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need recommendations for a cursive handwriting course for older kids


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We've been out of the homeschooling loop for several years. My 11 and 12 year olds can hardly remember any of the cursive they learned and my 8 and under kids have never learned any. They all have atrocious penmanship and I'd like to start cursive with the ones that are second grade and up. I'm looking for suggestions of programs that are either geared towards older kids or would work for them. Nothing too time consuming on my part if it can be avoided.

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We used Handwriting without Tears. Your younger student could use the regular cursive book; and your olders could use the 'Extra practice' book. We used the regular books (first print, then cursive) from K-4, and in 5th we use the extra practice cursive. there's also an extra practice print if you have a child who prefers that.

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I used HWT with a 9 year old who needed to go all the way back to correcting an impossible pencil grip. This was some time ago: the nine year old is now 28 and in grad school and HWT has some new books specifically directed towards older students.

 

Jan Olsen may have her faults, but cutesy-poo and condescending are not among them.

 

You could also pick up just the teacher's manual (the older one shows up at Abe Books, eBay, etc. and is not directed at any specific grade), print off some double line paper or DIY with a word processing program, and use a dictionary and thesaurus to customize the vocabulary for your kids.

 

Shorter but consistent is what's going to give you the most benefit. I finally did something about my own handwriting mid-30s early-40s so it can be done and your kids are old enough to understand how important legible, comfortable handwriting is at this particular point in history.

 

ETA: Olsen recommends waiting on Cursive until the tail end of second grade or the beginning of third. I understand that my family is at the end of the bell curve as far as maturation of fine motor co-ordination, but my current third grader was not absolutely not ready until this year.

Edited by Guest
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zaner bloser for adults and older students:

 

https://www.amazon.com/Self-Instruction-Handwriting-Students-Improve/dp/0880853794

 

If you follow the book and don't write in it, you can use it for all age children, use bigger lined paper for younger students, smaller lines for older students. Start on a white board for all younger students and older students having trouble.

Edited by ElizabethB
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We use A Reason for Handwriting.  It's quick, independent (though I do watch for the first bit to make sure they are forming the letters correctly) and the kids have all enjoyed the writing pages in the back.  I also like that it's pretty and not overly "loopy and swirly".  LOL

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