[Momma Aimee]

Handwritting.

I have never thought about it too much.

Now that i rea,lly start reading and making some choices about what we are going to Actually DO .. i see that there are a ton of differnt 'schools out there .. differnt handwritting programs and so on

so what do i need to know to know what is best for us?

what is the differnce?

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[Dreaming]

I'm teaching my children the same style I learned when I attended private school: D'Nealian. I think it transitions beautifully into cursive (which I will also be teaching them).

However, it appears my son is a lefty, so I may end up teaching him something entirely different to suit his personal needs. We'll have to see.

I think it's just all about what you (or your children) feel drawn to combined with personal needs. Maybe there is a website that compares the different approaches?

 

[Lillian J]

We used a bone simple approach - The "Write" Approach - Book 2
Form Drawing for Better Handwriting. The lower case letters are as simple as simple can be, and the upper case ones are just the basic manuscript (printing) style they've already learned. It made a lot of sense to me - children tend to start personalizing their upper case letters when they get older anyway, and this doesn't start them off with embellishments. Later, I just wrote very simply in a light colored pencil and my son traced right over it in a contrasting color - so that's how you can show some simple upper case cursive if you're both interested. And later, he practiced some from a child's italics book, and that was fun - FUN-Books has a series that sounds good.

We used the beautiful Lyra brand colored pencils for everything - they're waxy and brilliant. You'll never want to use a plain old pencil again once you've used these, and there's a line called Ferby that has a triangular fit to make it easier for a child to use. -Lillian

 

[Lillian J]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dreaming However, it appears my son is a lefty, so I may end up teaching him something entirely different to suit his personal needs. We'll have to see.

A moment before reading this, I noticed that the site that sells the Write Approach book that we used also carries some very interesting looking books for lefties! You might take a look - Bob & Nancy's bookshop. Lillian

 

[Momma Aimee]

thanks

I am very intrested in what i see on the http://www.dnealian.com/ website --

Quote:

Try writing the word wake. First use the circle- and-stick letters. As you trace the letters, note how often it's necessary to lift your pencil. The more times a beginning writer has to lift a pencil, the harder it becomes to make a legible letter. Now use the D'Nealian letters. Note how few times you need to lift your pencil and how smoothly the D'Nealian letters flow.

and espcailly

Quote:

The D'Nealian manuscript alphabet cuts way down on common reversals too. For example, how many students reverse the letters b and d or g and p ? There's no problem with D'Nealian letters--because there are no pencil lifts

and I personally STILL revese letters

Also -- it seems more fluid and natrual -- the way we all eventually write as we get older (like now

) when we are not following any formal writting method we just write, yk?

However HWOT also says

Quote:

The continuous stroke print looks like the letters and words children read every day. It follows developmental principles, prevents reversals, and prepares children for a smooth transition to cursive.

so ...

is there really any differnce? or it is jsut the order the letter are presented in?

are there other methods that are aslo "continous pen stroke" or -- and i being

and they all are?

AImee

 

[koru]

I recently decided to go straight to cursive with my kids. DD1 already learned plain block printing (not D'Nealian) but there haven't been any issues transitioning to cursive. She picked up on it immediately & actually thinks it's more fun! I haven't used any formal books or curriculum to teach her....I just have a printed chart of each cursive letter that she can refer to & I write out words for her to trace & then copy when she's in the mood. She LOVES to write! (such a girl thing, eh?

).

So just a suggestion for an alternative to teaching printing....

 

[PGTlatte]

I am sure this is probably overly simplistic, because that's kinda my MO, but.....I am using the Century Gothic font as our handwriting "system". Our 6 yo is doing really well with it.

It matches the writing style of most of the stuff I've put up on the walls and the manuscript writing placemat I bought. (I am all into the placemats....I call them $2 curriculums !)

 

[scheelimama]

We're using New American Cursive for some of the reason you mentioned with the D'nealian. You can't mix up the letters d, b, g and p. All the lowercase letters start in the same place, so no mixing up where you're suppose to start. It's suppose to be easier for lefties. It has a slant, but not as much as some of the other italic/cursive handwriting curriculums, so it's better for lefties. I've read that it's harder to do straight up and down for most people (such as HWT), most people write at a slant naturally. NAC also is very 5 y/o friendly, it's a cursive program made for young children. It's simple. And it's not as embellished as many other cursive programs. I feel like it's how I write naturally most of the time anyway. A few of the uppercase letters are done as manuscript to reduce confusion (T and F) and for fun (Z). Because who ever writes their Z in the cursive way after 3rd grade anyway?

But all in all, I think it really comes down to personal preference. What appeals to you. I'm not really sure there is any right or wrong answer and you've got plenty of time to figure out what is right for you all.

 

[theretohere]

We're using Cursive First because I believe that cursive is easier for little kids to master. All the lower case letters start in the same place.

 

[PGTlatte]

I am thinking of using this a little down the road:

http://www.bfhhandwriting.com/fonts.php

 

[Momma Aimee]

thanks

you are right i have time

no rush but i am trying to get MY mind around what is out there and the differnces, and pros and cons .. so i am not behind the 8 vball when the time comes.

Aimee

 

[koru]

Quote:

Originally Posted by llp34 I am thinking of using this a little down the road: http://www.bfhhandwriting.com/fonts.php

This is beautiful writing! I have the Cursive First chart but I don't care for some of the capital letters (like F & Q & maybe even G). I don't write in that "fancy" way & I don't know anyone who does. My daughter already picked up on how to vary the letters, though. Her name starts with an S & she can write the "fancy S" but she ends up writing it like a printed S & just connects it to the next letter...like most people do. I wish BFH sold only a letter chart because I don't care for all the other stuff.

 

[Momma Aimee]

does any place use the Palmer method?

I search it and find stuff about it -- histroically -- and comments -- but no curriclum, that i can tell, that use / teach that method of handwritting?

Aimee