First Language (Dinka) Literacy as a Foundation for English ...

Section 2: Teaching Ideas
Handwriting
A hand writing sample
All the learners made some errors in the way they formed certain letters and numbers.
These errors were possibly due to having learnt to write the alphabet through tracing.
While the letters / numbers were mostly legible, incorrect formation made the process of
writing less efficient.
At first the teacher tried remedial work by focussing on one letter a day, using ‘air writing’
and actual writing. The air writing included saying the strokes (eg t is down… across…).
This was enthusiastically received, as was some repetitive copying of the individual
letters.
When the alphabet was ‘finished’, there was a brief period of experimenting with ‘speed
copying’. This involved learners copying as much of an unseen text as possible within a
time limit. The aim was to continue to practise handwriting but in a more integrated way.
However the learners reacted very strongly to this, saying they needed to understand
what they were copying, or it had no purpose. They said they had spent a lot of time
copying texts they didn’t understand in other classes, and that it did nothing for them.
Instead, the class switched to copying the ‘story of the week’ or other texts they were
already working with in class. This was keenly taken up by at least half the class, who
subsequently practised copying these texts at home as well, of their own accord.
The class also focussed on writing numerals, in brief daily sessions with bilingual support.
This involved practice and discussion, and resulted in excellent short term improvement.
In terms of long term improvement, however, there was almost no change in accuracy of
letter and numeral formation. The time the class spent on accuracy was basically a waste
- habits were ingrained, and the time would have been better spent doing other things.
On the other hand, copying practice of familiar whole texts had other benefits. Learners
reported it was now faster and easier to write and that it assisted them with spelling and
reading (they read as they copied), and one learner said she could now copy word by
word instead of letter by letter.
© Commonwealth of Australia 2009 Dinka-English Literacy Project Page 28