The Penpals for Handwriting CD-ROMs provide an exciting and visually stimulating way to demonstrate the formation of letters and key joins to the whole class using an interactive whiteboard. The CD-ROMs can be used alone or alongside Penpals for Handwriting print materials. Penpals provides clear progression through the development of gross and fine motor skills and offers practice of letter formation and joining to teach a fast, fluent and legible handwriting style. Each CD-ROM includes a word bank at an appropriate level and animations of target joins. In addition, the CD-ROM for F2 features animated sky writing patterns for practising in the air. All discs feature pen and highlighter tools for demonstrating joins on screen and video clips of warm-up activities. Still images show correct posture and video clips show correct pencil hold for left- and right-handed children.

 

This book was published 2004 by Cambridge University Press .

Kate Ruttle is a SENCO and Key Practitioner for Inclusion & Literacy in Suffolk. She has written many standardised tests for Hodder. Gill Budgell is a children s author whose books include the Penpals for Handwriting series. "

This book has the following chapters: About Penpals - information about the CD-ROMs and the rationale of Penpals as a handwriting scheme; 30 Units featuring letter/join animations, practice words, sky writing and a challenge word; Teacher's Notes for each unit page; Warm up video clips; Posture clips (video stills); Handwriting patterns; Printable homework sheets; Joining letter sets page showing the types of join used between different letters; Alphabet with animations of each letter shape to show formation.