Aim:
- To enable children to write fluently, comfortably, quickly and legibly.
- Handwriting Workbooks from the “Just Handwriting” Series, published by Educate.ie have been adopted for use in all classes throughout the school. Special handwriting “Learn to Write” B2 and B4 copies may also be used for practice.
- A Cursive Style of Handwriting throughout the school is to be used. See Appendix A.
Special emphasis will be placed on:
- Preparation (pre-writing activities in Infant classes)
- Pencil grip
- Posture
- Practice (letter formation is clearly illustrated and an alphabet reference may be provided for pre-cursive and cursive scripts).
- Self Assessment: It is hoped that the children will engage in self-assessment whereby they will judge their own work by ticking boxes, matching three different faces (good, fair or poor).
Triangular pencils, sometimes known as hand huggers will be encouraged in Infant Classes. Pencils will be used for writing exclusively up to the end of Fourth Class. Pens will be used in Fifth and Sixth Class for writing, with Berol Writing Handwriting Pens advised for handwriting practice.
Infant Level:
In Junior Infants, the focus is on the correct formation of all lowercase letters with ‘tails’.
Jolly Phonics is to be used to teach early Phonics and Letter Identification and formation in the Infant Classes. This programme teaches the formation of lower case letters with tails from the start.
Uppercase letters are taught in Senior Infants, This lays the foundation for cursive writing. Supplementary copy books are provided at infant level.
1st / 2nd Class:
In First Class, reinforcement of pre-cursive letter formation is continued.
In Second Class, the width of the lines changes from 6mm to 5mm. All writing exercises are meaningful e.g. recipes, quiz questions.
3rd / 4th Class:
In Third Class, children are introduced to lowercase, cursive looped writing. Later in the year, capital letters are introduced.
When cursive writing is well established in Fourth Class, children begin to write with a pen.
5th /6th Class:
In Fifth or Sixth Class, lower and uppercase letters are revised and writing rules are re-visited.
A copy of this policy will be given to all newly-appointed teachers in our school.
The policy will be reviewed every three years.