MeaganS Posted October 21, 2012 Share Posted October 21, 2012 My daughter has fine motor delays, so this program sounds like it would be ideal for us. I don't love the font, but whatever. Legibility and frustration-free are our goals. She is interested in writing, but she will need a lot of help and guidance. I want to start with the PreK level. What all do I need? I am on a budget, but I also am willing to buy what is necessary to make the program work (otherwise, what is the point, you know?) Also, if there has been a thread like this before, feel free to point me in the right direction. I was having troubles finding one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ByGrace3 Posted October 21, 2012 Share Posted October 21, 2012 I would say the workbook and slate at minimum. But honestly, I think the benefit of the program is all the extras, so while it "works" with just those, I don't think you are getting the greatest benefit...still worth it but I would get what you can. I would suggest the teachers manual simply because it explains all the activities. I also think the wooden letters are fun. I think more than anything we use the stamp and see screen (we use this more than the slate, but it is just a preference) and the workbook. My kids really love the roll a dough letters as well. This is my third year using HWOT and I think it is a fantastic program. Well worth the investment. Especially with a child with fine motor delays, the extras really make the program. Sorry if that was confusing. Recap: you can get by with a workbook and slate, next of importance for me would be teachers guide, then stamp and see screen, wooden letter pieces, and then purely fun but extra roll a dough letters. Just revaluation the "extras" in what you think would be most beneficial. It is a great program! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErinE Posted October 21, 2012 Share Posted October 21, 2012 I think the workbook and the teacher's guide are most helpful. Since your dd has fine motor delays, I'd also recommend the slate because it gives the child feedback when writing. The wooden letter pieces you could just make from poster board. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walking-Iris Posted October 21, 2012 Share Posted October 21, 2012 (edited) I love HWT and honestly you can improvise some of the extras yourself. There's nothing special about thee slate other than a happy face as a starting point. I would use the chalkboard area of our easel and our own sponge and it worked just as well. I never used the stamp screen (magna-doodle) or any of the songs etc. Regular play dough works just as well as HWT stuff. Nor did I use the extra HWT paper. I prefer my kids to be able to write on regular notebook paper or unlined paper. I don't really like HWT paper or even the three lined elementary paper. My ds worked on HWT in OT and she never really used all those extras either. I do however love the wooden letters! But if your child can form the capitals then they might be too much. They are great for the young preschooler. As far as teacher's guides. I like the Kindergarten guide. The 1st, 2nd and Advanced Cursive guides are nearly exactly the same. So other than Kindy if you've looked at one guide you've seen them all. I like the HWT font. It has really helped my oldest and youngest have clear legible and even pretty handwriting. It shows. I can't understand half of what is written when I look at other kids writing. he writes better than I do!! If this is your oldest child you could just start with the Kindy book. You can do these books without all the extras. Even the wooden letters. Although I really really like the letters! I honestly think the extras are just public school filler more often than not. ETA: as far as fine motor delays. My ds has them as well. The activities in Out of Sync Child Has Fun and BrainGym really help. Edited October 21, 2012 by Walking-Iris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamamindy Posted October 21, 2012 Share Posted October 21, 2012 I agree that the kindergarten teacher's manual is helpful and has lots of tips. We got the slates (both the one for uppercase and lowercase letters). So far, we have used the small slate (with smiley) a lot! DD2 has troubles with reversals, and with the slate it's impossible to have reversals. I've heard that you can find something similar at Dollar General... but when I ordered everything from HWT, they weren't that expensive. (And I couldn't find anything similar!) That's another thing, I have found their prices (HWT) to be the cheapest. You have to pay shipping, but if you're getting a few things, it's worth it! I gave my FIL the template of the wooden letters (out of the K teacher's manual), and he made some for me out of some thin wood. If your DH is handy this is an option. Other than that, the slate, and the extra paper, that is all the extra we got. I have seen great results with the program! Have fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ByGrace3 Posted October 21, 2012 Share Posted October 21, 2012 I love HWT and honestly you can improvise some of the extras yourself. There's nothing special about thee slate other than a happy face as a starting point. I would use the chalkboard area of our easel and our own sponge and it worked just as well. I never used the stamp screen (magna-doodle) or any of the songs etc. Regular play dough works just as well as HWT stuff. Nor did I use the extra HWT paper. I prefer my kids to be able to write on regular notebook paper or unlined paper. I don't really like HWT paper or even the three lined elementary paper. My ds worked on HWT in OT and she