Written Language

Writing down ideas allows our students to develop skills to explore language at their own pace and more slowly than spoken language. It provides opportunities to share ideas and to explore language for its own sake, as well as improving their own language.

The writing programmes use a range of strategies and ‘pencils’ for each of the students. Using experiences or pictures to prompt student writing, the student is supported to share their ideas using symbols and conventional text. The student may write with a pen or pencil, computer, assistive technology device, or an iPad app such as Sona-flex lite.

Handwriting Without Tears is a programme that is used school wide to support students to correctly form letters. The programme is designed to make handwriting easy to teach and easy to learn. It uses developmentally appropriate multisensory tools and strategies so students will move, sing, and talk, as active participants in the lesson.