Please talk to me about HWOT

[ByGrace3]

We are using HWOT for my dd (K5). Why do I feel like I am missing something? The thing that attracted me to HWOT is the lack of page after page of workbooks for a 5 yo. Yet, just following the suggested schedule I feel like we are not doing nearly enough. I can't decide if I am not following the program correctly or my expectations of what a Ker should be doing for handwriting is off. Is playing with wooden pieces, forming the letters really enough for a day of handwriting? She already can recognize and write all her uppercase letters. what am I missing? Thanks!

[kesmom]

I am curious to read the replies to this as I have also felt kind of underwhelmed with HWOT with my dd.

[3littlekeets]

My DD has fine motor issues, and HWOT was a blessing. Using the chalkboard wet, using the wooden blocks to form the letters, etc... was KEY for her early handwriting and gross motor development! :D

 

However-- once she got the basics down, it simply wasn't enough. We went to Zaner-Bloser workbooks for tons of practice. Her handwriting still has a long way to go, but in the case of a child fine motor issues, HWOT just wasn't enough, which I found puzzling since that was their target market :confused:.

[MamaSheep]

HWOT has been the only thing that has worked to get my kiddos writing. Between ds's motor and sensory issues and dd's attention span issues the short lessons have been a real blessing. They're not so intimidating that my kids won't even try, and they get a sense of accomplishment out of finishing a WHOLE lesson in a reasonable amount of time. They are both a bit behind where I would like them to be with writing, but since they both came home from public school completely convinced they could not write and unwilling to try, I think they're actually doing pretty well at this point. It isn't the only writing we do in a day, though. We do a page of HWOT in the morning, but then they always write at least a couple more things a day in other subjects.

 

I suppose it's not for everyone, but I heart it. I heart it a lot. ;)

 

I wonder if it's time to move ahead into the print workbook if the blocks have run their course. I've never seen any reason to feel chained to suggested schedules.

[Kirch]

We are using HWOT for my dd (K5). Why do I feel like I am missing something? The thing that attracted me to HWOT is the lack of page after page of workbooks for a 5 yo. Yet, just following the suggested schedule I feel like we are not doing nearly enough. I can't decide if I am not following the program correctly or my expectations of what a Ker should be doing for handwriting is off. Is playing with wooden pieces, forming the letters really enough for a day of handwriting? She already can recognize and write all her uppercase letters. what am I missing? Thanks!

 

We didn't use the hands-on stuff since ds was already writing on his own. He just moved quickly through the workbook to correct some letter formation (i.e., starting at the top rather than the bottom) and to learn to write the lowercase letters he wasn't already writing. I just moved at his pace, doing a page a day or so and stopping to practice or review every now and then as necessary (I made my own practice paper). We finished the book and moved straight into copywork, beginning with words and moving to sentences. Now he's up to two or three sentences. I did have to go back and review some letter formation with him, but most of that was laziness and not doing his best rather than not knowing how.

 

As far as your daughter, there's absolutely no need to follow the suggested schedule if her skills are beyond that point. I think all the hands-on stuff is more meant to help *teach* letter formation, or to help cement the concepts with children who are struggling. If she already recognizes the letters and can form them, those activities are probably not worth your time, other than maybe as fun review activities. I'd skip ahead to where her actual learning level is. If she's already writing all the uppercase letters correctly, I'd move on to the lowercase.

[Mama2Three]

The blocks and small slate were key to DS's learning to form letters because of his fine motor delays. We stuck with HWOT for years with him, and now he is one of the few children in his ps class who form their letters properly (eg, start at the top, go counterclockwise, etc). DD has also thrived with the program and has beautiful printing. She had no fine motor delays, so when she was done with one book, we moved on to the next one. She did the first grade book twice, once when she was 4 years old and again when she was 5. This past year we did cursive for fun, but we will do the 2nd grade printing book this year for reinforcement (and because I already have it, lol!). Both DC also use Explode the Code for phonics (including the primers), which helped to introduce and reinforce lower case printing, so they were getting extra practice early on.

 

For both children it was more important to me for them to be able to form a few perfect letters rather than a page of letters that were increasingly sloppy. I really love HWOT, and I think that the program can be adjusted to make it work for your DC.

Edited September 6, 2010 by Mama2Three

[ByGrace3]

thanks for all the advice. I have been supplementing with itself, basically doing "more" than the suggested lesson. Adding the chalkboard (big or small) or a line of the letter we are working on in addition to the blocks or whatever is on the schedule for that day. I really like the program, I just think it is a little slow for where we are. We are doing ETC and Abeka phonics so she is getting plenty of reinforcing. We may just move ahead in the workbook and then either do it again if needed or move onto the first grade book when ready. I really like the concepts of HWOT, so maybe this is the answer I needed. Thanks!

[Heather in OK]

We have never used anything other than the student book. They do a page to practice and they are done. I don't focus on "perfect" (whatever that means to people). I'm an adult and some days my handwriting isn't "perfect". As long as it's legible and I can tell it wasn't rushed through, I'm fine with it.

 

If you think she needs more practice give her copy work. However, you say she has other curriculum so she's getting more writing practice anyway.

[Dmmetler]

We add copywork to HWOT once DD knows the letters. I don't think it was ever intended that you JUST do the writing in the workbooks-otherwise, they wouldn't sell the extra paper, have the worksheet wizard on the site, and so on. I do think the multisensory stuff was very important in her learning to write, and I see the same thing now that we're doing cursive.

[Satori]

We only needed to use the multi-sensory stuff a few days, and my daughter caught on to forming letters right away. I had a whole hands-on schedule planned out, but quickly ditched it and just did the workbook pages. Thinking back, it was a waste to purchase all the extras in her situation. She just loves HWT and zoomed through all the books so fast. I have to hide the workbooks from her so she doesn't complete them.

 

HWT has worked wonders in learning how to print and do cursive! We're now learning cursive and it's doing the same amazing job in teaching my daughter as it did with print.