[SENco-forum] Handwriting

Quills! No one has even mentioned these. Definitely the way to go -look

Handwriting, oh dear, can I add my three pennyworth (by computer as mine is
awful, and has been a source of embarrassment all my life)?

As a non teacher, who looks at writing samples every day, my take is as
follows.

A huge number of children have enormous difficulty in holding a pencil
appropriately when writing, using a restrictive grip which blocks any free
movement. Yet, the same children if asked to copy with their non-dominant
hand use a perfectly normal grip. Does this mean they have a dominance
problem?  NO! They are being made to write before they have mastered a
normal finger / thumb apposition, which does not occur until about five and
a half years of age. Never having used the other hand, this naturally clicks
in as they mature.

So, two big issues here:  a) We are making children write long before they
are physically mature enough to do so and b) they are not being trained
properly in how to hold and move a pencil when they start.

I remember very well lecturing in Sweden to a large group of teachers and Ed
Psychs, and showing some slides of poor writing, and the grip of the same
children and being told in no uncertain terms that that would not happen
their because it was clear those children had started before they were
ready, and had developed poor strategies to cope as a result.

I suspect the problem is worse as we push the age boundaries lower and lower
for writing.

Keith Holland

-----Original Message-----
From: senco-forum-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk
[mailto:senco-forum-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk] On Behalf Of Lucy Grimme
Sent: 24 July 2007 16:12
To: SEN at tringham.net; Becta Senco
Subject: Re: [SENco-forum] Handwriting

what an excellent idea.  I shall look for some to be used as special treats 
only!

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <SEN at tringham.net>
To: "Becta Senco" <senco-forum at lists.becta.org.uk>
Sent: Tuesday, July 24, 2007 11:25 AM
Subject: RE: [SENco-forum] Handwriting

> Quills!  No one has even mentioned these.  Definitely the way to go -look 
> at
> their popularity at Hogwarts. Can't imagine there is a child in the land 
> who
> wouldn't want one.  Think of the cost savings.
> Sharon
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: senco-forum-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk
> [mailto:senco-forum-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk]On Behalf Of Maggie
> Downie
> Sent: 24 July 2007 09:21
> To: Jamie Munro; Mary Kelly; jeanld at fish.co.uk
> Cc: 'Becta Senco'
> Subject: Re: [SENco-forum] Handwriting
>
>
> Jamie,
>
> I agree absolutely with you on the absurdity/unfairness of this particular
> instance.
>
> Over the matter of the death of handwriting, it's pistols at dawn...
>
> Maggie
>
> Jamie Munro <jmunro at djsn.co.uk> wrote: That's still not addressing my 
> point.
> Why is the ability to write in
> cursive with a real pen seen as being worth a grade higher than the 
> ability
> to print neatly with a biro?  We are not talking about pupils being graded
> on their ability to inform their teachers and examiners what they know but
> being graded on their penmanship or calligraphy or whatever we want to 
> call
> it.  And that is frankly an irrelevant skill for the 21st century.
>
> Jamie
>
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> 22/07/2007
> 19:02
>
>
>
>
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