What do I need for HWOT, Grade One?

[SproutMamaK]

My kids have fine motor skills issues, so they're at more of a K level with the handwriting, but they don't need help with phonics, letter recognition, etc (they read at abuot a Grade 2 level). Should I buy the slate, wood letters, mat, magentic board? I'll likely be buying both the K and Grade 1 workbooks.... but what is beneficial beyond that if they don't struggle with knowledge and understanding of the alphabet? I really just need to work on penmanship & motor planning as far as starting to build the letter in the right spot, etc.

[Dmmetler]

I'd suggest getting the K teacher's guide (better instruction on teaching fine motor skills), but the 1st grade workbook (more words, sentences, and copywork integrated), some blank paper or the draw/write journal so you can make your own practice sheets and for copywork, the Rock, Tap, and Learn CD for the mnemonics. You'll also want a big, vertical surface with the double lines. Whiteboard, chalkboard, paper on the wall...HWT really likes the chalkboard, but I don't see a lot of reason to prefer it, and certainly not enough reason to buy theirs. I use the slate one quite a bit for single letters,but when it comes to writing words, we tend to move to the whiteboard where there's more space.

 

I'd also suggest making a set of letter cards for both upper and lower case and using some form of dough (the roll-a-dough isn't quite the same as playdough-it's a little stiffer, and seems to stay pliable longer in air, but I think playdough would work) to get the kinesthetic and fine motor development. I'd skip the letter pieces and the like since they're as much letter recognition and giving kids a way to write before they can do so on paper. Driving little cars on really big letters is another good fine motor and learning stroke sequence letters. I ended up making a set of lower case ones to go with the official upper case ones, because so many of the kids need them. Laminating them is a good idea.

 

I would NOT expect to be able to dive into the workbook and just go through it. Either expect to make your own pages, or make copies. In my experience on tutoring kids using HWT, few of my kids, even without motor delays, could get a letter solid in the amount of practice provided in the book alone. Rather, we'd do a lot of other activities and then use the workbook for review when they were confident. Kids with fine motor delays tend to lose confidence in themselves quickly if they get to the end of a page and feel they aren't good enough yet.

[twoxcell]

I would suggest the workbooks, one of the teachers manuals, and the slate boards. My dd loves the little slate and it is very helpful for uppercase letters and numbers.

[twoxcell]

Just wanted to add I photocopied the pages for my dd out of the K book, so she could do them twice. It says in the beginning of the book that you are allowed for extra practice.

[SproutMamaK]

The slates are just as useful without the wooden letters, right?

[twoxcell]

We do not have the wooden letters.

[Aurelia]

You do not need the wooden letters for the slate. I bought the wooden letters along with the letter cards and used them once. I found the slate to be a good tool, though you don't have to buy the official HWT one, any small slate with a sticker in the lefthand corner will do. I used a couple of pages from the TM for K, but my daughter didn't have any issues with her motor skills, so the practice with the slate and workbook were enough for her.

[Stellalarella]

Get the workbooks and at least one teacher manual. Use the manual to thoroughly understand HWOT method.

 

The crucial thing about HWOT is to make sure that the children are beginning to practice writing using small materials: first, small chalk and small sponges, then small crayons, and then finally a short pencil.

 

IMO, the slate, soft chalk, and sponge are very important. You can purchase a very cheap 4 X 6 blackboard at a craft store, however, I really have enjoyed the slates from HWOT because they feel so good. They are made from, you guessed, SLATE. We also ordered the chalk from HWOT because it is a little softer than the anti-dust type chalk I could more readily purchase at a big box store. Finally, the sponges are just SPONGES. I bought one and cut it into 1" squares.

 

Secondly, we have enjoyed the wooden letters very much. My littles are builders and the wooden letters speak their love language. :)

 

I like having the letter cards.

 

My littles are still learning their letters, so the wooden blocks come in handy. I did not use the wooden blocks with the 1st grader who was just needed motor skills in writing.

 

I did NOT like the big blackboard with two lines painted on it. It doesn't take chalk well.

 

I did NOT care for the flip crayons. They do not color that well. It would have been a better investment for my family to buy a box of crayolas and cut them down into 2" pieces.

 

I DID like the short pencils. This was necessary for my 1st grader because she had trouble with her grip.

 

I did not NEED the blue mat that I ordered to use with the letters. One piece of cardstock with a smiley face in the corner would suffice.

 

I did not find that our family NEEDED the CD. However, we sure do like the preschool music a lot. I prefer it to the Kindergarden CD.

[mom4knights]

Hello,

 

My boys used HWT Pre-K and K this last year and we loved it!

 

Even my boys that are not in "school" yet loved listening to the CD (Pre-K CD) and playing with the wooden pieces. My oldest did not need the wooden pieces but loved using it to create "roads" for his trucks/cars to drive on. My Pre-K and younger kiddos did enjoy building the letters with the wood pieces.

 

Another item that went over well was the Stamp N See screen and it was also great for car trips. We did not buy the Mat Man matierals but we could build him from the blue mat, wooden pieces and other items from around the house. Building Mat Man that way has helped my boys in their drawings of people.

 

Overall, we were very pleased with the materials! Good Luck! :-)

 

PS - The block paper was also very useful for getting my oldest to practice his letters (w/out being too large and all over the place).

[tranquilmama]

just wanted to add that Michael's (craft store) sells 4x6 slates framed in wood for less than $3... and you don't have to pay shipping.

[twoxcell]

I'm not sure about all slates sold at craft stores, but my sister bought some from Michaels and JoAnnes for a party, and they were terrible. The chalk barely showed up on them. The HWT slate is actually made of real slate, and works great.

[SproutMamaK]

Thanks guys! I placed my order... but in reviewing it (and it's too late to fix it), realized I forgot to put the sponges on. Is there anything I can make from materials around my house that would have the same effect, or anything I can buy in stores? I'm guessing just chopping up a regualr sponge wouldn't have the same effect.

[monalisa]

Just get a 1/2" household sponge (or whatever you have) and cut it with scissors into 1/2" cubes. Really, this is all they are. I went to a HWT training and they handed them out. They were just like what I made myself at home. (And the training was not any more valuable than the teacher manuals I had already read, by the way, which are very good and ALOT cheaper!).