SUPPORTING CHILDREN TO DEVELOP FLUENT HANDWRITING
Handwriting lines Little Wandle Handwriting uses a structured 4-line writing line designed to aid children in their letter placement and formation. top-line mid-line baseline descender line As children develop their manual dexterity, spatial awareness and muscle memory, we expect the letter size they use to reduce. Reception: 17 mm line spacing In Reception, Workbooks 1–4 have a line spacing of 17 mm. Children in Reception benefit from wider writing lines because they are still building the hand strength, finger dexterity, and fine motor control required to make small, precise movements. Larger writing spaces make it easier for children to control their pencil and form letters accurately. As children learn to write, they are concentrating on where each letter begins and ends, as well as the direction of each stroke. Wider lines provide the space needed to practise correct letter formation and to recognise the relative size and position of different letters. They can more easily distinguish between tall letters (ascenders), short letters (x-height), and letters that go below the baseline (descenders). This helps children develop consistent handwriting habits from the outset. When applying their handwriting in an exercise book, the recommended size of the lines is 15–17 mm.
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Little Wandle Handwriting