeallowedtocontinueusingthisalphabet.Ifthechildisinterestedinlearningcursivetheteachershouldprovidetheopportunitytocompletethisprocess.

5

FormativeAssessmentFormativeassessmentscanidentifywhatstudentsknowandareabletodo,thusinformingthenextstepsforinstruction.Observationsofstudents’skillsandbehaviorscanbemadeastheywrite.Somequestionstoconsiderare:Whatletterscantheyform?Howarestudentsformingtheirletters?Howaretheypositioningtheirpaper?Aretheyholdingtheirwritingtoolsappropriately?Aretheyabletoformlettersfrommemory,withoutvisualcues?Theseobservationswillprovidetheinformationrequiredtodifferentiateclassroominstruction.WholeGroup,SmallGroup,andIndependentApproachesAswithallliteracycomponents,handwritingshouldbetaughtthroughwholegroup,smallgroup,andindependentinstruction.Thisinstructionwillbeguidedthroughclassroomobservations,worksamples,andformativeassessments.Studentswhoexperiencedifficultiesneedpropersupportsputinplace.Someofthesestudentsneedtheassistanceoftoolssuchaspencilgrips,speciallydesignedlineandspacedpaper,and/orone-on-oneorsmallgrouphandwritinginstruction.Modeled,Shared,GuidedandIndependentPracticeIn order for students to attain themaximumbenefit of self-assessment, teachers need tomodel thethinkaloudandage-appropriateself-assessmentprocessduringdemonstrations.TheGradualReleaseofResponsibility isaresearch-basedinstructionalmodelusedineffective literacypractices.Inthisoptimallearningmodel,theresponsibilityfortaskcompletionshiftsgraduallyovertimefromtheteachertothestudent.When cursive handwriting is first being introduced, it is important that the teacher clearly andconsistently models the formation of the letter(s). Fountas and Pinnell (2007) suggest that promptsmightinclude:•“Youcanmaketheshapeofaletter.”•“Youcansaywordsthathelpyoulearnhowtomakealetter.”•“Youcanchecktoseeifaletterlooksright.”(p.363)Studentswouldthenmovetosharedpracticewithguidedsupportasneeded.Timewouldbeallowedfor independent practice. Most of this independent practice should occur through authentic writingexperiences.

6

UsingverbalpathwaysSometimes ithelpsstudentstosayaloudthedirectionsfor“making”a letter.This“verbalpath”helpsthem to understand the directional movement that is essential. It gives the teacher and student alanguage to talk through the letter and its features. It also reinforces the child’s knowledge of thealphabeticprinciple,andsupportsacquisitionofautomaticityinreadingandwriting.Onceautomaticityoccurs,studentsnolongerrequiretheuseofaverbalpathway.SuggestionsforteachingKinder,1stand2nd

• Encouragestudentstowritespontaneouslyandwithdifferentpurpose.• Keepprovidingopportunitiesforstudentstodevelopfinemotorskillsusingmaterialssuchas

puzzles,strings,beads,orplaydough.• Ensurethatstudentslearnhowtoproperlygraspapencil,howtouselinedpaper,howtouse

whitepaper,howtoerase,howtorespectspacesandhowtositforhandwriting.• Keepprovidingopportunitiesforstudentstoplaywiththealphabetandwordformation;

alphabetcards,books,magneticletters,feltletters,rubberletters,etc.• Wordworkfortheday(relatedtotheirunitsofinquiry)couldbeshared,guidedorindependent

practiceofindividualletters.Studentscouldpracticesortingorgroupingwordsbasedontheirspecificfeatures(sticks,tails,loops,etc.)andmeaning.Itisimportantforstudentstorecognizethesespecialfeaturesinletters.

• Instructionmayoccuratanytime,duringsharedorinteractivewritingexperiences.Aftertheteacherandstudentssharethemeaningofthetext,theteachermaypointoutspecificfeaturesofaletter.Ifthewritingexperienceisinteractive,individualstudentscouldpracticeaparticularletterformation,andotherstudentscouldpracticeonsmallwhiteboards(orplasticplates).

• Insharedreading,duringthesecondorsubsequentreading,studentscouldbedirectedtowardstheformationofthelettersinapoemorbigbook.Awindowmaskmaybeusedtolocatespecificfeaturessuchasletters,orletterclusters.Thisisolatesthelettersostudentscanlookcarefullyattheletterwithoutthedistractionoftheotherletterssurroundingit.Usetagboardoraflyswatterandcutthemiddleouttocreateawindowmask.

