The right way to teach handwriting

[ThursdayNext]

I'm wondering if my daughter should be making up her own handwriting assignments, or doing copy work.

 

This past year we did homeschool preK for E. She did the kindergarten Handwriting Without Tears. We had planned to wait til Jan to start since we weren't sure her fine motor skills were up to it, but when she saw the book and cute little slate that came in the mail, she wanted to start right away. She usually wanted to do more pages than I would let her, and we still finished the book very quickly.

However, E still reverses some letters and numbers, and forgets how to form letters if it's been a while since she's written it. After we finished HWOT, she started writing one sentence in a primary notebook, with a picture to go with it. E likes writing her own stories, but is not really reading yet. An example sentence she could read is: He said, "I am going fishing." So she needs a lot of help to write a sentence a day.

Should I get 1st grade HWOT? Or I saw a handwriting joke book on amazon? Or keep doing this? Start a new book now, or in the fall? Am I setting her back by not having an example to copy, or no consistent rotation through the alphabet?

E is 5, turning 6 in Nov.

 

Should she be copying something rather than trying to figure out how to spell whatever she wants to write that day?

[HS Mom in NC]

I would say until her handwriting is so mastered that it's become muscle memory, she should stick with copywork.  Copywork  can still be making up stories and telling them to you, having you write them out and then she can copy them or you can give her a way to record herself telling stories and stick to handwriting curriculum for copywork.

[Ellie]

I'm wondering if my daughter should be making up her own handwriting assignments, or doing copy work.

 

This past year we did homeschool preK for E. She did the kindergarten Handwriting Without Tears. We had planned to wait til Jan to start since we weren't sure her fine motor skills were up to it, but when she saw the book and cute little slate that came in the mail, she wanted to start right away. She usually wanted to do more pages than I would let her, and we still finished the book very quickly.

However, E still reverses some letters and numbers, and forgets how to form letters if it's been a while since she's written it. After we finished HWOT, she started writing one sentence in a primary notebook, with a picture to go with it. E likes writing her own stories, but is not really reading yet. An example sentence she could read is: He said, "I am going fishing." So she needs a lot of help to write a sentence a day.

Should I get 1st grade HWOT? Or I saw a handwriting joke book on amazon? Or keep doing this? Start a new book now, or in the fall? Am I setting her back by not having an example to copy, or no consistent rotation through the alphabet?

E is 5, turning 6 in Nov.

 

Should she be copying something rather than trying to figure out how to spell whatever she wants to write that day?

 

You could start doing Spalding with her. There is explicit instruction on letter formation, which is is taught at the same time as the sounds of the letters. Since Spalding teaches children to read by teaching them to spell, you'd be doing it all in one fell swoop. :-)

[Ad astra]

My DS finished HWOT K workbook and is taking a break before starting HWOT 1G (My Printing Book). We are not a fan of this curriculum but will finish it anyway. Kumon "My Book of ~" series is what really helped him develop good fine motor skills in a fun way. Handwriting is his favorite subject now. :) After HWOT 1G, we'll start WWE1 and continue copywork.

[HappyClassical]

My DD did HWOT through the 1st grade book in Kindergarten. She is an early writer but was an an early reader. We are switching to SWR this year, and starting Cursive First, with both her and her younger brother. I wish I had known about teaching cursive first earlier; research shows that it almost completely eliminates the occurrence of reversals (something DD does, despite having excellent letter formation), and is also recommended for children with visual perception issues (my DS).

 

My DD flew through the HWOT books, and each page looks lovely (I had her correct mistakes as we went) - but I don't really think there was much connection being made. Handwriting felt disjointed from other topics.

 

So, I agree with Ellie on starting a Spalding program (or swr which is a spin off).

[ThursdayNext]

You could start doing Spalding with her. There is explicit instruction on letter formation, which is is taught at the same time as the sounds of the letters. Since Spalding teaches children to read by teaching them to spell, you'd be doing it all in one fell swoop. :-)

Actually, I had planned to start that in the fall. My Spalding book says start writing the words after memorizing the 1st 45 phonograms, or about mid year kindergarten. We are at phonogram 42 right now. But we had initially started with 100 EZ, and after a break from that for a few months, doing only phonograms, my daughter wanted to start back up. So we are doing 100EZ as well as slowly introducing new phonograms.

[ThursdayNext]

I would say until her handwriting is so mastered that it's become muscle memory, she should stick with copywork. Copywork can still be making up stories and telling them to you, having you write them out and then she can copy them or you can give her a way to record herself telling stories and stick to handwriting curriculum for copywork.

I like this idea! Why didn't I think of it? If E does not want to give up making her own stories, I'll write it out for her to copy.

[Guest mispmw]

I have a 6 year old daughter with the same issues. These are excellent recommendations. I'll definitely have to try them.

[dragonflyer]

Just a further note, I love using one of the small whiteboards to write original sentences for copywork.

[shawthorne44]

You could also look into the StartWrite CD.  You could type what she wants to write and then print it out as a worksheet.  

We are holding off on writing, so I haven't bought it yet.  I am salivating over it though.  The Grandparents will love to get letters.  

Also, I will probably be learning a pretty handwriting at the same time, so my handwriting probably won't be the best example for DD.  

[Walking-Iris]

The best way to teach handwriting is consistently. So if you've been learning the Spalding phonograms, continue working with them for handwriting as well, and then get into the Ayres list when you're ready. HWOT will also be fine to continue; mainly because of the visual prompts that help children form the letters.

 

Add in some kinesthetic elements---HWOT wooden letters, play doh, writing in sand etc and you're good.

 

Continue with short copywork and jot down her little stories and ideas for her, and if she wants to copy those out let her.