Looking for suggestions for learning cursive...

[Luvingmy4boys]

My son is in first grade and has asked me to learn cursive. I've been looking at a few books but not sure which one to choose. I've been looking at New American Cursive or Cursive First.  Does anyone have experience positive or negative about these?  I want it to be easy to learn but I also want my kids to be able to read older documents that were written in the old-fashioned cursive style. 

[Walking-Iris]

For a kid that young you may like the Montessori cursive movable alphabet sets. Whatever program you choose they could be a great resource.

 

http://www.montessoriservices.com/cursive-movable-alphabet-cards?utm_source=googleprod&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=GoogleProductSearch&utm_content=L505&gclid=CMvCjNuCnroCFeZcMgodHE4AGA

[dancingmama]

We liked both Logic of English and Handwriting without Tears.  

[Twilight Woods]

I have been using NAC. My DD has done well with it. We are about to start book 2. 

[Mrs. A]

Cursive First is very easy to use and moves quickly.  I would definitely recommend it.

[Hunter]

Don Potter's *FREE* cursive handwriting curriculum to support Alpha-Phonics is really good if you want a slanted hand http://www.donpotter.net/reading_clinic.html. I'd recommend this over LOE and SWR's Cursive First, even if it wasn't free.

 

If you want a vertical hand, Spalding instructions in The Writing Road to Reading *SIXTH* edition, is really good for left handed and learning disabled students, who sometimes struggle to adopt a consistent right leaning slant.

 

Teaching cursive along with Alpha-Phonics is a nice option, because students are copying full sentences even before all the letters are learned. There is a free copy of an older and more concise version of Alpha-Phonics here, that will work good enough with the free handwriting.

http://www.donpotter.net/pdf/blumnfeld_home_primer.pdf

[Crimson Wife]

NAC plus the E-Race Away Cursive white board (http://birchcourtbooks.com/product-info.php?pid1123_html=/asc_action=SetCurrentProduct/prod_id=1123) is what got my DD to finally learn cursive after Peterson Directed caused meltdowns in an otherwise compliant (at the time) student.

[CrunchyGirl]

I really like NAC. My then five year old went through the book in about 4 months (and I wasn't being very consistent--probably would have taken a lot less time if I was) and then we moved to copy work. We started cursive 10 months ago and he's now pretty proficient and has neat and legible handwriting.

 

I am now starting NAC with my 4 1/2 year old (she has well developed fine motor skills).

[duckens]

I think there are many good Cursive books and curriculum out there.

 

We are using a generic Cursive book.

 

Other things to know:

1) We write the letter on the white board together.  Then I have dd6 write a the letter 3-5 times independently on the whiteboard.

 

2) We go out of order.  Some letters are just easier than others.  I am unafraid to jump around.  Start with i or t.

 

3) Develop a vocabulary for demonstrating the letters: 

s = Slanty line up to the dotted line, make a fat belly, and stick out your tongue (the connection to the next letter).

t = Go up, backtrack down, end nicely (the curve to join to a next letter), write the crossbar.

a = start at c-position, make a circle, backtrack down, end nicely.

 

4) After 26 pages of writing letters, our book has 26 pages of writing words that start with each letter.  As dd6 learns each letter, I assign a PART of these pages if dd has learned all of the letters in a word.  This allows review practice for letters she has learned in the past.  Plus, I have no problems with jumping around.

 

Example of our future word/letter plans:

and, nap, pan, o do, g, dog, dad, t, rat, e, eat, near, pet, rear......

[MamaSprout]

I am using L of E Cursive with an 8 year old and I used parts of New American cursive with a 6 year old. I like both. There is no tracing with L of E, but I think it is simpler to learn.

[blondeviolin]

We did NAC and I found it nothing special or unique. To be honest, the order of HWOT has been much better for us. (NAC goes in ABC order.). But my kids don't do HWOT either. I just use their teaching prompts and order (which can be found on their website under posters or something) and teach on my own.

[MamaSprout]

The one thing I try to avoid is the type of handwriting with an open "p" stick. I have found it is confusing to some kids who mix it up with a "q" and a "g". If you plan to use copywork, New American Cursive has software to generate your own.

[MamaSprout]

I think there are many good Cursive books and curriculum out there.

 

We are using a generic Cursive book.

 

Other things to know:

1) We write the letter on the white board together.  Then I have dd6 write a the letter 3-5 times independently on the whiteboard.

 

2) We go out of order.  Some letters are just easier than others.  I am unafraid to jump around.  Start with i or t.

 

3) Develop a vocabulary for demonstrating the letters: 

s = Slanty line up to the dotted line, make a fat belly, and stick out your tongue (the connection to the next letter).

t = Go up, backtrack down, end nicely (the curve to join to a next letter), write the crossbar.

a = start at c-position, make a circle, backtrack down, end nicely.

 

4) After 26 pages of writing letters, our book has 26 pages of writing words that start with each letter.  As dd6 learns each letter, I assign a PART of these pages if dd has learned all of the letters in a word.  This allows review practice for letters she has learned in the past.  Plus, I have no problems with jumping around.

 

Example of our future word/letter plans:

and, nap, pan, o do, g, dog, dad, t, rat, e, eat, near, pet, rear......

 

I mostly like L of E's order, but teach the lower-case cursive "c" first because it is the base of so many other letters.

 

[bakpak]

My 4yo is really enjoying the New American Cursive. She really needs & likes the amount of tracing prior to trying it on her own. I like the script pretty well...it's very practical, so less flair than what I learned in school. It's more like what my own cursive has morphed into over the years.

[ByGrace3]

I thought Zaner Bloser cursive transition book was great. We plan to use it again when teaching cursive to my ds.

[Χά�ων]

I started teaching DS to write the way I learned. I used a generic book and I used the order (a, g, p, d etc) instead of going alphabetical. About 3 months in DS was doing really well, then his OT invited DS to join their handwriting group because they were starting cursive. They used HWOT. The program really screwed DS up. He can not longer write in cursive and cries at the mention.

[happypamama]

We've really liked HWOT for cursive, but as with anything, ymmv. We like that the directions are very clear.

[*Michelle*]

Our first grader loves NAC. I need to get the StartWrite program so I can put all of his copywork into cursive. He thinks it's fun to make the letters hold hands. :)