We often get asked ‘when should we start teaching handwriting?’ Handwriting and phonics go hand in hand. Within your phonics lessons you will be teaching the formation of letters, but letter formation and handwriting should be taught outside of the phonics lesson as well, in additional handwriting lessons. The implications of not doing this has been highlighted in a recent Ofsted report ‘Strong foundations in the first years of school’ (Oct 2024):
‘Teaching handwriting only in phonics sessions…means that children do not learn the basics of letter formation that establish the foundations for speedy and fluent handwriting later on’.
So, lets look at both these elements of handwriting:
- In the phonics lesson
- In handwriting lessons
Teaching letter formation in the phonics lesson
Letter formation is taught in phonics lessons from the first week of the reception programme, as children learn the single letter graphemes. It is important that we teach children the correct letter formation right from the beginning. As children are developing their fine motor control and pencil grip this can be quite challenging but it is hard to ‘unteach’ incorrect letter formation. ‘Incorrect letter formation then becomes a habit’ report ‘Strong foundations in the first years of school’ (Oct 2024):
- Use the Monster Phonics formation rhymes to support teaching of the letter formation. These rhymes are part of the teaching PowerPoints, as well as listed on the formation charts and video.
- You can use whiteboards and pens to teach letter formation during phonics lessons but it is important to ensure the children follow clear routines for using these. They may initially need lots of practice with this. Whiteboards with lines help children position letters correctly on the line and practice consistent sizing. For handwriting lessons, however, children should always be seated at tables.
Why letter formation in the phonics lesson matters…
- Strengthens Phoneme-Grapheme Connections: Writing letters while saying their corresponding sounds deepens children’s understanding of the alphabetic code.
- Reinforces Memory: The act of forming letters helps embed phonics knowledge in long-term memory.
- Supports Spelling: Practicing handwriting alongside phonics teaches children to spell words by segmenting sounds and matching them to letters.
Handwriting lessons
Learning to form letters and spell words requires considerable effort and attention. While some pupils who have SEND may need reasonable adjustments, the vast majority of children should be taught how to sit with correct posture on a chair at a table, using a tripod grip to hold a pencil. Developing the right habits from the beginning allows children to write comfortably and legibly.
The Reading Framework 2023
- Follow the Reading Framework’s guidance and have children sitting comfortably at a table for your handwriting lessons. Use the lessons to focus on correct pencil grip, letter formation and orientation, and correct posture.
- Continue to use the Monster Phonics formation rhymes and resources to support within these lessons. These additional handwriting resources compliment and support any handwriting scheme. They allow you to practise letter formation alongside the progression within the phonics programme, again strengthening the link between phoneme, grapheme correspondence.
- There is clear progression through these resources and they guide children through the progressive stages of initial handwriting mastery. All our handwriting resources use ‘print’ as recommended by the DfE. Once completed and children have clear letter formation, schools can begin cursive script.
- Finally, encourage parents to support handwriting at home, ensuring consistency in letter formation and phonics reinforcement.
Handwriting Resources
