Handwriting Rules 1 NSW 2e sample/look inside

Katy Collis and
Alexandra Kennedy
NSW Second Edition
1
NSW Foundation Style

Notes for Teachers and Parents
The Handwriting Rules! series is designed to support
students’ development of legible, fluent handwriting
in NSW Foundation Style, as directed by the NSW
English Syllabus. It combines a multi-sensory and a
cognitive approach to embed letter formation in the
motor memory, with carefully structured layout and
humorous illustrations to engage students’ interest. It
is the only series to fully integrate handwriting skills
with other aspects of the English syllabus: spelling and
phonic knowledge, vocabulary, grammar, punctuation,
and aspects of literature (literary elements).
Handwriting is linked to the ability to spell. Neat and legible
handwriting assists students to develop kinaesthetic and
visual memory for letter sequences in spelling. There is
a great deal of research that proves that when children’s
handwriting is automatic (i.e. requiring little thinking or
cognitive effort), the brain is freed for more creative tasks.
Also, fine motor control leads to legible handwriting,
which supports spelling development.
Structure of the Year 1 workbook
Letters are presented in a sequence based on the three
main types of movements: the anticlockwise ellipse,
the clockwise ellipse, and the downward diagonal
stroke. Completing the pages in this sequence will help
students develop automaticity of letter formation, as the
similarities of movement are highlighted. An alternate
approach would be to select the letter that matches your
phonic knowledge program. Numerals are presented at
the back of the book but can be completed at any time,
to suit your program.
Activities for each letter are presented across a double
page spread. The activities cover patterning, tracking,
tracing and writing. Start dots and directional arrows
give extra support. Each letter is reinforced on its own,
then used in individual words as well as in a sentence.
The sentence types vary and include examples of
questions, statements, commands, exclamations,
and direct speech. All sentences involve alliteration to
reinforce use of the focus letter. Other aspects of the
English syllabus are also included, such as spelling
and vocabulary, punctuation, grammar (nouns, verbs
and adjectives), and onomatopoeia. Where possible,
links are made to literature through fairy tales, fables,
story characters and settings. (See the inside front
cover for more information about page features.) Each
workbook page also provides opportunities to develop
students’ phonological awareness, oral language
and communication skills through discussion of the
content, and reading skills.
A handwriting lesson
Use the poster on the back cover to reinforce the
process of getting ready to write with the three p’s for
perfect handwriting: posture, pencil hold and paper
position.
When getting ready to write, use large arm movements
as warm-up activities to establish kinaesthetic
memory for the handwriting movements. Other
activities for developing fine motor control, and hand
and finger strength are included in the digital edition of
Handwriting Rules! NSW K–2.
Introduce the letter name and brainstorm lists of words
that start with the letter or letter sound, or contain the
letter. Develop students’ vocabulary and interest by
discussing the illustrations and noting any humour or
anthropomorphism in the visual or verbal text.
Demonstrate and model the movement and shape of
the focus letter, or display the animations supplied in
the digital edition of Handwriting Rules! NSW K–2 on an
interactive whiteboard.
If necessary, explain the writing lines (i.e. the top
dotted line, the main line and the lower dotted line).
Explain that the shading of the head, body and tail of
the creature is used to identify which lines each letter
fits between. It shows if the letter is a tall, short or long
letter. Have students practise on their appropriate
workbook pages. Reinforce correct letter shape and
size, as well as consistency of letter slope.
Assessment
Students can keep track of their handwriting progress
by completing the progress chart on pages 2 and 3, as
well as the self-assessment activities throughout the
book. Encourage students to reflect critically on their
own handwriting and make judgements about their
progress and improvement.
Teacher assessment of student progress can take
place at any time through observation and interaction
with students as they are engaged in writing tasks.
Assess students’ hand control and watch that letters
are formed correctly with consistent size, shape and
slope. Observe students to ensure that movements
are fluent and correct. Continued modelling and
practice will help develop students’ automaticity in
correctly forming the letters. Analyse examples of
students’ handwritten text to assess legibility, and the
consistency of shape, size and slope of the letters
formed. More information and checklists can be found
in the digital edition of Handwriting Rules! NSW K–2.

