Handwriting question

[mystika1]

Hi

I need help deciding what to do. I am a cursive first believer. My oldest has beautiful handwriting and has only done cursive. I was all set to start cursive with her younger sister but... she was given a HWT "Get Set For School" workbook that she loves. She brings it to the table and starts working on it. She likes the handwriting pages and actually forms her letters perfectly. Should I just teach manuscript first? What should I do? She seems to have a bit more difficulty with cursive where as printing just comes natural.

 

I want my girls to know cursive. I was shocked to discover that our local public schools no longer teach cursive. When my oldest writes a letter to her friend(who is 10yo)she has to have her mother read it to her. Is cursive a dying handwriting style?

 

Penny

[Hunter]

Cursive IS a dying handwriting style and I have had to factor that into my handwriting teaching choices.

 

I've chosen the Spalding lowercase cursive because it is vertical rather than slanted and most of the letters are similar to manuscript. I chose to use manuscript UPPERCASE letters specifically because it makes my student's handwriting legible to their friends who have not yet learned cursive.

 

Italic cursive has become a popular recommendation for handwriting remediation because it is easier to READ by people who have not mastered cursive. I personally believe italic to be a remedial DISASTER, but it is an option for regular students who need to legible to manuscript writers.

 

Taking into account ALL the REALITIES of modern day life, and the fact that I teach remedial students with remedial friends and relatives, Spalding cursive lowercase, combined with any traditional manuscript uppercase is what I have chosen for me and mine, and is my GENERAL advice for handwriting questions.

 

I worked hard at developing a lovely set of uppercase cursive letters, that look absolutely charming with the lowercase Spalding letters, but I abandoned them for myself and my students because they are too hard to read for manuscript writers. :crying:

[Alessandra]

Italic cursive has become a popular recommendation for handwriting remediation because it is easier to READ by people who have not mastered cursive. I personally believe italic to be a remedial DISASTER, but it is an option for regular students who need to legible to manuscript writers.

 

That is an interesting comment -- can you share why you found italic to be a remedial disaster?

THX.

[Shelsi]

Could you try getting the HWT cursive workbook? I know it's for a 2nd-3rd grade level though so I'm not sure how hard it would be for her?

 

I'm using the LOE cursive program with both my kindergartener and 3rd grader and they're both enjoying it. And actually I was met with some resistance by my 5 yr old because she already knew how to print her letters but once we really got going on it and she started to learn more letters she really got in to it. Now she's excited that she's learning something the other kids think of as "cool" and aren't being taught until much later.

[txmommyofboys]

My kids love cursive! They have learned cursive 2nd though. I think you should just continue with manuscript, then do cursive next :)

[SonshineLearner]

The cursive HWOT for 3rd would be doable, or if you have it, you could alter the manuscript. I have both and that's what I would do. I also think cursive is best first :)

[Hunter]

That is an interesting comment -- can you share why you found italic to be a remedial disaster?

THX.

 

The italic rules are not explicit or consistent. Spalding and HWT has very explicit instructions, and only uses a few simples lines and shapes that are combined in consistent ways.

[Amie]

My plan has long been to teach cursive first. My oldest is just learning. He has written his own version of print on occasion but has shown little interest in writing up to this point, so it hasn't been an issue. My toddler, however, is already quite interested in writing, so I may have to handle things differently with him. He is trying to draw print letters on his magnadoodle and I'm letting him/helping him as he is interested. I'm no expert, but since your younger is only 4 my vote would be to go ahead and let her learn whatever print she's interested in with her new book and then introduce cursive early as an official part of her lessons when those become more formal (like when she would be "official" K or 1st grade age). In the meantime I'd keep a cursive alphabet available for her to see/learn.

 

Amie ~ fighting to keep cursive alive, one child at a time... :D

[Hunter]

Romalda Spalding says that it is difficult to write in cursive until the student is writing in syllables and not letter by letter. I think she is right. She chose to start students with manuscript so she could use a phonics curriculum that gets a student reading real books as soon as possible. I choose HTT that gets a student writing in cursive immediately, but requires special reading material for longer.

 

I believe in cursive first, but I don't think cursive first can easily be pasted into just any phonics curriculum, unless a student is gifted.

[mystika1]

Thank you all for posting. I think that I will stick to my guns here and just teach cursive first. Since she likes HWT, I figured I would look at cursive samples. I must admit that the font is unusual. It doesn't seem to flow as nicely as the cursive I learned. I went back through old threads and read how parents claim their kids have horrible handwriting after completing HWT cursive. I am afraid to use it. :)Any of you use it and not have bad handwriting? I am also looking at New American Cursive. My dd actually came near me while I was looking at samples and got quite excited.

 

We are limited in cursive programs for beginning handwriting but it is still hard to pick.

 

Penny

[Hunter]

Thank you all for posting. I think that I will stick to my guns here and just teach cursive first. Since she likes HWT, I figured I would look at cursive samples. I must admit that the font is unusual. It doesn't seem to flow as nicely as the cursive I learned. I went back through old threads and read how parents claim their kids have horrible handwriting after completing HWT cursive. I am afraid to use it. :)Any of you use it and not have bad handwriting? I am also looking at New American Cursive. My dd actually came near me while I was looking at samples and got quite excited.

 

We are limited in cursive programs for beginning handwriting but it is still hard to pick.

 

Penny

 

I took a long hard look at HWT and even used it for about a week. I would use it for studets more disabled than the ones I teach, who would never develop a normal looking hand. HWT is a lot like Spalding, but the connections are very stiff, and the "r" is weird. And the uppercase is just :001_huh:

 

I understand the theory behind HWT and I'm glad it is available for certain students.

 

Have you seen the Carson-Dellosa curriculum? I'm quite impressed with this curriculum. The left-handed vertical version is similar to Spalding. There is also a right-handed slanted version. I learned a lot by reading through the online sample.

[curlylocks]

I've been following this thread because my 13 yo is still learning cursive. :001_huh:

 

Is this a true Spalding cursive?

 

http://www.americanacademyk8.org/aastaffhome/users/tbostick/downloads/spaldingcursivepractice.pdf

 

Thanks in advance...

[Alessandra]

The italic rules are not explicit or consistent. Spalding and HWT has very explicit instructions, and only uses a few simples lines and shapes that are combined in consistent ways.

 

Thank you!

[Hunter]

I've been following this thread because my 13 yo is still learning cursive. :001_huh:

 

Is this a true Spalding cursive?

 

http://www.americanacademyk8.org/aastaffhome/users/tbostick/downloads/spaldingcursivepractice.pdf

 

Thanks in advance...

 

Yes. Those are actual pages from WRTR 5th edition. If possible you will want to get ahold of the 6th edition instructions. They are better. The hand LOOKS the same, but the 6th edition instructions are entirely explicit, instead of expecting you to infer some things from the explicit manuscript lessons.

[curlylocks]

Yes. Those are actual pages from WRTR 5th edition. If possible you will want to get ahold of the 6th edition instructions. They are better. The hand LOOKS the same, but the 6th edition instructions are entirely explicit, instead of expecting you to infer some things from the explicit manuscript lessons.

 

GREAT!! Thank you, Hunter!! :)