Handwriting in two languages.

[plmzk]

I have a question to those that teach handwriting in two different languages.

How do you sync them?

We are doing Russian and English. DD can print (but still needs more practice) in Russian. Usually in grade 1 (in Russia) she would learn to write cursive.

 

But she is behind in writing her letters in English, mostly because we focused more on Russian reading and writting last year. She knows her English letters, because she can read, but doesn't write them well at all.

 

All the books I have been looking at to teach writing in Russian are either preK or K level if they are teaching print, which would just bore her. The others (grade 1) teach cursive.

I have already bought Zaner-Bloser 1 (manuscript) to help her learn her English writing.

 

Should I go ahead and teach one language cursive and the other print? Wait 'till she's in grade 2 to start cursive in both languages? WWYD?

[alpidarkomama]

We do Hebrew and English. In Hebrew, print has no practical value since only script is used when writing. Some learn block printing in K, but my kids don't need it at all for reading reinforcement, so we just skip it. (Isn't Russian the same way?) For Hebrew, we focus on reading only through early 1st grade, then in late 1st grade or early 2nd grade they do Hebrew script. For English, we start working on penmanship at ages 4/5 (whenever they're ready) and just keep going. I don't worry about syncing it at all.

[Laura Corin]

The boys didn't start writing in Chinese until they were about eight. It has worked well.

 

Laura

[plmzk]

We do Hebrew and English. In Hebrew, print has no practical value since only script is used when writing. Some learn block printing in K, but my kids don't need it at all for reading reinforcement, so we just skip it. (Isn't Russian the same way?) For Hebrew, we focus on reading only through early 1st grade, then in late 1st grade or early 2nd grade they do Hebrew script. For English, we start working on penmanship at ages 4/5 (whenever they're ready) and just keep going. I don't worry about syncing it at all.

 

Thank you.

Yep, Russian is just like that too. NO ONE prints in Russian, which is why I want to start her off writing correctly right away. I doubt that she will write in cursive English once older- most likely italic like what I do.

 

I guess I will do cursive in Russian and just Follow ZB for English writing.

[stripe]

I'd teach the regularly used form of writing in Russian. I don't think it makes a big difference that you've taught printing first in english. My kids started writing way more in another, non-Latin script this year. They're both in an introductory level. One had very limited writing in English. The other only knew English printing. I think they've both done okay. I think their skills have bolstered each other, rather than interfered.

 

The only thing I've seen with other kids of k age is some problems with letters/numbers that resemble each other, or look like the mirror image of another, but I think they eventually figure it out.

[KAR120C]

What I found with DS was that learning cursive in English and Russian helped his printing (in English - he never printed in Russian) tremendously. I really think it's more a matter of developing hand control, strength, and stamina rather than any particular shapes.

[Kate in Arabia]

We did Arabic alongside English. In the very beginning there was some confusion about text direction, but it cleared up on its own very quickly. I actually think the kids found Arabic easier to write as it is more "cursivy".

[Guest shaamol13]

I have a question to those that teach handwriting in two different languages.

How do you sync them?

We are doing Russian and English. DD can print (but still needs more practice) in Russian. Usually in grade 1 (in Russia) she would learn to write cursive.

 

But she is behind in writing her letters in English, mostly because we focused more on Russian reading and writting last year. She knows her English letters, because she can read, but doesn't write them well at all.

 

All the books I have been looking at to teach writing in Russian are either preK or K level if they are teaching print, which would just bore her. The others (grade 1) teach cursive.

I have already bought Zaner-Bloser 1 (manuscript) to help her learn her English writing.

 

Should I go ahead and teach one language cursive and the other print? Wait 'till she's in grade 2 to start cursive in both languages? WWYD?

 

 

i suggest pursuing both at the same time but prioritize one so that she won't get confused and bored. this might be difficult at first but i think she'll get the hang of it.

[umsami]

DS1 had a basic English printing ability (1st grade) when he started to learn to write Arabic (cursive script, right to left). Honestly, his Arabic writing is better than his English! i think doing Waldorf form drawing really helped.

 

When he learned cursive in second grade for English, his writing improved. I think he just does better with a flowing script.

[SnegurochkaL]

Hi, My daughter started writing in cursive in English without really learning a manuscript. Now she is learning writing in Russian without learning how to print. My son is studying Russian and Japanese simultaneously and learning to write in both languages without any confusion. Just my 2 cents.

[Guest Vintage]

I have a question to those that teach handwriting in two different languages.

How do you sync them?

We are doing Russian and English. DD can print (but still needs more practice) in Russian. Usually in grade 1 (in Russia) she would learn to write cursive.

 

But she is behind in writing her letters in English, mostly because we focused more on Russian reading and writting last year. She knows her English letters, because she can read, but doesn't write them well at all.

 

All the books I have been looking at to teach writing in Russian are either preK or K level if they are teaching print, which would just bore her. The others (grade 1) teach cursive.

I have already bought Zaner-Bloser 1 (manuscript) to help her learn her English writing.

 

Should I go ahead and teach one language cursive and the other print? Wait 'till she's in grade 2 to start cursive in both languages? WWYD?

 

9/3/12

I studied Russian for a short time as an adult while I was living in South America. A Ukrainian friend loaned me the textbook that her Spanish-speaking husband had used in Russia when he was there as a college student. She said that the best thing about that textbook was that it gave samples of cursive Russian handwriting. Learning cursive made doing the Russian homework 'fun', whereas having to print it had been arduous. I don't have any insights on what youngsters will experience, but this was how it seemed to me as an adult. - Vintage

[Guest Vintage]

10/28/12

In my case, I think that both scripts,... print and cursive,... are useful. I'm an artist. Calligraphy is part of 'making art'. My cursive handwriting is clear and intelligible. It's dependable, but not particularly 'beautiful'. My printing is likewise 'simple'. But the advantage of learning to print is that since the letters are made by adding strokes (an accumulation of strokes), this lays the groundwork for later doing calligraphy and other oriental languages, such as Korean, Japanese, and Chinese. Printing in English is still a far cry from being able to go straight into writing these oriental languages, but it does give the brain practice with 'spatial orientation'. I don't think that cursive writing uses the exact same 'spatial orientation' skills as printing, since the cursive writing is 'joined' together,... and one letter, of necessity, flows into the next. I don't have any studies to quote. Sorry. - Vintage

[plmzk]

I haven't been around much. Lots of moving and we didn't have internet for close to half a year.

 

Anyway, just wanted to come and update that ODD is doing fine learning cursive in Russian and regular printing in English. I'm thinking I will switch to D'nealian handwriting from Zaner Bloser. Main reason is that the issue we came accross was one language is writen very strait while the other is written with a slant, and it takes hew a while to wrap her brain around the change.

 

Hopefully this will be helpful to some.