Learning

To Play is to Learn

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To Play 2

The summer holidays are here!

So, it is the perfect time to go out and play or, as is often the case, stay indoors and play.

We are always being shown how important play is in the development of young animals’ survival and hunting skills. How many times have you thought how cute or lovely when watching kittens, puppies or polar bears playing.

Humans are also animals which thrive and develop through play; in fact, play is so important the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights state it as a right for every child (Ginsburg, 2013).

We often think of play as a frivolous pastime rather than a practical and meaningful one. However, here at Teach Children we see play as a vital part of a child’s physical, emotional, social and intellectual growth and well-being.

There has been considerable research over the years on play, which supports our point of view, with the consensus being that children need to experience five different types of play (Dr.D Whitebread, 2012). These five types of play are roughly based on the developmental opportunities they provide, especially if it is child driven rather than adult lead:

Physical Play – active exercise (running, jumping, skipping etc..), rough & tumble and fine motor skills activities to develop whole body and hand and eye co-ordination strength and endurance. The outdoor element of such play develops independence, resourcefulness and self-regulation while the fine motor skills activities support the development of concentration and perseverance.

Play with Objects – starts as soon as a child can grasp and hold an object; mouthing, biting, turning, stroking, hitting and dropping. It’s how we all learn through the exploration of our senses (sensory-motor play). This type of play develops our abilities to; physically manipulate items, think, reason and problem solve, to set challenges and goals as well as to monitor our own progress.

Symbolic Play – refers to the development of spoken language, visual symbols such as letters and numbers, music, painting, drawing and other media used for communication of thought and ideas. This type of play allows children to develop the abilities to express and reflect on experiences, ideas and emotions. Sound and language play develops phonological awareness required for literacy, while number play that relates to real life situations supports numeracy skills.

Pretence/socio-dramatic Play – Pretend play provides the opportunity to develop cognitive, social, self-regulatory and academic skills. This kind of play means children have to learn and pick up on unspoken rules of interaction, taking on the role of a character and playing within the expected confines of that role.

Games with Rules – physical games such as chase, hide & seek, sport, board and computer games. Develop social skills and the emotional skills of taking turns, winning and losing as well as other people’s perspectives.

                                                             So, to play is to learn!

Bibliography

Kenneth R. Ginsburg, MD, MSEd, 25/07/2013; ‘The Importance of Play in Promoting Healthy Child Development and Maintaining Strong Parent-Child Bonds’: THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS: http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/119/1/182.full

Dr.D. Whitebread, April 2012: ‘The Importance of Play’; Commissioned for the Toy Industries of Europe:  originally sourced from: http://www.importanceofplay.eu/IMG/pdf/dr_david_whitebread_-_the_importance_of_play.pdf

The Move from Pencil to Pen

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Girl Cartoon Hold Pen

Last week we looked at why pencils, rather than pens, are a good first tool for learning to handwrite.

Children can’t wait however for that magic day when the teacher moves them from pencil to pen. It really is a big moment and means more than just “I can write neatly”, for them it is an acknowledgement of their maturity (growing up) and a status symbol of intellect and ability in their eyes and those of their peers.

Moving from pencil to pen can have a dramatic effect on a child’s confidence and self-esteem.  I have seen how moving a child from pencil to pen can give them a new found confidence and self-belief in their own ability, because I showed my belief in them by making that gesture. They may not have had the perfect font style in pencil but moving to pen did improve their ability to form letters more freely and become more consistent in their formation.

It is difficult to put an age on when a child should move from pencil to pen because every child is different. Schools have different policies on when this should happen, with most tending to make the move at around the age of 8/9 years old. It should really depend on the child’s ability rather than their age, as well as the potential benefits the move may have to confidence and self-esteem.

It does not make sense to keep a child working with pencil until they have a perfect handwriting style because that may never happen. For many a neat, beautiful handwriting style may never be a reality.

Advantages of pens:

  • A good quality pen will give an even ink flow.
  • A more consistent hand pressure is required, helping to develop and maintain a fluid handwriting style (reducing hand strain).
  • Fibre tip and roller pens can give the same look and writing experience as a good quality fountain pen, but are far less messy (especially for left handed people).
  • With the right pen everyone’s handwriting can look good, (I love my fountain pen for that reason).

