Adult handwriting remediation

[eloquacious]

Perhaps this belongs in the self-education, but I thought there might be more action here. I desperately need some handwriting remediation. Has anyone done adult cursive or italic cursive remediation? I'd LOVE to have something like this: http://www.zanerian.com/Champion.html but I also like other styles.

 

Any recommendations?

[KristenR]

I would love to improve my handwriting. My dd5 has been asking to learn cursive so I have been looking into different programs hoping I can find a program we can work on together. I think she would get a kick out of seeing me trying to improve as she learns. I would love something nice and fancy but I want it attainable for my kiddo too.

[JennyD]

I have been working through the Getty-Dubay book for adults. My print handwriting is actually quite good but I haven't written cursive in 30 years and thought hey, why not try this out before I have to, you know, teach cursive. I am enjoying it so far and am looking forward to getting to the joined italic section.

 

My DS6 LOVES when we sit and work on handwriting together. He especially likes checking my work and finding errors (those little tails on the u's -- I forget them every time!) :001_smile:

 

I think I'm going to switch him from HWT to GDI, actually. It may not be the most efficient thing to do but he really wants us both to work on the same exact letter formation.

[Roxy Roller]

My DD12 and I are going to share the Spencerian penmanship workbooks.

 

http://www.rainbowresource.com/searchspring.php?q=spencerian+handwriting

 

My DD has used cursive from the beginning, and did have beautiful handwriting, but as the years have gone by her handwriting has become a little bit sloppy. I would like to work on my penmanship, so we are going to share each workbook page for extra practice.

[go_go_gadget]

I used the Getty-Dubay Italic Handwriting series to teach myself cursive. My printing was fine, but there were a few letters in the D'Nealian script I learned in elementary school that I couldn't remember how to make, and I never liked the script anyway (which was why I never used it). The GD series starts cursive halfway through Book C, and introduces new joins throughout books D and E, if I recall correctly. I didn't write in the books themselves because I didn't want to buy them again; I just used regular notebook paper. I found it a very easy and gentle process, and am very pleased with the results.

[justamouse]

Wow, that is exactly how my Nana used to write. Just beautiful.

[KristenR]

My DD12 and I are going to share the Spencerian penmanship workbooks.

 

http://www.rainbowresource.com/searchspring.php?q=spencerian+handwriting

 

My DD has used cursive from the beginning, and did have beautiful handwriting, but as the years have gone by her handwriting has become a little bit sloppy. I would like to work on my penmanship, so we are going to share each workbook page for extra practice.

 

 

I'd love to hear how you like these books. They look beautiful. Maybe its something my dds and I can spend time on in the future.

[eloquacious]

I've looked at Spencerian, but it seems a bit too ornate for me. Palmer is probably more the thing, especially since that is what my sons' probably future school teaches. Then again, Peterson seems to offer the most in the way of actual instruction. Hmmmm.

[nansk]

I can write well in the cursive style that I learnt in school, but when I found the Italic style last year, I liked it very much and I learnt to write in that style. I used the Getty-Dubay book for adults called Write Now.

 

This year, I convinced my dh, who had never learnt cursive, to remediate his handwriting by learning Italics. He has improved very much. Although he still writes in print, it is now Italic print instead of ball-and-stick, and looks much more adult.

 

I would recommend the Write Now book, or, as the next best option, Penny Gardner's Italics book.

[Momling]

My DD12 and I are going to share the Spencerian penmanship workbooks.

 

http://www.rainbowresource.com/searchspring.php?q=spencerian+handwriting

 

My DD has used cursive from the beginning, and did have beautiful handwriting, but as the years have gone by her handwriting has become a little bit sloppy. I would like to work on my penmanship, so we are going to share each workbook page for extra practice.

 

I've been working on Spencerian for a month or two with my daughter. It's been a fun thing (in an outrageously repetitive sort of way). My daughter thinks it's hilarious to say things like "Sit up straight" and "Take Ink!"

 

Our handwriting is definitely improving... I'm particularly working on keeping the direction of all my letters headed the same way.

[Grover]

DS and I are both doing GD. He loves that I do my writing with him.

[BriannaG]

Check into Michael Sull's website: http://spencerian.com/ It's called American Cursive. You may have to email Michael as I don't know if it is in their brochure yet. It wasn't when I ordered it. They'll gladly answer questions for you via email though. He created a handwriting course for 5th grade through adult, the earlier elementary exercises won't be out until December/January. He uses the old style techniques of doing loops/circles, cross drills, etc. It's based on the "style" of the penman such as you listed.

 

The book is $30 and is something like 347 pages. It has the guides for slant and letter height. He also covers lots of extra information about handwriting etc. There are a lot of examples from Michael and others included. It is the closest to Palmer (he acknowledges that Palmer was the most famous penman, but that there were others) that I could find. Lots of extra info. I hadn't realized just how tiny they really wrote. My first grade teacher used Palmer and I remember loving the look of her handwriting.

 

This course is set up to go into his Spencerian course after you complete it should you wish. This is different from the Spencerian books sold on Amazon. I have only read through most of it. I haven't started doing the exercises yet since we're just getting our school really going now. So, I can't say anything about how I like it. Oh, it comes in 3 hole punched or spiral bound.

Edited September 7, 2011 by BriannaG
additional info

[eloquacious]

Hmm that American Cursive looks nice. I also really like the Peterson Directed Handwriting. All of their Cursive eBooks are available for a free "preview." This means that you can view and download the entire .pdf, but can't print from it. I find myself wondering if I even need to print?

 

You can find them here: http://www.peterson-handwriting.com/products/E-Workbooks.html

 

I downloaded them onto my iPad, and trace over stuff with my stylus if I need to, though I have to go over it in the air, as otherwise the page would move. ;)

 

 

All that being said, I think I'll buy the rights to print their cursive first kindergarten book. I was just reading the introduction to Cursive First - the SWR-linked one, and one statement that stood out was that one shouldn't teach a student something that they'll later unlearn. If I want my son to have a beautiful cursive, shouldn't we be aiming for that at first, and not the more rounded (and to my mind childish) clockface cursive of Cursive First? Decisions, decisions.

[eloquacious]

There is a cool and informative web site called http://www.iampeth.com which has a scanned pdf of a manual for writing written by the lady whose writing I linked to originally, Mary Champion: http://www.iampeth.com/ADOBE_PDFs/Champion%20Method%20of%20Practical%20Business%20Writing.pdf

 

 

so cool!

[boscopup]

I used the GDI Write Now book for adults. It was fabulous. I just can't write traditional cursive without it looking like a 2nd grader's handwriting. GDI makes it look more mature.