handwriting is not included within the australian curriculum

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Speech Sound Pics (SSP) Approach to the Teaching of Reading, Writing and Spelling. Wiring Brains Education. Copyright 2014 www.MySpeedySSP.com Handwriting is not included within the Australian Curriculum. Could States now remove their education department mandated ‘style’, to allow for more ‘writing for a purpose’ time? Note: These Education Department mandated styles seem to relate more to calligraphy, than to the underlying reasons why literacy experts focus on the vital skill of ‘letter formation’ in the early years (3-8) They vary from state to state, and are not in line with most fonts used in the text they read. Education Department Mandated Styles shown below. I have made a few notes, regarding Prep students, when a state handwriting is mandated. Difficult to transition to cursive, even though letters are more rounded than QLD style. However the children will link these more easily with the writing they see in books, and will recognise the speech sound to sound pic (phoneme) links easily. Mixture of pre-cursive and cursive. Only d, v and w have exits, however this will actually make letter formation for v and w difficult for many who will struggle with reading and spelling, as not only difficult to form for little hands, but don’t look like the majority of ‘v’s and ‘w’s the children see in books. Letters are also more difficult to form, as not rounded.

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Letter formation not included, as should be integrated into literacy lessons, rather than taught as a separate lesson. Can we now remove Education Department hand writing styles, to develop consistency and continuity between all Australian states? This will also free up teaching time on the timetable, so that more writing can take place, for a purpose. www.MySpeedySSP.com Read Australia

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Page 1: Handwriting is not included within the Australian Curriculum

Speech Sound Pics (SSP) Approach to the Teaching of Reading, Writing and Spelling. Wiring Brains Education. Copyright 2014 www.MySpeedySSP.com

Handwriting is not included within the Australian Curriculum. Could

States now remove their education department mandated ‘style’, to

allow for more ‘writing for a purpose’ time?

Note: These Education Department mandated styles seem to relate more to calligraphy, than to the

underlying reasons why literacy experts focus on the vital skill of ‘letter formation’ in the early years

(3-8) They vary from state to state, and are not in line with most fonts used in the text they read.

Education Department Mandated Styles shown below.

I have made a few notes, regarding Prep students, when a state handwriting is mandated.

Difficult to transition to cursive, even though letters are more rounded than QLD style. However the

children will link these more easily with the writing they see in books, and will recognise the speech

sound to sound pic (phoneme) links easily.

Mixture of pre-cursive and cursive. Only d, v and w have exits, however this will actually make letter

formation for v and w difficult for many who will struggle with reading and spelling, as not only

difficult to form for little hands, but don’t look like the majority of ‘v’s and ‘w’s the children see in

books. Letters are also more difficult to form, as not rounded.

Page 2: Handwriting is not included within the Australian Curriculum

Speech Sound Pics (SSP) Approach to the Teaching of Reading, Writing and Spelling. Wiring Brains Education. Copyright 2014 www.MySpeedySSP.com

These are easier for the children to link with the phonemes they see in books, and easier to form as

rounded. Only the d has an exit, however the v and w will be easier to form than for QLD students.

If I had to choose one, this is the one I would choose. However I would recommend Sassoon Infant

over all shown here. The new Australian Curriculum has been set in place so that schools can now

remove mandatated ‘handwriting’ styles, in order to integrate this vital skills into ‘real writing

activities.

Although pre-cursive, many children will struggle to form all of these letters correctly, and will

become confused as to why they are so different to the print they see in books (b, p, z)

Recommended formation in Prep teachers using SSP. (Sassoon Infant)

Within SSP letter formation relates to the speech sound to sound pic (phoneme) links, and is a

multisensory/ kinaesthetic approach to forming the letters, with a focus on direction, and a clear link

to the main speech sound they will link with this letter when first learning phonics .

SSP promotes the style now used across the UK where children are prepared early for cursive

writing, or a mixture of pre-cursive and cursive that enables them to ‘flow’ quickly and easily across

Page 3: Handwriting is not included within the Australian Curriculum

Speech Sound Pics (SSP) Approach to the Teaching of Reading, Writing and Spelling. Wiring Brains Education. Copyright 2014 www.MySpeedySSP.com

the page, putting down their thoughts on paper, in a uniform and tidy way. The font ‘Sassoon Infant’

is used within all SSP materials, with RWI phrases used to reinforce the phonics links.

Read about Ruth Miskin and RWI here http://www.ruthmiskinliteracy.com and listen to her guide a

teacher in order to deliver best practice. http://www.ruthmiskintraining.com/teacher-

support/80/index.html

The RWI letter formation phrases are used to reinforce the direction of the pencil, and as a prompt

for speech sound links.

When choosing the sound pics (last stage) they do not have to stop and ask for help, if they can’t

remember how to ‘draw the sound pic that sits on that line’. The strip is there, to promote

independence and to give the brain instant access to the information needed.

They are used within all SSP Green and Purple Level activities, and are sent home as strips in reading

folders for home use. Every table has a strip, so that children can instantly refer to the prompts,

when spelling Green and Purple Level words.

Page 4: Handwriting is not included within the Australian Curriculum

Speech Sound Pics (SSP) Approach to the Teaching of Reading, Writing and Spelling. Wiring Brains Education. Copyright 2014 www.MySpeedySSP.com

Letter formation is not taught separately,– it is integrated into the SSP program, so that there is no

need to have separate lessons eg for handwriting, phonics, spelling, writing, reading,

comprehension, grammar and punctuation, oral language and critical thinking.