Limitations:

  • Cheap biro pens require a lot of hand pressure and give an inconsistent ink flow (so not very different from pencils).
  • Cheap fountain pens can be scratchy and messy
  • Some schools will insist on using a particular type of pen which is not always good for all.

My tip would be to test a few pen types and weights to find out which ones your child finds the most comfortable and enjoyable to use. I realise this can be an issue if your child’s school insist on one type of pen. But if you can prove your child’s handwriting ability is great with a different style I think it is worth talking to them about it.

Moving from pencil to pen is an important point in a child’s education, affecting their confidence and self-esteem, and like any transition stage it should be approached with thought and care.

Pencil Power

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pencil power 1

Why do we use pencils when we start to teach handwriting?

Modern classrooms use a range of technology, such as interactive white boards, so why are our children still using pencils when learning how to handwrite?

Pencils are a great first tool for learning to handwrite!

Why?

  • They come in different widths and lengths (to cater for the different gross and fine motor skills of the children).
  • Have different lead thickness and grades (soft to hard) of lead.
  • Provide varying degrees of resistance (depending on lead grade) which slows down the letter formation process enough for young children to have the control required to start to form their letters correctly. The greater the resistance the more the body can neurologically acknowledge (feel) the movement and help to send appropriate information to the brain.
  • As a child develops their handwriting skills to a more fluid handwriting style the pencil type can be easily changed.
  • Cheap and easily accessible.
  • A drawing medium which young children are already comfortable using.

Limitations:

  • Often a one size fits all approach to the pencil type, rather than tailoring to a child’s needs.
  • Difficulty in maintaining a good writing point, results in the child needing to use different levels of pressure, making handwriting hard work.
  • Over use of rubbing out mistakes (wastes time and develops a culture where making a mistake is seen as a failure). Making mistakes is how we learn, it is not failing!

Pencils are practical in school:

  • With pencil, children find it more difficult to write on one another and their clothes.
  • You do not have a whole class of children clicking pens (Velcro is bad enough).
  • Pen lids are not constantly lost or being swallowed.
  • Pencils seem less of a problem when stuck in ears or up the nose.
  • They are cheap.
  • Pencils do not explode, leaving a mess all over the room and any child that happened to be in the room at the time.
  • Time not wasted by trying to suck the ink up out of the pen.

Handwriting is a complicated skill to learn and having the right tools for the job always helps. It is worth spending a little time with children using a range of pencil styles and lead grades to find ones that they find comfortable to use for handwriting. These will be different from those they use for drawing. As their handwriting skills develop so the type and grade of pencil they begin to favour will change.

The Right Handwriting Tool for the Job!

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writing tools 2

As with learning any new skill the right tool at the right time can make a real difference to the whole learning experience as well as the outcome. Learning to handwrite is no different.

Young children due to their gross and fine motor skills ability require chunky shafted tools so that they can grip them effectively. This means they have a greater control over the tool and can achieve a more satisfactory outcome. If they are using a tool that is too thin they will find gripping it difficult and have to keep changing their grip. They will have less control of the tool making the experience disappointing at best and discouraging at worst.

To help young children to store patterns and letter shapes formation into their motor memory it is important that the tools used provide a resistance rather than one that flows effortlessly over the writing/drawing surface. The greater the resistance the more the body can neurologically acknowledge (feel) the movement and help to send appropriate information to the brain.

Some of the best tools for young children to begin learning to draw patterns, shapes and correctly write letters:

  • Chalk on boards, walls or paths
  • Flip chart pens or large felt tips on course paper such as sugar paper
  • Using appropriately sized paint brushes on course paper or surfaces
  • Finger painting or finger drawing in sand, paint or cornflour mix
  • Finger tracing and then trying to draw the pattern, shape or letter straight afterwards.
  • Try chalking the shape or letter onto a blackboard and have the child use a damp sponge to wipe it off again (make sure the child starts in the correct place and moves correctly around the shape or letter to the correct finish point).
  • Appropriately sized crayons and pencils on course paper or card (non-shiny side of cereal boxes and corrugated card can be good fun and different to use).

As children begin a more formal approach to learning to form their letters correctly then appropriately sized and lead grade pencils are the best tool for the job. Pencil come in all widths, lengths and shapes. The key is to find the style of pencil which best suits the child and their stage of pencil grip development. Remember one size doesn’t fit all!

