Physical Development and Writing An information meeting for parents and carers Tuesday 3 rd March 2015

to understand the importance of gross motor development to understand the importance of gross motor development to appreciate the importance of the learning opportunities provided to appreciate the importance of the learning opportunities provided to consider ways to support the development of fine motor control to consider ways to support the development of fine motor control to know how to encourage good control of writing implements to know how to encourage good control of writing implements to be familiar with cursive ( joined ) letter shapes to be familiar with cursive ( joined ) letter shapes to know how to write your child’s name in cursive script to know how to write your child’s name in cursive script Aims of this workshop -

Gross motor control – controlling handlebars on a bike controlling handlebars on a bike pedalling and scooting pedalling and scooting climbing, balancing, swinging climbing, balancing, swinging raking and sweeping raking and sweeping moving with ribbons and scarves moving with ribbons and scarves managing clothing – arms into sleeves managing clothing – arms into sleeves controlling bats and balls controlling bats and balls joining in with action rhymes joining in with action rhymes lifting and carrying lifting and carrying swimming swimming

Fine motor control – rolling and shaping dough rolling and shaping dough cutting with scissors cutting with scissors building with small construction kits building with small construction kits threading beads threading beads drawing with chalk drawing with chalk lacing and sewing lacing and sewing using a knife and fork using a knife and fork mixing cooking ingredients mixing cooking ingredients turning the pages of a book turning the pages of a book using small tools, eg. hole punchers, staplers, pegs and paper clips using small tools, eg. hole punchers, staplers, pegs and paper clips fastening clothing – buttons, zips and ties fastening clothing – buttons, zips and ties

Control of writing implements - a variety of writing implements – pencils, pens, crayons, chalks, paintbrush and water, a stick in the sand ! a variety of writing implements – pencils, pens, crayons, chalks, paintbrush and water, a stick in the sand ! tripod grip ( froggy legs ! ) tripod grip ( froggy legs ! ) handwriting practice - whiteboards handwriting practice - whiteboards left-handed hints and tips left-handed hints and tips

‘ Emergent’ writing Most children will – experiment with marks experiment with marks begin to use lines, circles and other begin to use lines, circles and other shapes / patterns shapes / patterns begin to use random collections of letters begin to use random collections of letters begin to use familiar letters ( usually from own name ) to represent meaning begin to use familiar letters ( usually from own name ) to represent meaning begin to understand that a group of letters have meaning begin to understand that a group of letters have meaning begin to apply their phonic knowledge begin to apply their phonic knowledge

Supporting writing in school Three super heroes - Captain Capital Captain Capital Super Space Super Space Super Stop Super Stop Other ‘prompts’ - letter-sound mats letter-sound mats individual name cards individual name cards working wall working wall

Applying letters and sounds Broadly speaking children apply their phonic knowledge in similar ways - hearing and writing initial letter sounds for words hearing and writing initial letter sounds for words hearing and writing initial and final sounds hearing and writing initial and final sounds hearing sounds in the order they occur in words hearing sounds in the order they occur in words building a memory of words off by heart – often ‘tricky’ words building a memory of words off by heart – often ‘tricky’ words

‘Cursive’ letter shapes - ‘families’ of letters ‘families’ of letters writing patterns writing patterns simple rules to remember simple rules to remember

Supporting writing at home - provide opportunities for independent mark making provide opportunities for independent mark making value and encourage all mark making value and encourage all mark making avoid scribing for children ( dotting / writing over the top / copy writing ) avoid scribing for children ( dotting / writing over the top / copy writing ) practise phonemes practise phonemes encourage use of phonemes but accept own spellings eg. hows/house encourage use of phonemes but accept own spellings eg. hows/house encourage correct pencil grip encourage correct pencil grip

Useful resources – Langshott letter shapes Langshott letter shapes ‘families’ of letters ‘families’ of letters