Page 5: Handwriting is not included within the Australian Curriculum

Speech Sound Pics (SSP) Approach to the Teaching of Reading, Writing and Spelling. Wiring Brains Education. Copyright 2014 www.MySpeedySSP.com

Please see lesson plan template, for Prep classes, after the initial introduction to the Speech Sound

Pics Approach, at end of this document.

Guidance from LD (Learning Difficulties) Online, Adapted for SSP Schools.

Instruction in handwriting

Relatively modest investments of instructional time devoted to handwriting – perhaps the

equivalent of ten or fifteen minutes daily – may pay off in preventing later writing problems,

including difficulties with higher-level composition skills.

The early years of schooling are especially critical for handwriting instruction; once children have

formed counterproductive habits in handwriting, such as poor pencil hold or inefficient letter

formation, those habits can be difficult to change.

Even for young children, however, handwriting instruction should occur in the context of a

broader program of written expression in which children learn many other writing skills and

develop motivation to write.

Of course, children also should have access to word-processing programs and assistive technology,

with appropriate accommodations as needed for individual students.

Here are a few specific suggestions for teaching handwriting:

Teach children consistent formation of letters using a continuous stroke if possible.

Children should learn a highly consistent way to form a given letter every time they write it.

Although some letters, such as f and t, require lifting the pencil from the paper to make a second

stroke, teach letter formation using a continuous stroke (without lifting the pencil from the paper)

when possible. Printing letters should therefore be avoided ie 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

For example, teach children to write the letter b by starting at the top with a vertical stroke, then

making the loop to the right without lifting the pencil, rather than having children form the vertical

line and the loop in separate strokes.

Page 6: Handwriting is not included within the Australian Curriculum

Speech Sound Pics (SSP) Approach to the Teaching of Reading, Writing and Spelling. Wiring Brains Education. Copyright 2014 www.MySpeedySSP.com

Focus initially on learning the motor pattern rather than perfect legibility or size.

When children are learning to form a new letter, it is helpful to begin with large movements such as

forming the letter in the air; have children use a sweeping movement with the entire arm, not just

the hand. This initial practice should emphasize learning the motor pattern with correct formation of

the letter (e.g., as discussed for the letter b above) rather than writing the letter on paper with

perfect legibility or size. This is included in the morning video. Children do this with pencils in heir

hands, after checking we have ‘froggy legs’ ready for the Speech Sound Frog.

Page 7: Handwriting is not included within the Australian Curriculum

Speech Sound Pics (SSP) Approach to the Teaching of Reading, Writing and Spelling. Wiring Brains Education. Copyright 2014 www.MySpeedySSP.com

Within SSP we focus on the sound pics being taught within the explicit phonics teaching, and so

these are always accessible to the children while they complete their table top and floor activities,

however all are shown every day. See morning video.

Understand that separate reversible letters such as b and d can be confusing. This is why we use

the RWI phrases and images.

It is easier to remember the ‘b’ and to form it when saying ‘down the laces to the heel, and over the

boot; - or just ‘laces, boot’ and for them to see the dinosaur, and know to start on his back. The

images are in front of them, until they are no longer needed.

Page 8: Handwriting is not included within the Australian Curriculum

Speech Sound Pics (SSP) Approach to the Teaching of Reading, Writing and Spelling. Wiring Brains Education. Copyright 2014 www.MySpeedySSP.com

Use written arrow / pencil cues to help children remember how to form letters.

Especially when the teacher is working with large groups of youngsters, monitoring each child while

he or she is writing may be difficult. Written arrow cues for tracing dotted letters and copying letters

are important so that children do not inadvertently practice incorrect letter formation repeatedly.

For children at beginning stages of reading and spelling, integrate handwriting instruction with

instruction in letter sounds.

For instance, while children are practicing writing a given sound pic (letter) they can also be saying

the sound the letter represents. This again reinforces the terminology ie draw a picture of the

speech sound ‘buh’. Yes, it is called ‘b’ (beee) but it is also a picture of a speech sound.

Children start to develop ‘visual imagery’ when asked to identify a speech sound, take a picture of it

with their ‘speech sound camera’ and then visualise it. They then write what they see, with their

eyes still closed. Visual imagery is a vital skills, for reading comprehension.

Page 9: Handwriting is not included within the Australian Curriculum

Speech Sound Pics (SSP) Approach to the Teaching of Reading, Writing and Spelling. Wiring Brains Education. Copyright 2014 www.MySpeedySSP.com

In teaching cursive, explicitly teach connections between letters as well as formation of single

letters.

Unlike print, cursive writing involves making connections between letters within a word.

Aim for speed as well as legibility.

Speed should not be emphasized until children can form letters legibly and from memory. The

phrases really help with this, as well as the visual clues. Children must eventually develop enough

speed to use writing efficiently in tasks such as note-taking or test-taking however. If they form bad

habits, or form letters in ways that mean they need to keep removing the pencil from the paper (eg

print) then they will not write as quickly as children writing in pre-cursive, or cursive, or a mixture.

(Children will generally create their own blend of the two)

Print should again be avoided for this reason.

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

It also is useful to distinguish different standards for legibility depending on the purpose for writing;

for example, in taking notes, "messy" handwriting is entirely acceptable as long as children can easily

read their own writing.

It is also important that children learn to type, however writing by hand should be the main method

for writing in P-2 for a number of reasons based on brain activity, even knowing we live in a world of

texting and typing.

Emma Hartnell-Baker BEd Hons. MA Special Educational Needs

The Reading Whisperer™

BRICKS Initiative ~ Bringing Research Into Classrooms 4 KidS