I always use DonnaYoung.org. She has colored lined handwriting paper in various sizes, horizontal and vertical. I started printing in color, now I use the color, but print it grayscale double sided. I think it's cost effective. Here is a link http://donnayoung.org/penmanship/handwriting-paper-clr.htm There is 3/4, 5/16, and 1/8 in the Vertical Color Handwriting Paper. You can save the PDF and print one or a whole stack at a time.

Thanks for the feedback. I'm going to go look for that video.

Oops, I guess I wasn't very specific there. I'm talking about when I do the reading such as for WWE. If she doesn't have a high degree of interest in the story and doesn't retain the details, when we get to the last question, "What do you remember most about the passage?", I've noticed she will 1) Make something up from the illustration in the WWE Workbook page, 2) Repeat the very last thing that happened in the passage, 3) Try to look at what I've already written down from the prompt questions. I guess, these are all good strategies if you don't really have something to say of your own, but it's starting to become a pattern. Sometimes I re-read the passage, and usually there is little improvement.

My DD(6) is almost done with OPTGR, currently on FLL 1 (75% completed) WWE 1 (20% completed). When we do story narration, there are many times she doesn't retain the material when I ask her the prompting questions. Since we're almost done with OPTGR, I'm wondering if there is a curriculum or books specifically geared toward reading comprehension. (I'm already planning on doing ETC Books 4-8 when we finish OPTGR for reading review). Does anyone have some suggestions?

We're in the same situation. I just decided to order ETC Books 4-8 for review and continued practice mostly because I wasn't sure what else to get. I don't feel secure in her just reading or me being able to pick out appropriate material.

I agree. Considered switching after RSM Level B but decided to stick with it and supplement/review with Singapore Math. I think RSM gives a better foundation for understanding numbers. And I think SM will challenge her, putting the concepts in a different context. I don't mind the time RSM requires (but I'm only teaching one) because I think it's super important to get off to a right start (OK, that sounded kind of dumb) and not have problems later on where they can sort of do math but don't understand it. (My DH has a minor in math and he can't even use the tape measure correctly or realize when he has been rung up wrong at the cash register. :001_huh:)

I don't have a ton of experience but I would recommend RightStart Math. I picked it because it's heavy on manipulatives and light on worksheets. The use of the abacus helps give them a visual and concrete understanding of numbers. RSM aims to give an understanding of numbers not just at memorizing facts.

We are almost done with RSM Level B and I thought about doing both and purchased Singapore Math Std 1B Text & Work books. I haven't started on SM. Instead I think I might use it as review when we finish RSM Level B. But, my opinion on just using RSM manipulatives and workbook to complement SM -I would say no. You need the textbook to really know how to introduce the abacus for example (although I think there may be a stand alone book just for abacus exercises if you were interested in it). The card games you could do without it but you would probably need to purchase the Card Game Book. As for the worksheets, RSM is very minimal on worksheets so I don't think there's any point using them for supplement. RSM teaches a way to think about numbers and uses the manipulatives to facilitate that method. I think the card games would be the only thing worth doing as a supplement if you were not going with RSM all the way.

I started my DD on RightStart Math B last June. (She was 5, turned 6 in Oct.) Up until the end of last year, she was progressing well, doing 4-5 lessons per week, although always required some support on worksheets. We are now on L 80 Mentally Adding Double Digit Numbers and suddenly she doesn't know what 7+1 is, 90+10, sometimes she'll even say things like 5+7 is 57. She is having a super hard time doing the worksheets and I have to walk her through every tiny step of the way. In January, we slowed down to ~2 lessons per week. I'm considering switching or supplementing with SM. On the other hand we're 3/4 of the way done with RSM B. Should I just go slower? Should I review more? Or should I just give her a different approach. SM seems to present math in a more varied way. Any help would be appreciated.

I started HSing my 5yo last June after she finished preschool. I plan to start her on 1st grade with the new year. She's now 6 (Oct). Reading - OPGTR (finishing last 1/4 of) Math - RightStart Math Level B (finishing last 1/4) Manuscript - D'Naelian Handwriting Level 1 Spelling - AAS Level 2 Grammar - FLL Level 1 (already started) Writing - WWE Level 1 Workbook Science - R.E.A.L Science - Life (already started) PreHistory - UEAW + other evolution books (using SatoriSmiles.com lesson guide) Ancient History - SOTW Level 1 Geography - Scholastic Success with Maps Level 1 Art - Meet The Masters & Draw Write Now Latin - Song School Latin (thinking about it; don't want to do too much) I also have her do Starfall.com online and the Level 1 workbook as filler, unscheduled. I hope she's ready for 1st grade. I'm having her take the standard Kindergarten test at the public school in January just to help give me an idea of where she's at.

We ended up going with the D'Naelian manuscript. I chose it mainly because I thought it would make the transition to cursive more natural in a couple of years and because it really does use more continuous strokes, as in -without lifting the pencil, to form the letters compared to Zaner-Bloser. I feel this is a more natural way of writing. It flows easier and faster. Although I was concerned my daughter would have trouble with the pencil and I had considered Writing Without Tears, we've been using the D'Naelian Kindergarten workbook for about six weeks now and she's doing pretty well. She can remember how to form the letters fairly well. She forgets the slant when she's working out of the workbook but it's not too important at this stage and we'll work more on size, shape and slant in the 1st Gradel Level workbook. I did think the Zaner-Bloser online templates where a nice convenience for copy work, but since we can't use that, we are using the D'Nealian Kindergarten Workbook (Pearson $11.97 + ship). I also use the plain colored lined paper in the appropriate line height from DonnaYoung.org. (BTW, I think the post above refers to cursive rather than print). There are also many free online resources that use a similar font called modern script. My favorite is Starfall.com which has phonics based online instruction with books and worksheet. You can even print the entire Level 1 workbook that corresponds with the program books in ZB or D'Naelian print.

Thank you for all the responses. I guess I just didn't understand very well what was meant by continuous-stroke. I don't see how you can possibly print all the letters with one stroke anyway. But what I really didn't understand was the ball and stick method as being any different from Zaner-Bloser. I don't think I was taught the ball and stick method so I just didn't see the difference (I don't recall how it was I learned to print. My father taught me cursif at home as I was to ill to go to Kindergarten. Later in school I remember being told I couldn't write this way because cursif hadn't been taught yet. So I probably learned to print by force in some kind of self taught manner). Anyway, I think we're on the right path then, thanks to all your great explanations. And I plan to look into those other suggested resources as well just to consider all the choices out there. Since I'm just starting out at this, I supposed there's a bit of trial and error even after spending time researching and evaluating curriculums/materials. I have found the WTM helpful in choosing the math curriculum, RightStart which I'm quite happy with so far and still not sure with The Ordinary Parents' Guide to Teaching Reading as a good fit for my daughter. So I may be asking for more advise as we go on. Thank you.

I recently made the decision to home school my daughter who will be ready for K (or probably 1st grade) in the fall. After reading the WTM, I ordered the Zaner-Bloser K Handwriting Student Workbook because it states that it uses the I'm not seeing the continuous stroke method anywhere in the workbook. The back of the book has a page with numbers and arrows indicating where to begin each stroke and the next stroke. I called Zaner-Bloser to make sure there wasn't another series of workbooks to rule out the possibility that I got the wrong one. I didn't. They only have one method. The representative told me she didn't even know why they used the terminology "continuous-stroke" because it really isn't the way it works. I'm confused as to why this resource for teaching writing was described and recommended on this basis in the WTM. I'm starting to wonder on the value of some of the other recommended resourses. Does anyone have any thoughts on this? Thank you. :confused: