Phonics International

[debbie]

www.debbiehepplewhitehandwriting.com

Now available: Free Alphabet and Handwriting Resources and video clip demonstrating the joined handwriting style.

I've been wanting to share my technique for teaching fully-joined handwriting for many years - and at last we have launched a website dedicated to handwriting!

Of course we shall build the website up over time with more resources and examples of work - before and after any teaching intervention.

I would really appreciate other people contributing their findings and questions - you may even disagree with the promotion of joined handwriting in our schools feeling it is not necessary or outdated in a technological age.

I think good handwriting and joined handwriting is entirely relevant in our technological age - we still benefit from writing by hand - and writing well - or at least having the option to write well.

I have various types of personal writing style dependent upon whether I am scribbling some ideas or notes down at a very high speed - or whether I'm hand-writing something which I wish to be neat in a style which most expresses myself! The point is that I can 'choose' to write in various styles. We need our pupils to have similar choices but some need better help to give them the option to handwrite very well with joins and a visual 'flair'.

Thus, I have developed a 'joined' handwriting style that I am promoting on the new website for 'teaching and learning' purposes - for any age.

The style I promote may not be in line with your school's policy - or even your region's or country's policy.

I do say, however, that policies are there to serve us - and not the other way around - and I suggest that there are some countries that may well want to review their handwriting styles!

Some schools and some countries, for example, insist on young children being taught joined handwriting before, or instead of, a 'print' style and I think that this is not the best idea for teenies.

Please do join in this forum with your own points of view and/or questions and enjoy the discussions.

Some of you may even want to send handwriting samples that we can look at and discuss.

Debbie

PS: Thank you so much to Carol Cockeram who used her time and skill to create two new handwriting styles 'electronically' for me: a print style and a joined handwriting style. Schools can buy the join-it toolkit enabling them to use these styles to make posters and resources for their own purposes.
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Debbie Hepplewhite

[Susan]

Congratulations Debbie! This has been long awaited.

[debbie]

Hi Susan,

Thank you for your encouragement and contribution!

I'm very excited about the new handwriting website - and have already had a number of enquiries from teachers in the UK.

Hopefully they'll be able to give some feedback re results if they decide to follow the guidance and styles!

I'm suggesting that pupils make instant progress, even when their 'style' isn't totally precise as to the 'lead-in strokes' (I'm referring to introducing the joined handwriting style to remediate poor handwriting).

I've been sent some writing samples from pupils who have only just been introduced to the joined handwriting style and already there is significant change.

The bottom line is, however, that the adults themselves should model good handwriting in the same style - especially for the under twelves.
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Debbie Hepplewhite