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That's so neat Jo -
Here's a summary of what I got from Vimala:
She doesn't recommend using lines at any age. "Lines are restrictive and inhibit the creative mind. Because we adults are so accustomed to using them, we assume children need them. They don't. To use them creates "in the box" thinking and tends to suffocate originality. I have taught four-year-olds to write using unlined paper, and they did beautifully, just beautifully."
She offers the option, if you are concerned with lines, to:
"Fold the children's writing paper in half, so the crease appears in the middle of the page, then smooth it out before writing practice. In that way the writer has three "lines" to follow: the top of the paper, the bottom of the paper, and the almost-invisible horizontal crease across the middle of the paper. *To draw a line across the paper is a harsh reprimand*; the fold line is a gentle reminder."
She also suggests being aware ourselves when we practice: how does it feel to write unlined paper and how does it feel to write on lined.
-- copied with permission from Vimala
Hope this helps,
Deborah
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