(my name)
loves to
.
This is a drawing of what I love to do.

My progress chart
As you complete each page,
find the letter here. Trace the
letter and draw a picture.
aA bB cC
dD eE fF
gG hH iI
jJ kK lL
2

mM nN oO
pP qQ rR
sS tT uU
vV wW xX
yY
zZ
3

Continue the patterns. Keep your pencil on the page.
Copy the picture.
4
Handwriting: anticlockwise ellipse practice for letters a c C d e f g G o O q Q s S u U v w y

Continue the patterns. Keep your pencil on the page.
Copy the patterns.
Handwriting: clockwise ellipse practice for letters b B D h k m n p P r R
5

Trace.
Practise.
Trace.
Practise.
Trace.
Practise.
Trace.
6
Handwriting: downward diagonal stroke practice for letters A E F H i I j J K l L M N t T V W x X Y z Z

Copy the patterns. Start at the dots.
Handwriting: patterning.
7

u U
Warm up.
u u u u u u u u
Track.
Trace then write.
u u u u u u u u
Trace then write.
under upend
8
Handwriting: anticlockwise ellipse, short letter (u).
Grammar: saying verb (uttered), proper nouns (Uncle Uno).
Punctuation: sentence punctuation, exclamation mark, quotation marks.
Spelling and vocabulary: prefix un- (undo, untie, unzip), uncle, under, until, up, upend, upon, umbrella.
Literary elements: alliteration, onomatopoeia (ouch).

Trace then write.
U U U
Trace then write.
Uncle Uno
uttered, “Ouch!”
9

Track.
y
Warm up.
Y2
y y y y y y y
Trace then write.
y y y y y y y y
Trace then write.
year yawn yes
10
Handwriting: anticlockwise ellipse, long letter (y).
Grammar: saying verb (yak).
Punctuation: upper-case letter to start a sentence, full stop, speech bubble.
Spelling and vocabulary: yacht, yak, yap, yard, yarn, yawn, year, yen, yep, yes, yeti, yoga, yolk, you, yuan, yummy.
Literary elements: alliteration, onomatopoeia (yakkity yak), anthropomorphism.

Trace then write.
Y
2
Y
2
Y
Trace then write.
Yaks yak on
yoga mats.
11

v V
Warm up.
v v v v v v v v
Track.
Trace then write.
v v v v v v v v
Trace then write.
vow vroom
12
Handwriting: anticlockwise ellipse, short letter (v).
Grammar: simple sentence, proper nouns (Vinnie Vole).
Punctuation: upper-case letters to start a sentence, full stop.
Spelling and vocabulary: vain, vase, very, vest, vibe, vine, violin, volcano, vole, vote, vow.
Literary elements: alliteration, anthropomorphism, onomatopoeia (vroom).

Trace then write.
V V V
Trace then write.
Vinnie Vole
was very vain.
13

w W
Warm up.
w w w w w w
Track.
Trace then write.
w w w w w w
Trace then write.
whiz wink wasp
14
Handwriting: anticlockwise ellipse, short letter (w).
Grammar: saying verb (asked), proper noun (Wally), question.
Punctuation: upper-case letters to start a sentence, quotation marks, quoted speech, question mark.
Spelling and vocabulary: wall, walrus, watermelon, was, wasp, wave, Wednesday, when, whew, which, whiz, who, wild, wilt, win, wink.
Literary elements: alliteration, anthropomorphism.

Trace then write.
W W W
Trace then write.
“Who will win?”
asked Wally.
15

a
A2
3
Warm up.
a a a a a a a
Track.
Trace then write.
a a a a a a a a
Trace then write.
animal ape ask
16
Handwriting: anticlockwise ellipse, short letter (a).
Grammar: simple sentence, action verb (ate).
Punctuation: upper-case letters to start a sentence, full stop.
Spelling and vocabulary: act, again, ago, all, allow, animal, any, ape, apple, April, arm, arrow, ash, ask, ate, August.
Literary elements: alliteration.

Trace then write.
A A A
2 2
3 3
Trace then write.
An anaconda
ate the apples.
17