Corporate Members: Cambridge-Hitachi

Corporate Members: Cambridge-Hitachi

Cambridge-Hitachi is a dynamic e-learning company that combines the curriculum knowledge and educational expertise of Cambridge University Press and the innovative technology of Hitachi software. We produce a range of easy-to-use curriculum software for primary literacy and maths.

Of chief interest to NHA members will be our school handwriting scheme Penpals for Handwriting, which helps children to develop a fluent, confident handwriting style.

We believe that:

1. A flexible, fluent and legible handwriting style empowers children to write with confidence and creativity. This is an entitlement that needs skilful teaching.
2. Handwriting is a developmental process with its own distinctive stages of sequential growth. Five stages form the organisational structure of Penpals:
   • Readiness for handwriting; gross and fine motor skills leading to letter formation (3–5 years)
   • Beginning to join (5–7 years)
   • Securing the joins (5–9 years)
   • Practising speed and fluency (7–9 years)
   • Presentation skills (10–11 years)
3. Handwriting must be actively taught: this can be done in association with spelling. Learning to associate the kinaesthetic handwriting movement with the visual letter pattern and the aural phonemes will help children with learning to spell.

Penpals provides clear progression for children aged 3 to 11 starting in Foundation 1 where children practise their gross and fine motor skills in readiness for handwriting and finishing in Years 5 & 6 where basic handwriting issues are revised and speed and fluency improved.

The fonts used are based on the groundbreaking research of handwriting specialist and designer Rosemary Sassoon. Although researched as a reading font, the letters represent the movement, proportion and basic shapes of separate and joined letters.

Penpals for Handwriting was written by Gill Budgell and Kate Ruttle in consultation with Professor Rhona Stainthorp of the Institute of Education and University of Reading, and literacy specialist Sue Palmer.

See http://www.cambridge-hitachi.com/penpals