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03 September 2015

Handwriting Help from Start-Bee (PLUS Your Chance To WIN)

According to the Department of Education every child should be writing their names and simple sentences by the age of five and joining up their letters by seven. Fact is a whole third of a class from every primary school in the UK is leaving at aged 11 unable to do this. 
 
Melanie Harwood’s daughter was one of those 1 in 3. Her daughter’s inability to write her name cost her a place at primary school, so Harwood decided to do something about it. In the process she invented a method that teaches children the life-enabling skill of handwriting, which she currently delivers as after school clubs. In just seven weeks her Start-Bee handwriting method can get any child writing their names in a legible, neat, cursive script. 
 
 
 


Handwriting is a skill that is fundamental to unlocking an individual’s potential in life. Scientific evidence proves that children who can write are able to access the entire education curriculum more efficiently than children who cannot write. Even in a digital age, whilst computers are still barred from the exam room, children need to be able to write fluently and quickly if they are to pass exams.
 
Now Melanie is turning her method it into handwriting kits and the accompanying lessons into films that will be broadcast over the Internet. The kits are being presold from 8th September to crowdfund enough money to realize that ambition. Everything a learner needs to master handwriting has been carefully selected to teach every child, including those with SEN and Dyslexia, how to write, to expand their vocabulary and to read whilst having fun learning. Packaged up in a specially designed Start-Bee Trunki, you’ll find items such as bespoke pencils, puzzles, posters, ink pads, light box, exercises, support materials, folders, paper and stencils. The kit works in conjunction with 310 exercises, which will be broadcast as 70, one-hour lessons over the Internet.
 
More information at http://www.start-bee.com/
 
 



 For your chance to win a Neutral Handwriter’s Kit (as seen above) complete with Trunki plus 4 lessons (worth approx £300 in total) you can enter via the Gleam entry form below.

The giveaway ends at 11.59pm GMT on 1st October 2015.

Leaving a comment is mandatory but there are additional entry methods available also.
Please refer to the T&C in relation to dispatch times for this prize.

Good luck!
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135 comments

  1. Claire Elizabeth Noke03/09/2015, 00:37

    Little bumblebee pencil toppers ? :)

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  2. I think the kit looks wonderful! I have been writing a journal since the beginning of the year. It may only be a paragraph or two a day but it has been helpful to note down my thoughts - it is the first year I have one this!

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  3. I have been writing thank you notes

    AShleigh

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  4. i have been writing my diary

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  5. I have been writing letters to my friends that I don't get to see so often as more personal

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  6. I have been trying to teach my son how to write. He's just about to go into his last year of nursery but doesn't hold pens or pencils the 'right way' yet. I would add fun pencil toppers or stencils to this kit :) xx

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  7. Layla Thomas03/09/2015, 16:22

    I almost never write, but my son will be writing a few thank you cards soon for all the lovely birthday presents he's opened today.

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  8. I would add 4 silhouettes: a family :)

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  9. I've just started up a handwritten journal again and have missed doing it!

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  10. I write in my little boy's baby book :)

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  11. I have been writing in my diary about my grandkids

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  12. My son is starting Reception next week, we have been practising writing his name together.

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  13. The only thing I seem to write is shopping and 'to do' lists.

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  14. The kit looks great and would be perfect for my daughter who starts reception next week

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  15. Writing a diary.
    Kelly glen.

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  16. Samantha Wheeler03/09/2015, 20:43

    I'd have some pretty stickers to help my writing look beautiful!
    And I would write a journal

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  17. I think the kit looks quite comprehensive and I'm sure she has thought out all of the contents from her experience of teaching the method. Perhaps what is missing would be some sort of reward sticker?
    I don't do a lot of writing these days. I think the last thing I wrote was a phone message.

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  18. I've been writing my thoughts in my diary as really helps with my wellbeing xx

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  19. I recently wrote a massive to do list in my diary!

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  20. I have been writing lists, lots and lots to do. x

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  21. I think a mini diary would be nice

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  22. I love writing list and there is nothing better than crossing everything off a to do list

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  23. I'm afraid recently all I have written is shopping lists.

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  24. a rubber pencil gripper, to make it easier for little fingers to hold a pencil.

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  25. I write to my little girl every day.

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  26. The kit is lovely.
    I have been keeping a diary and update it every evening, it contains my thoughts, feeling and emotions. It is incredibly moving to look back on previous entries because they capture so many special memories and fleeting feelings.

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  27. I have just started a weight watchers journal, it is fab and will hopefully keep me on track :)

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  28. Ive wrote a lovely poem about Autism and how perfect my son is x

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  29. This is a lovely kit!. I spent a considerable amount of time with my son writing his name before he went to school, I knew by the amount of practice we had done, that he was left handed.... I had informed staff of this but unfortunately, no notice was taken and he was made to use his right hand :(
    Amongst other issues, we decided to take him out of this school and he will be going into Year 3 next week, but is able to comfortably use his left hand and we have spent a lot of time over the summer practicing his hand writing :) So proud of how he is coming on xx

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    1. So I have been keeping a diary of his progress :)

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  30. I write in my diary, daily!

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  31. i write lists constantly.
    shopping lists, to-do lists, things i need to buy for my daughter when she arrives, moving house list.
    oh so many lists

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  32. i wrote a letter to my boyfriend

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  33. i'm usually wrting to do lists

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  34. I have helped my daughter to make a scrapbook of our summer holiday, so I've been writing in that.

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  35. Last thing I've written would have been a shopping list but before that it was a huge pile of Birthday cards as majority of Birthdays in our extended family fall into August :)

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  36. I think the kit looks wonderful. I've written a letter to my Gran about how much she means to us. I wanted to get her a gift to say thankyou for looking after my girls whilst I was working (currently on maternity leave) but nothing seemed appropriate- she doesn't use 'smellies' or wear jewellery and EVERYONE gets her orchids, so I thought, how about something from the heart x

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  37. I'm a huge to-do list writer!

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  38. I'm not a writer in the slightest!! Recently though I wrote a lovely poem for my grandads funeral <3

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  39. i have been writing my diary daily - leanne w

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  40. I've recently written a thank you note! The kit looks lovely!

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  41. I have my own little online space for writing, not really sure what i write, i just like it ;) https://lindamcgarrigle.wordpress.com/

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  42. I write. Everyday in my recovery diary...its something I've been doing for the last ten years ..since I got into a twelve step programme and I find it helps me so much!

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  43. I write. Everyday in my recovery diary...its something I've been doing for the last ten years ..since I got into a twelve step programme and I find it helps me so much!

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  44. Maybe adapters for the pens / pencils for kids with learning difficulties so they can grip to learn to write / draw

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  45. I think its perfect as it is
    I write blogs, freelance writing, currently writing a novel, I write poetry, lists...

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  46. Sadly, the latest thing I've written is 2 reports about inappropriate behaviour in my taxi!

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  47. I write short stories for my own enjoyment x

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  48. The kit looks great! I have been trying to write in my pregnancy diary regularly :)

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  49. it is just in my diary or emails that I write x

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  50. maybe a reward chart for child to work towards when improving handwriting skills

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  51. I think a folder with slip covers to keep past work and to track improvements

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  52. The only writing I do, is my magazine puzzles and postal competitions

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  53. Kerry-Ann Pope08/09/2015, 15:03

    I have been keeping a diary with my boys of what we did on a day to day basis over the summer holidays. They have loved writing little paragraphs and drawing or taking accompanying pictures and sticking them in. It will be a lovely memento for them to look back at to remember a wonderful summer.

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  54. Love writing with my daughter who has just started primary 1.

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  55. It would be nice to include some fun tracing, mazes, and connect the dot activities to help develop the skills in another way.

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  56. Lists!!!! I always write Lists! I once had a friend ask me why I didnt put my lists on my ipad or computer and I answered.. because I like writing!

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  57. I'm always writing little post it notes for remembering things :)

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  58. I seem to write lists on a daily basis but also love to write thank you notes

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  59. I recently wrote thank you cards on behalf of my 2 year old for birthday presents

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  60. I wrote postcards whilst on holiday.

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  61. I have written a "To do before i'm 50" list :-)

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  62. I have kept a diary since I was young:)

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  63. i have been writing out my christmas gift and wrapped list

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  64. Lists of all the things my son needs to take to Uni this weekend

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  65. I have been writing travel diary

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  66. Been writing thank notes on my sons behalf for his pressies

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  67. I have written a section of the book "Of the River People: Memories of a Midland Childhood by Anthony Perry" published a few months ago.

