‫اﻟﺘﺄﻟﻴﻒ واﻟﺘﻄﻮﻳﺮ‬

‫ﻣﺘﺨﺼﺺ ﻣﻦ وزارة اﻟﱰﺑﻴﺔ واﻟﺘﻌﻠﻴﻢ مبﻤﻠﻜﺔ اﻟﺒﺤﺮﻳﻦ‬

I would like to express my gratitude to the many people

who saw me through this workbook; to all those who

provided support, talked things over, read, wrote, offered

comments, allowed me to quote their remarks and

assisted in the editing, proofreading and design.

HANDWRITING – GETTING STARTED ..................................................................................vi

Introduction ..........................................................................................................................vi

The development of memory ...........................................................................................vi

A holistic approach ............................................................................................................vi

Handwriting – a physical skill ..........................................................................................vi

Teachers and Parents ........................................................................................................vi

TIPS/ADVICE ............................................................................................................................... vii

Pen/Pencil grip.................................................................................................................... vii

Paper ..................................................................................................................................... vii

Posture................................................................................................................................. viii

Left-handed children ........................................................................................................ viii

Getting ready for writing classroom guide ..................................................................ix

General procedures to introduce the patterns............................................................ix

In class .............................................................................................................................ix

At home……… ............................................................................................... …………………ix

ABOUT THE LANGUAGE GUIDE ................................................................................. ix

ASSESSMENT – HANDWRITING PROGRESS CHECKS……………..…………………..ix

THE LANGUAGE GUIDE FOR TEACHING HANDWRITING PATTERNS………………..……ixi

Handwriting Progress Check 1……………………..………………………..………..……xiii

Handwriting Progress Check 2…………………………..……………………………..…. xiv

Getting Ready for Writing Poster…………………………………………………………...xv

HANDWRITING PATTERNS

Pattern 1 Horizontal lines ............................................................................................1

Pattern 2 Vertical lines .................................................................................................4

Patterns 1 & 2 Review ........................................................................................7

Pattern 3 Wavy lines .....................................................................................................8

Pattern 4 Ascending diagonal lines ..........................................................................11

iv
 Patterns 3 & 4 Review ..................................................................................... .14

Pattern 5 Descending diagonal lines ........................................................................15

Pattern 6 Zigzags .......................................................................................................18

Patterns 4, 5 & 6 Review ................................................................................. .21

Pattern 7 Reinforcing pattern ....................................................................................22

Pattern 8 Ascending curves.......................................................................................25

Patterns 7 & 8 Review ..................................................................................... .28

Pattern 9 Descending curves .....................................................................................29

Pattern 10 Anti-clockwise circles ...............................................................................32

Patterns 9 & 10 Review ....................................................................................35

Pattern 11 Anti-clockwise curves ...............................................................................36

Pattern 12 Clockwise circles...................................................................................... .39

Patterns 11 & 12 Review ..................................................................................42

Mixed patterns (1-6) ........................................................................................ .43

Mixed patterns (7-9) .........................................................................................44

Mixed patterns (10-12) .....................................................................................45

v
 HANDWRITING – GETTING STARTED

Introduction

Handwriting is a skill that needs to be taught. In the early stages, children need to learn how to
make comfortable rhythmic hand movements across the page and how to form the basic
patterns that make up the letters of the alphabet with the correct starting and finishing points and
the correct movement.

There are two key factors that will help children develop fluent handwriting. First, memory plays
an important part in the development of fluent handwriting skills. Second, handwriting is a
physical skill.

The development of memory

Fluent handwriting enables children to concentrate on what they want to write rather than how to
form the letters. For this to happen, children need to be able to form letters quickly and
automatically without thinking. In order to transfer the letter shapes to long-term memory and to
be able to recall these shapes automatically children need careful foundations in the early years.
At this stage, children need plenty of practice in forming the basic patterns and moving their
hands comfortably and fluidly across the page.

A holistic approach

A holistic approach to teaching handwriting skills works best. Such an approach involves both
the left brain and right brain in multisensory activities. Seeing the pattern, feeling the pattern,
tracing the pattern in the air with their finger or their pencil, making the patterns with their eyes
shut, describing the pattern at the same time as making the pattern are all valuable ways of
helping children commit the basic pattern to memory and aiding automatic recall.

Handwriting – a physical skill

Handwriting is a physical skill that involves not only the hand but the whole of the upper body. To
develop good fluent handwriting skills it is very important that proper attention is given to this
aspect. Simple physical warm up activities before writing will help to develop relaxed comfortable
pencil grips and hand movements. Likewise, plenty of practice of fluid movement across the
page will also help. Children need to learn how to sit properly when writing, how to hold their
pens/pencils in a relaxed, comfortable grip and how to position their paper.

Teachers and Parents

Teachers and parents play a crucial role at this stage. A holistic approach with careful attention
to both physical skills and memory skills, plenty of support and encouragement and plenty of
practice are vital to children’s success.

vi
Getting Ready for Writing Classroom Guide

Teachers and parents can use the classroom guide: Getting Ready for Writing Poster on
page xv to focus on these key aspects - Pencil Grip, Paper Position, Posture each time their
children start a writing activity.

General procedures to introduce the patterns

To aid memory skills and to ensure a holistic approach to teaching the patterns it is important
that children are given a good model first and a clear verbal description of the pattern. They then
need to experience and feel the shape of the pattern physically whilst describing the letter
movement before they actually do the pattern. This involves the visual, auditory and kinaesthetic
senses. Following the general procedure outlined below will help children remember the pattern.

In class

1. Model the pattern and describe the movement using the Language Guide on pages xi
and xii.
2. Stand up and do the pattern in the air describing the movement together – making large
movements across the body
3. Do the pattern in the air or on their desks with eyes shut using their finger
4. Trace the pattern on the page
5. Copy the pattern on the page

At home

Parents can reinforce what is being taught in the classroom at home. They can practise the
pattern the child has learnt in class using the Language Guide on pages xi and xii or at the
bottom of the first page of each new pattern. Children can trace over the work they have done in
class and can copy the pattern.

ABOUT THE LANGUAGE GUIDE

This provides simple language to describe the starting point and movement for each pattern on
pages xi and xii. It is important that the teacher models the pattern using the language guide
each time they introduce or practise a pattern. This helps children to fix the pattern movement
and shape in their memory.

ix
ASSESSMENT – HANDWRITING PROGRESS CHECKS

Handwriting Progress Check Sheet 1 on page-xiii should be completed by the teacher for
each class. In the first section the teacher should mark as appropriate whether the individual
child is naturally right-handed, left-handed or if it is not yet clear which is the preferred writing
hand. In the next section, the teacher should observe how the children sit, how they hold their
pencils and how they position their papers. In the final section the teacher observes children’s
progress in forming each pattern. The teacher can go back at any time to adjust the chart
accordingly as children grow in confidence and as their skills develop.

There is also an optional Handwriting Check Sheet 2 on page xiv which can be completed for
each individual child so the teacher can keep more detailed records of children’s progress.

x
 Handwriting Progress Check 1 Class: ________

Student's Name

Is right-handed Yes  / No x
Is left-handed Yes  / No x
Not sure ?
Pencil Grip, Paper Position, Posture
1 Holds the pencil correctly
2 Holds the pencil with the correct tension
3 Applies appropriate pencil to paper pressure
4 Positions paper at the correct angle
5 Places writing arm on table
6 Places non-writing hand on paper
7 Sits up straight with chair close to the table
8 Sits firmly on the chair with both feet on the ground
Handwriting Patterns
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12

Mastered the skill Progressing well Needs more time

xiii