When a child has learnt to join their letters and has a good and consistent letter size and places all their letters on the writing line correctly in relation to each other, then it maybe they are ready to be moved to pen. It is important before moving t child to pen that they are writing with speed (appropriate for their age) and fluidity (comfortable writing all the letters of the alphabet lower and upper case correctly). A child whose handwriting is slow and laboured may need additional support and time before being moved on to pen.

Week 5 of Our 5 Week Handwriting Lesson Program

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Week 5 Handwriting 2

The fifth week of our handwriting program is ready for you to download. Today it introduces the ‘Hooks, Loops & Lines Letters’.

The free weekly set of worksheets can be downloaded, printed off and used alongside our letter formation animations.

Click on this link and it will take you to the correct page of our website:

https://www.teachhandwriting.co.uk/covid-19-handwriting-lessons.html

5 Week Handwriting Lesson Program

Each week a new letter family will be introduced:

  1. Straight lines (Finished).
  2. Curves to start (Finished).
  3. Top exit (available until Sunday 17th May 2020)
  4. Tunnel
  5. Hooks, loops and lines

There is a separate worksheet for each day:

Monday – Have a go worksheet

Today you can check if your child knows how to write the letters and if they are writing them correctly. If you know your child cannot form the letters in the letter family then show them the letter animations and then let them have a go.

Tuesday & Wednesday – Specific letter practise days

Each day focuses on different sets of letters from the letter family.

Thursday & Friday – Letter practise days

On these days letters from the letter family being taught and some letters from letter families already introduced are practised.

There are also “Rainbow” worksheets where your child can share with others what they have learnt and achieved over the week as well as appropriately sized practise paper for them.

We hope you find these useful. If you have any questions about this 5 week handwriting program please feel free to contact us through the contact us page and we will do our best to help.

Take care Lucy & Chris from Teach Children Ltd

Week 4 of Our 5 Week Handwriting Lesson Program

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Week 4 handwriting 1

The fourth week of our handwriting program is ready for you to download. Today it introduces the ‘Tunnel Letters’.

The free weekly set of worksheets can be downloaded, printed off and used alongside our letter formation animations.

Click on this link and it will take you to the correct page of our website:

https://www.teachhandwriting.co.uk/covid-19-handwriting-lessons.html

5 Week Handwriting Lesson Program

Each week a new letter family will be introduced:

  1. Straight lines (Finished).
  2. Curves to start (available until Sunday 10th May 2020).
  3. Top exit
  4. Tunnel
  5. Hooks, loops and lines

There is a separate worksheet for each day:

Monday – Have a go worksheet

Today you can check if your child knows how to write the letters and if they are writing them correctly. If you know your child cannot form the letters in the letter family then show them the letter animations and then let them have a go.

Tuesday & Wednesday – Specific letter practise days

Each day focuses on different sets of letters from the letter family.

Thursday & Friday – Letter practise days

On these days letters from the letter family being taught and some letters from letter families already introduced are practised.

There are also “Rainbow” worksheets where your child can share with others what they have learnt and achieved over the week as well as appropriately sized practise paper for them.

We hope you find these useful. If you have any questions about this 5 week handwriting program please feel free to contact us through the contact us page and we will do our best to help.

Take care Lucy & Chris from Teach Children Ltd

Week 3 of Our 5 Week Handwriting Lesson Program

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Week 3 1

The third week of our handwriting program is ready for you to download. Today it introduces the ‘Top Exit Letters’ and revisits letters from the letter families already taught in week 1 – ‘Straight lines family’ and Week 2 – ‘Curves to start family’.

The free weekly set of worksheets can be downloaded, printed off and used alongside our letter formation animations.

Click on this link and it will take you to correct page of our website:

https://www.teachhandwriting.co.uk/covid-19-handwriting-lessons.html

5 Week Handwriting Lesson Program

Each week a new letter family will be introduced:

  1. Straight lines (available until Sunday 3rd May 2020).
  2. Curves to start
  3. Top exit
  4. Tunnel
  5. Hooks, loops and lines

There is a separate worksheet for each day:

Monday – Have a go worksheet

Today you can check if your child knows how to write the letters and if they are writing them correctly. If you know your child cannot form the letters in the letter family then show them the letter animations and then let them have a go.