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  68. writing a complaint letter re our recent holiday

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  69. I tend to draft most of my blog posts out by hand in a notebook. Any excuse to use a pretty pen and notebook

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  70. Wedding save the date cards

    Kay Panayi

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  71. I'm still writing thank you card for all the lovely gifts Lisa got and shes 4 months old. oops! no time

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  72. Joanne O'Neill
    I would love to see a progress or reward chart as this always had a positive impact on my eldest daughter x

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  73. i have been writing shopping lists pretty boring i know!

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  74. Some stripy bee border paper would be super.

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  75. The only writing I seem to do is shopping/ to do lists!

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  76. i wrote a letter to friend recently

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  77. I wrote a letter to a friend, an actual letter, not an email!

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  78. I seem to be writing a hell of a lot of birthday cards lately...is everyone born in August, September and October or what!? ;)

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  79. I wrote in my babies keepsake book for saying her first word. Da da

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  80. I have written shopping lists

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  81. i've been making lists of what i need to do a halloween party

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  82. I have several postcard pals and I have been writing to them with my favourite purple pen :)

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  83. I've written a letter to my daughters teacher, I always tend to handwrite into the school rather than type/email

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  84. amanda noble26/09/2015, 23:26

    I love to write ...from filling out competition entries to writing poems and helping my daughter with her homework

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  85. I used to write a lot of poems. Unfortunately I don't anymore. Perhaps if I did, my two sons would imitate me. They don't like to write at home and have bad handwriting.

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  86. I have not managed to write anything but my son has just had a short story published in a book called Grimm Tales which I am very proud of :) It is his own take on The three little pigs story :)

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  87. I write lots of postcards through the Postcrossing scheme

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  88. I've been writing in the baby book x

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  89. Number 9 brings back so many childhood memories :).......
    I seem to write lists after lists, filling in the childrens homework diaries, filling in forms x

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  90. i love writing lists x x x x x

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  91. I've just moved house and have found myself writing endless lists of things I need to buy and things I need to fix!

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  92. I have started writing about things I like in my scrapbook

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  93. i regularly scrap book, id love fancy hndwriting

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  94. Rather sad really but very proud to write an epitaph for a close friend

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  95. I have baby books and scrap books for each of my three children, that I regularly update x

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  96. i write in my diary daily :)

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  97. Myself and my two bubs aged 6 and 5 wrote to NASA, with some questions about space. It was a fun way to get them writing and we got a reply with stickers and pics of some real life astronauts!

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  98. I write lots of to do lists

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  99. I might add something for larger motor skills - being able to control arms comes before hands and fingers

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  100. I would add a maths book

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  101. I have been writing my sons Christmas wish list!

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  102. We found pencil grip aids a big help. My son refused to hold a pencil with his fingertips as he said it hurt his fingers. But with the help of rubber pencil grip aids we managed to work through it.

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  103. I always liked writing personalised poems on birthday cards for family :)

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  104. I have been writing reports on my engineers

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  105. I have been writing a blog post

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  106. I wrote a note to the teacher to let them know my son's reading record wasn't in his homework bag but we had completed the reading book and discussed the story.

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  107. The bumblebee Trunki to keep all of the amazing learning tools in.

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  108. I have written a letter recently

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  109. Always hand write letters rather than type them, makes it feel more personal :)

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  110. I write stories with my daughter. x

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  111. Maria Jane Knight01/10/2015, 11:08

    I would like to see a sheet showing how kiddies should be forming their letters correctly. Where the pen should start and finish.

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  112. Me and my little boy wrote a poem last week for a competition at his school :)

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  113. Perhaps add a hotter/notebook for drawing pictures and writing a story about it, next to or underneath.

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  114. I used to love creative writing as a child/teenager but sadly the most I get to write these days is the shopping list!

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  115. I have been writing a little piece about how wonderful old cats are for a charity.

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  116. we love writing stories together. We take turns to write parts.

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  117. i love to write poems myself, mainly about family

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  118. I love writing poetry - I have been writing them for more years than I can remember

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  119. I wrote my mum a poem :)

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  120. I've encouraged son to write the sort of fantasy stories he enjoys with pictures.

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  121. I write lists every single day and cross out things as i do them.

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  122. i do try and write a journal xx

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  123. At the moment I am writing a lot of cover letters trying to get a job

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  124. Keeping a diary. Making training notes at work

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  125. I have kept a journal whenever we have been out and about in our caravan for the last 30 years. Great to look back on 3:)

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  126. I do very little writing now, I struggled with it as a youngster and had to have lessons. My 7 year old son is having the exact same problems as me so most of the writing I do is for him to copy! The kit looks great, perhaps some grips would be a good addition?

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