• LiteracyCenterscouldbeestablishedtocreatehands-onexperiencesusingstring,sandorawetpaintbrushonachalkboard,topracticeletterformation.StudentswouldhaveanopportunitytovisitthesecentersduringReadingorWritingWorkshop.

• Providemodelsforstudentstofollow.Letterstripsonthecornerofstudents’deskscanbehelpfulandaremucheasiertorefertothanletterspostedonawallacrosstheroom.

• Provideopportunitiesforstudentstoexperimentwithdifferenttypesofpapersanddifferentsizes/colorsofpencils,chalk,orpaint.

7

Handwriting is importanttodevelophigherorderthinkingskills,handwriting instruction“willnotonlyshowstudentsaspecificwaytoformletters,itisimportanttonotethathandwritingisanexpressionofindividuality.Notwoindividualswillwritethesameway.Individualityshouldbeencouragedwithintheframeworkoflegibilityandfluency.ReferencesFountas,I.,&Pinnell,S.(2007).TheContinuumofLiteracyLearning,BehavioursandUnderstandingstoNotice,TeachandSupport.Portsmouth,NewHampshire:Heinemann.AtlanticCanadaEnglishLanguageArtsCurriculum,E-3,4-6(1998). GuidelinesforHandwritingInstruction:PrintingandCursiveKindergartentoGrade6. PrinceEdwardIsland.DepartmentofEducationandEarlyChildhoodDevelopment.Canada(2012) EmiliaFerreiro&AnaTeberosky(1999)Lossistemasdeescrituraeneldesarrollodelniño.20a.edicióndeSigloXXIeditores.MéxicoHandwritingwithouttearsathttps://www.hwtears.com/hwt(July2016)

8

Department of Education and Early Childhood Development: Guidelines for Handwriting Instruction: Printing and Cursive, Kindergarten to Grade 616

APPENDIX C: WRITING: CAPTIAL LETTER FORMATION

268 © Scholastic Canada Ltd., 2007 Literacy Place for the Early Years – Grade 3 Writing Guide 978-0-7791-6618-3

Writing: Capital Letter Formation

Student’s Name:

9

Department of Education and Early Childhood Development: Guidelines for Handwriting Instruction: Printing and Cursive, Kindergarten to Grade 6 17

APPENDIX C: WRITING: LOWER-CASE LETTER FORMATION

269© Scholastic Canada Ltd., 2007 Literacy Place for the Early Years – Grade 3 Writing Guide 978-0-7791-6618-3

Writing: Lower-case Letter Formation

Student’s Name:

10

Department of Education and Early Childhood Development: Guidelines for Handwriting Instruction: Printing and Cursive, Kindergarten to Grade 612

APPENDIX B: LETTER FORMATION CHECKLIST

Pages 266-271 of the Literacy Place for the Early Years Grade 3 WriƟ ng Guide by Anne Brailsford and Tony Stead © 2007 ScholasƟ c Canada Ltd. Reproduced with permission.

270 © Scholastic Canada Ltd., 2007 Literacy Place for the Early Years – Grade 3 Writing Guide 978-0-7791-6618-3

Place a checkmark next to those letters that the student can form correctly.

Letter Formation ChecklistStudent’s Name: Date:

Lower-case Letters Correct Formation Upper-case Letters Correct Formation

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

N

O

P

Q

R

S

T

U

V

W

X

Y

Z

a

b

c

d

e

f

g

h

i

j

k

l

m

n

o

p

q

r

s

t

u

v

w

x

y

z

Instructional Needs

Printing Cursive Writing

11

Department of Education and Early Childhood Development: Guidelines for Handwriting Instruction: Printing and Cursive, Kindergarten to Grade 6 13

APPENDIX B: HANDWRITING BEHAVIOURS CHECKLIST

271© Scholastic Canada Ltd., 2007 Literacy Place for the Early Years – Grade 3 Writing Guide 978-0-7791-6618-3

Handwriting Behaviours

Positions paper appropriately

Holds writing tool appropriately

Writes on the lines

Starts at left margin

Leaves appropriate space between letters

Leaves appropriate space between words

Forms letters fluently

Writes legibly

Slants all letters in the same direction

Takes pride in handwriting

Uses upper-case and lower-case letters where appropriate

Observations

Handwriting Behaviours Checklist

Student’s Name: Date:

Printing Cursive Writing

12

!

!

Fecha:

Nombre: !

!

!

!

! !

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! !

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

13

!

!

!

!

!

!

!!

!

!

!

! !

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! !

!

!

!

!

!

!

14

!

!

!

!

!

!

! !

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! !

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

15

!

!

!

!

!!

!

!

!

! !

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! ! ! ! !! ! ! ! !

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

16

!

!!

17

!!! !