genny Posted October 24, 2013 Share Posted October 24, 2013 DD has just started learning cursive...we started with manuscript. She's doing great as far as forming individual letters but gets all confused when trying to connect letters together to form words. For example, when forming the word 'dad', she just can't seem to understand that you have to go backwards once you get at the top of the curve for a. I'm using pentime with her and it doesn't appear to have any useful chants or instruction (just practice pages). I do love pentime and don't want to switch but was hoping someone on here can help with the instructional side of teaching cursive. She's getting frustrated and I think it's because I can't explain well enough what to do. Any help appreciated! TIA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
countrygal Posted October 25, 2013 Share Posted October 25, 2013 I'm not familiar with the curriculum you are using but we are using Cursive First. It teaches that you start all letters on the base line and for the 'clock letters', such as 'a' (and c g o d q) for example, you start at the base line and curve up and over like you are tracing a clock until you get to '2 o'clock', then turn around and trace backwards to make your letter a. Learning them that way makes it make sense more of how they connect. I'm sorry if that makes no sense at all!!! It's hard to explain. See if you can find an example to see online like through RR. I'll see if I can find something too.... It doesn't mean you need to buy it but if you seen how they explain it maybe you could explain it to her easier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
genny Posted October 25, 2013 Author Share Posted October 25, 2013 hmmm... dh suggested that I have her do all her letters at the baseline. Pentime has individual letters like d not starting at the baseline...start with a curve from the top. So far we have only down e, l, d and a. e and l she has no problems with and can connect to make words like eel. a and d she has trouble connecting into words. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
genny Posted October 25, 2013 Author Share Posted October 25, 2013 I'm not familiar with the curriculum you are using but we are using Cursive First. It teaches that you start all letters on the base line and for the 'clock letters', such as 'a' (and c g o d q) for example, you start at the base line and curve up and over like you are tracing a clock until you get to '2 o'clock', then turn around and trace backwards to make your letter a. Learning them that way makes it make sense more of how they connect. I'm sorry if that makes no sense at all!!! It's hard to explain. See if you can find an example to see online like through RR. I'll see if I can find something too.... It doesn't mean you need to buy it but if you seen how they explain it maybe you could explain it to her easier. I'll take a look at cursive first at RR. Thanks Just checked it out...it looks like d and a have tails in the front...pentime doesn't teach this and on has a tail after the a and d (don't know what you call that little curvy thing :lol: )....hmmm maybe I'll teach them with the initial curve in the front and see if that makes it easier for her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwik Posted October 25, 2013 Share Posted October 25, 2013 I have never taught cursive but I clearly remember learning it in 1970 something. We just did pages and pages of each letter until we knew how to do it. It doesn't happen overnight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
genny Posted October 25, 2013 Author Share Posted October 25, 2013 I went through all my school stuff and remembered that I had purchased the pdf of LOE rhthym of handwriting. I think I'll teach her with this instead. When she's comfortable with connecting letters together, I think I will go back to using pentime. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
genny Posted October 25, 2013 Author Share Posted October 25, 2013 I have never taught cursive but I clearly remember learning it in 1970 something. We just did pages and pages of each letter until we knew how to do it. It doesn't happen overnight. Penmanship has never been her strong point .... manuscript took forever for her to catch on to ... actually holding her pencil correctly took A LOT of practice (she's slow in the motor skill development...not majorly but I notice a difference with her and others her age). She has actually pick up on the cursive letters I've shown her really quickly to my surprise :lol: I think pentime's formation of some of the letters is confusing her. I guess I will see today when we switch programs. I wish I had been taught with pages and pages. Maybe my cursive wouldn't look sooo horrible! I don't even want to model letters for her in fear that she'll pick up my horrible looking letters :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
countrygal Posted October 25, 2013 Share Posted October 25, 2013 We call them tails and tags, too. lol. It's hard to teach if you aren't able to do it well (like me and grammar!) but she did just start. DS started last year when he was 6 (he asked!) and he's just starting to connect words this year. So it takes a while, just have her do a little every day with no pressure. I plan to do cursive copywork for a couple more years, just by copying words and sentences I have written out. HTH! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
genny Posted October 25, 2013 Author Share Posted October 25, 2013 we kept it short and sweet today. We did 'i' from the rhythm of writing LOE and it went well! I like the chant to remember 'swing, down, dot'...it really helped her! I've decided to instruct with LOE and then find the same letter in pentime for her to practice the days following. I think I might practice too! :p Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexi Posted October 25, 2013 Share Posted October 25, 2013 We are using LOE for cursive. It's awesome!!! We love it. The little chants are so helpful and all the little "tails" really help when it comes time to connect into words. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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