Remedial handwriting

[momto2Cs]

Okay, both my kids have fairly atrocious handwriting. Ds's used to be very nice, but he's gotten sloppier as he's gotten faster over the years, and dd's looks very immature. So, I am looking for recommendations for some remedial handwriting sources. Please note, dd is a leftie.

 

I'd like ds to work on some cursive, as I feel that will help overall. Maybe a crash course in calligraphy would help him? I'd like dd to work on print, then cursive. I'm hoping to find resources that 1. don't involve me making tons of copywork stuff for them, and 2. don't seem too juvenile. Secular materials much preferred.

 

Thanks!

[serendipitous journey]

I've liked Presidential Penmanship.  A fair number of the quotes have religious references, so I don't know if that would bother you -- I usually end up with secular materials b/c I differ theologically with nearly all religious materials available but have not had trouble using these.  They are presented as the views of particular people and not doctrine or "fact". 

 

The quotes also provide good ground for discussion. 

 

I've also used the Zaner-Bloser handwriting books, which provide some actual instruction.  You could probably use these on-grade for your children.  For the past couple of years I've done ZB grade-level, a page or so per day of handwriting work, then Presidential Penmanship when that runs out.  Folks have complimented A.'s handwriting, and he was seriously behind when we started.  HTH.

 

ETA: Pres. Penmanship, if you buy the CD, will have manuscript taught in the earlier levels.  I don't know if the lines would be too big for your dc; you can go to their website and download a free trial to check it out. 

[hornblower]

if a smooth italic appeals to you guys, I have two suggestions.

ds is going through Barchowsky Fluid Hand again. He's also done some of the Getty Dubay books.

I know you said you don't want to do a lot of work yourself but there's a free font line called Jarman (and Jarman dotted) which is almost a dead ringer for Getty Dubay & you can type up your own copywork for them for extra practice.

Barchowsky sells a disc of her font iirc & the whole program is a bit more expensive. 

[kfeusse]

I am going to follow this thread as I also have 2 children who have HORIBLE handwriting.  

[OneStepAtATime]

For cursive you might look at New American Cursive with the Start Write software.  Great program and DS, who is dysgraphic, was happier with that than with anything else we tried.  And with the software I could type up copywork and trace work using words/material he had interest in, so we weren't stuck with only what was available in the book.,  

 

For instance, he loves history, so I would type out history words/sentences that helped him practice the letters he was learning but using material that he was interested in.

 

 And when he wanted to send a relative a letter, he dictated what he wanted to say, I typed it up in the software, then I printed out the trace work, he practiced tracing it a few times, then practiced writing it free hand, then when he made the final copy it looked really nice.  He was so proud that his letter wouldn't look bad.

[OneStepAtATime]

I just thought I would add a bit since others may hop on here wondering about handwriting issues.

 

FWIW, handwriting involves a whole series of complex processes.  When any one of those processes is not working correctly then writing and handwriting can get really off or never develop properly in the first place.  Sometimes just a bit more explicit instruction and systematic practice works wonders.  Sometimes they may need a lot more than that.  Maybe even physical therapy, although if you look on line you can usually find exercises and practices to do at home for a lot lower cost.  And sometimes the issues will prevent a child from ever having good handwriting which can severely impact writing output for the rest of their lives, if they aren't given alternatives.  It isn't from lack of trying, or defiance, although they can get so discouraged they do quit trying and do become defiant.

 

Using software like Dragon Naturally Speaking and Ginger and Inspiration can all help the child to continue to improve and even excel at writing output, even if the physical act remains challenging.  A child is frequently unable to articulate what the issues are since they are mostly automatic systems that are used.  They shut down and resist because everyone around them acts like writing and handwriting are easy.  They aren't, at least not for a lot of kids.  So the child feels like a failure.  No one wants to keep doing something when they feel like a failure.  If your child is really discouraged, keep lessons short, give lots of encouragement and look into different ways to approach the issue.  

 

And look up dysgraphia.

 

And keep in mind that putting thoughts on paper is a different part of the process then the physical act of moving the writing instrument to correctly form the letters.  And both involve complex processes that sometimes take a LOOOONG time and a lot of positive, systematic, encouraging practice and scaffolding to master.

 

Best wishes to all.....

[City Mouse]

Handwriting without Tears has Can Do Cursive and Can Do Printing designed for 5th grade and up. They are really the same book. But the print book teaches to read cursive but not write it.

[abacus2]

Handwriting without Tears has Can Do Cursive and Can Do Printing designed for 5th grade and up. They are really the same book. But the print book teaches to read cursive but not write it.

 

I would do these if you suspect any issues with improper letter formation. However, if it is primarily a speed versus neatness issue, you have to decide what minimum level of neatness is required and remind the student to slow down or work will have to be redone more neatly. I wouldn't be worried about handwriting looking "immature" in an 11 year old girl unless it is illegible or inappropriately mixing capital and lower case letters or not following a line. You could add short copywork selections that are to be done extremely carefully and neatly. Be specific about what you want: consistent size? proper word and letter spacing? staying in lines? precisely formed letters? legible? 

[momto2Cs]

Thanks everyone! I'll look into the suggestions mentioned above!

[Lori D.]

Just an FYI: You're at a point where you can decide how much effort you want to pour into this or not. Typically in school settings, by 8th grade -- and definitely all thru high school -- all papers are expected to be typed and printed out -- not handwritten. The only handwriting at that stage is: note-taking from lecture; the occasional in-class short answer; or the very rare in-class essay exam. And then, writing by hand the essay portion of the ACT or SAT.

 

So learning and practicing touch-typing is ideal for your students' current ages. Just an aside. ;) 

 

That said: If you are not looking at poor handwriting due to some sort of issue, perhaps it's either attitude (don't care/lazy)? Or possibly not very well developed fine muscles in the hand, which make it hard or even painful to try and write.

 

Instead of a handwriting program, you might try working on the fine motor muscles and practice of the motions that go into writing. These both helped our DS who had some mild LDs (both in writing as OneStepAtATime described above, AND in the physical act of handwriting):

- Callirobics therapy program to 

-  "writing 8s" exercises (Dianne Craft) a "therapy" to help increase brain hemisphere connections, but also helps fine motor muscle control and overall handwriting, and  to help with handwriting

 

DS is extremely strong-willed and resistant to therapies and special helps, but because I sat down and did these at the same time as DS (and yes, he was about 15yo when we stumbled across these), he was willing to do them because I was doing them, too. And, actually, these helped improve my sloppy handwriting, too! ;)

 

I especially like the Callirobics -- 3-4 minutes a day and you're done; it's done to music; and you are just practicing a single set of curves, lines, etc. that help you both with fine motor muscles, but also help imprint the basic motions used in both printing and in cursive handwriting. And while I believe Dianne Craft herself is Christian, all of her therapies and techniques are secular in presentation.

 

BEST of luck in finding what works best for your family! Warmly, Lori D.