Tuesday & Wednesday – Specific letter practise days

Each day focuses on different sets of letters from the letter family.

Thursday & Friday – Letter practise days

On these days letters from the letter family being taught and some letters from letter families already introduced are practised.

There are also “Rainbow” worksheets where your child can share with others what they have learnt and achieved over the week as well as appropriately sized practise paper for them.

We hope you find these useful. If you have any questions about this 5 week handwriting program please feel free to contact us through the contact us page and we will do our best to help.

Take care Lucy & Chris from Teach Children Ltd

Week 2 of Handwriting Lesson Program

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Week 2 Handwriting 1

We posted the first week of our 5 Week Handwriting Lesson Program on 19th April 2020 which introduced the ‘straight lines family’. It is free 5 week, easy to use, handwriting program for you.

The second week of this handwriting program will be ready for you to download on Friday 24/04/20 and introduces the ‘curves to start family’.

The free weekly set of worksheets can be downloaded, printed off and used alongside our letter formation animations.

Click on this link and it will take you to correct page of our website:

https://www.teachhandwriting.co.uk/covid-19-handwriting-lessons.html

5 Week Handwriting Lesson Program

Each week a new letter family will be introduced:

  1. Straight lines
  2. Curves to start
  3. Top exit
  4. Tunnel
  5. Hooks, loops and lines

There is a separate worksheet for each day:

Monday – Have a go worksheet

Today you can check if your child knows how to write the letters and if they are writing them correctly. If you know your child cannot form the letters in the letter family then show them the letter animations and then let them have a go.

Tuesday & Wednesday – Specific letter practise days

Each day focuses on different sets of letters from the letter family.

Thursday & Friday – Letter practise days

On these days letters from the letter family being taught and some letters from letter families already introduced are practised.

There are also “Rainbow” worksheets where your child can share with others what they have learnt and achieved over the week as well as appropriately sized practise paper for them.

We hope you find these useful. If you have any questions about this 5 week handwriting program please feel free to contact us through the contact us page and we will do our best to help.

Take care Lucy & Chris from Teach Children Ltd

Spring/Easter Drawing Activity Ideas – Supporting Pre-handwriting Pattern Development

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Easter Banner 2

In these unusual times it can be easy to forget that it is the Easter holiday break.

We have put together some quick step by step Easter drawing ideas for you to try, using basic shapes such as circles, rectangles and triangles. It is amazing how, by using these simple shapes, you and your child can create fantastic Spring/Easter: cards, pictures mobiles or bunting: http://bit.ly/2kyeo3w

People have enjoyed seeing children’s’ rainbow pictures up in windows so adding some Spring/Easter pictures or mobiles can only add to the enjoyment.

Drawing pictures is a great way to help your child develop their pre-handwriting strokes and shape forming skills. As well as supporting shape, colour, pattern and language development.

The Best Pencil Grip for #Handwriting – Tripod Grip

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Drawbridge flip 1

The Drawbridge Flip Method is a simple way of helping your child pick up a pencil and hold it correctly in the tripod grip for handwriting.

Follow this link for an instructional video for both left and right-handed writers on how to use the Drawbridge Flip method:

https://www.teachhandwriting.co.uk/whole-class-tripod-pencil-grip-teaching-ks1.html

Drawbridge Flip instructions:

  • Place the pencil on the table in front of the writing hand, so it forms a straight line up the table with the writing tip of the pencil pointing towards you.
  • Then using your thumb and index finger pinch the pencil either side of the shaft about 2 cm up from the tip for a right-handed writer and about 3 cm up for a left-handed writer. Dots or sticker may be placed on the pencil to help thumb and finger placement.
  • Pick the pencil up off the table and place the fingernail of the middle finger on to the pencil just above the tip.
  • Keep the ring and little finger gently curled in.
  • Push down with the middle finger so that the pencil moves up and over like a drawbridge, keep pushing until the pencil is supported in the cup (web of skin that joins the thumb, hand and index finger) and the pencil is resting on the inner edge of middle finger.
  • When writing, the end of the pencil will be angled towards the shoulder for right-handed writers and the elbow for left-handed writers.