Can someone succintly remind me about the point of copywork?

[FairProspects]

Is it to "see" the proper conventions of language in your head? To read proper usage of language? To increase literacy?

 

With ds's dysgraphia, copywork is a virtual impossibility (and yes, this is after YEARS of therapy and tons of evals, so please don't even go there). As I'm contemplating the new year, if we're giving it up, I want to make sure I accomplish the same endgame in another way.

[chepyl]

1. To see and study proper language usage.

2. To help develop good spelling habits.

3. To practice handwriting.

4. To work on tracking and memorizing what you are copying.

5. Exposure to good passages of literature.

 

All but number three could be accomplished by typing the copywork. I have a theatre student with dysgraphia, she types everything and does much better. You obviously cover handwriting in her therapy.

 

There may be more reasons, but these are the top reasons I see.

[Tracy]

For my dd7, the sole reason we do it is to increase her writing stamina. She is a bright kid and doesn't need copywork for any of the other reasons that people cite for doing it. But at the beginning of this school year, though she was able to write well, her stamina was so poor as to nearly negate her writing ability. She wouldn't even do those things that people suggest for increasing stamina, such as coloring or play dough. After a year of WWE, she has started to write all kinds of things on her own, including letters to her grandmother and her own journal.

[Hunter]

I was not able to latch onto copywork, until I discovered the McGuffey's Eclectic Readers. The readers use a "Word List" where EVERY word that is EVER used in the readers is TAUGHT. Or so I have been told.

 

SO...if I take the time to properly teach each word, and review it's spelling, pronunciation, definition and handwritten form, then the McGuffey's Readers should make great copywork and dictation lessons.

 

By using copywork and dictation of the lessons, I should be able to keep track of what has been mastered and what has not been mastered. I actually CAN expect a perfectly spelled and handwritten paper, or will know I need to go back and review. And I'll have something definite to review.

 

"Just copy" didn't work for me. But copying a controlled word list, where the words are put into stories and are used in context, now THAT makes sense to me!