never really used all those extras either. I do however love the wooden letters! But if your child can form the capitals then they might be too much. They are great for the young preschooler. As far as teacher's guides. I like the Kindergarten guide. The 1st, 2nd and Advanced Cursive guides are nearly exactly the same. So other than Kindy if you've looked at one guide you've seen them all. I like the HWT font. It has really helped my oldest and youngest have clear legible and even pretty handwriting. It shows. I can't understand half of what is written when I look at other kids writing. he writes better than I do!! If this is your oldest child you could just start with the Kindy book. You can do these books without all the extras. Even the wooden letters. Although I really really like the letters! I honestly think the extras are just public school filler more often than not. ETA: as far as fine motor delays. My ds has them as well. The activities in Out of Sync Child Has Fun and BrainGym really help. While I do agree you can make your own or improvise many of the extras, there are certain things to look for. For example, a regular chalk board/easel alone would not have worked for us, as the size of the slate or stamp and see screen is the right size rectangle/box to form the letters using the appropriate line sizes to match the book. That way you can use the guideline of the shape to form he letters. I actually really like the HWT paper as well and use it for my older dd for spelling and copy work. Though as time has gone on she can easily switch back and forth now. I also agree that I found the kindly manual the most helpful, mostly because it has all the upper case and lower case letters and all the extra activities, but if I were starting with the preschool book, I would get that teachers guide. I didn't use the first grade TG at all and now that I won my second time through kindy I don't use it anymore, but I used it often my first time through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErinSo Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 We are not actually homeschooling (at least not yet), but have been using HWOT with our 5 year old who is not yet in school. We haven't used the workbook at all yet for her to write in, but I look at it sometimes for the little saying and such. For us, we have used the wooden letters and the slates along with either the teacher manual or the workbook. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbpaulie Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 2nd grader w/ 2nd kiddo and we've used HWOT w/ both. All we ever had were the workbooks and I the teacher book for the Kdg (maybe 1st?) level. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie12345 Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 I bought the slate, chalk nubs, "magnadoodle" set, and mini pencils (plus wkbk and TM). I could probably say that none of those were *necessary*, but I have no regrets. My 5yo has never shown any interest in writing, drawing, or even coloring and, until the HWOT box was delivered, swore he'd never do it. Now it's the first thing he pulls out every day, so I'd buy it all again if I had to! The kid who never colored now leaves "notes" everywhere that say "MOM DAD CONNOR". I could almost cry! The slate and magnadoodle do help with proportions. The chalk nubs and mini pencils help my ds with pencil grip. I tried all the usual tricks before, but it always caused tantrums. I still have to remind him with the pencils, but he can't escape it with the itty bitty chalk. ;) I have my dds doing HWOT cursive now, and am just as thrilled. I started with just the wkbks, but sprang for the lined chalkboard a couple of weeks ago for more practice, since we don't use HWOT paper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheReader Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 If you decide to go with the full kit, or anyone else reading along, both the PreK kit and the K level kit are on sale until Oct. 31st. The PreK full kit is listed for $99 (a $145 value) and the K kit for $75 (a $100 value) right now on the HWT website, products page. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheReader Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 quick question for those who've used it --- if you couldn't just order the next level whenever you reached that point, would you go ahead and order both the PreK and the K level now? To pay shipping only once, and since they are both on sale at the moment? We are starting my youngest on this b/c of various delays (just dx'ed); we'll start with the PreK level, per suggestion of his doctor/reading the readiness info on HWT website, but I'm not sure how slowly or quickly he'll progress through. I can get the K level now, or 12 months from now. Do you think we'd spend less than 12 months on the PreK level?? He's got fine motor delays and dysgraphia, though he does write letters on his own already to some extent. Not a ton, but some. Thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walking-Iris Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 We always complete our HWT books in a few months and the rest of our year is just practicing what we have learned in real life activities and learning those lowercase letters (which I think are important to learn before 1st grade). You could totally do both the pre-K and K workbook in one year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheReader Posted October 22, 2012 Share Posted October 22, 2012 thank you! that is very good to know! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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