How did your kid get her/his excellent handwriting?

[kubiac]

I want to help my kids have fluid, clear, attractive handwriting that will serve them for creative writing and note-taking through college and beyond.

 

If you or your children have correct, clear, excellent penmanship, what techniques or practice did you use to get it?

 

[OneStepAtATime]

Things I have found helpful for my kids and for other kids I know....

 

1. New American Cursive with the Start Write Software  (LOVE IT!!!  Totally agree with fairytalemama :) )

 

2.  Short lessons, especially at first, so as not to overwhelm or fatigue the child.  It can take time to build up the muscles, the muscle memory and the other neurological connects that go into handwriting.  This is actually a fairly complex process and not all of it comes automatically.

 

3.  Consistency and scaffolding along with daily practice.

 

4.  Help with correct pencil grip from the beginning and lots of encouragement and support to continue to use correct pencil grip (this is not intuitive for many kids and may take even years to develop automaticity but with consist positive reinforcement early on and throughout the entire process of learning to write hopefully you won't be facing undoing bad habits, only reinforcing good ones).

 

5.  Fun letter formation games.

 

6.  You writing very clearly, too, on a daily basis, so they see there is purpose to clear handwriting beyond just their daily practice.

 

7.  Separating spelling issues from handwriting issues.  These are two different processes.  Some kids go at a different pace for spelling than for handwriting.  If they are using all their working memory to remember how to spell a word then may forget how to form the actual letters and vice-a-versa.

 

8.  An upbeat, positive attitude with lots of positive feedback on the part of the parent and a strong focus on the things they are doing RIGHT, not the things they are doing WRONG so they don't come to associate handwriting with drudgery and failure.  This also helps them to focus on the specific areas they are doing better at and will hopefully hold on to the parts that are working as they smooth out the parts that still need help.

 

9.  Lots of patience.  Some kids start writing well very early.  For others it can take a lot of time.  And still others will need specialized assistance.  Some will never have great handwriting no mater how many times they practice (such as in the case of a child with dysgraphia).  Doesn't mean they weren't trying or didn't care.

 

10;  And I should have mentioned this upthread but some kids need to start with tracing letters in sand or salt, or forming the letters with clay.  Some need to make the letters quite large at first, then learn how to size them down.  Also, writing with a paint brush and water on fence boards or concrete can help with establishing the basic muscle movements.

 

11.  Tie the writing to something meaningful once they have the basic letter formation fairly automatic.  Have them dictate a story to you or a letter they want to send someone or something else they can directly relate to.  Then write it out for them, or type it in the Start Write software and print out some blank lined pages for them to copy over what they wanted to say.  That way they aren't bogged down by the spelling and punctuation, which may be way beyond their capabilities at that point, but can see their own words in their own handwriting.  Post it somewhere and mail a copy of the letter to their intended audience so they can see that they have accomplished something special.

[ErinE]

Once my kids were done with being taught handwriting, they practiced it as part of their daily writing. I look it over, and if I see a problem area, I ask for three perfect copies.

 

When dd was young, she would squash her print Os. She sat next to me and I talked through the process of making Os while demonstrating. I also explained why round Os (helps in forming lower-case As, Bs, Ds, Gs, Ps, Qs - nice round Os are very important). She would then make three perfect copies. If she had the same issue the next day, we'd repeat the process. I would pick only one thing and keep the practice short (no filling out a page worth of letters).

 

I do the same with her cursive writing. This week, her lower case Vs were looking sad (squashed and poor transition from a V to another letter), so she practiced writing "vet" three times. This also helped her with her Ts (an issue in December).

 

For cursive, I let the kids transition to pen. It's not as tiring as writing with pencil. My oldest only uses cursive, but I still monitor his writing and occasionally ask for practice copies if his writing is looking sloppy.

 

I used HWOT for print and the style I was taught for cursive. DS12 has nice cursive handwriting that others can easily read so I think this method works.

[momacacia]

I've always has nice enough handwriting but studied calligraphy in my late teens/early 20s which really made it beautiful. Of course, much of that went out the window with speed note taking in law school, but it's still there if I ever want it.

[Emerald Stoker]

Getty-Dubay. Just plain awesome!

[Grover]

Getty-Dubay here too.  With on the spot monitoring to correct any sloppiness straight away. 

DS needed monitoring to ensure that he continued to use his handwriting in his work as well as in his practice book. 

[violamama]

I hired a tutor for about 6 months (Spell to Write and Read). She gave extremely specific advice like this, "your loop there goes all the way from the baseline to the top line and should lean a little" or "make sure the loops are all of a similar size, not some big and others small- can you draw three in a row?". She would have the boys trace it with her holding the top of the pencil and driving.

 

I thought I had hired her because I wasn't sure how to use SWR, but actually I learned a lot about how very specific I needed to be instead. It helps them look carefully at their work, too. 

 

Their writing for school is all in cursive at this point, and I have to say they both write pretty well. 

 

We also spot-check the alphabet every once in a while and sometimes have them re-write a word or letter if it's wonky during their spelling time. 

 

ETA: clarity

[The Governess]

Spalding. It teaches clear, simple letter formation. My 10 year old is complimented all the time on her "perfect" print and cursive. My youngest has some fine motor issues but her writing is definitely improving.

[TheAttachedMama]

I have REALLY, REALLY neat handwriting.   In my case, it is all due to my third grade teacher....Mrs. Shirley.  

If our handwriting didn't look neat, she would make us do the WHOLE assignment over again.  (As many times as it took for us to write neatly.)  I really hated her for it at the time.  But, now I am thankful she was a bit strict.  

 

My kids DON'T have neat handwriting.  So I am all ears on how to teach it.  :) 

[kubiac]

Really appreciate the advice. Looking at all the programs recommended. Thanks everybody.

[ktgrok]

no idea. I had friends with pretty handwriting. They didn't do extra practice or whatever. They just naturally had pretty handwriting. I had horrid handwriting. Still do. I DID do extra practice. I had to copy out of dictionaries in the back of the class. Still didn't help. I am sure now I have dysgraphia. Wish I'd known then. It was really embarrassing. i still wish I could write neatly for more than a word at a time. 

[Cheryl in CA]

I have used the same curriculum and methods with my 3 oldest children (child #4 is just learning cursive, and child #5 is just in K) with greatly varying results.  I think handwriting just varies from individual to individual.

 

Child #1 (20 year old boy) - hated cursive, writes in legible but not beautiful printing.  He has done beautiful calligraphy since Jr High.  The calligraphy had no impact on his printing or cursive.  He is very artistic and does very good sketches.

Child #2 (19 year old boy) - also hated cursive, writes in legible but not beautiful printing.  He is not artistic at all. 

Child #3 (11 year old girl) - she has the most beautiful printing and handwriting I've ever seen (including most adults).  Her cursive has been beautiful since she was around 9.  She is artistic but has not yet done calligraphy.  Ironically, she is moderately visually impaired.

 

All three used Pentime.  My daughter has also used PreScripts from Classical Conversations, but only for the last year (so her handwriting was beautiful before she started it).  Her printing did change a bit after we started using Apples and Pears Spelling (which I think made it prettier), but the changes were subtle.

 

ETA, that Pentime goes through 8th grade, and my older boys used all the levels due to their less than beautiful handwriting ;)  Child #2 even did a level of PreScripts during his senior year. 

[Ellie]

It isn't only the initial instruction; it's also at some point requiring dc to actually *use* their good penmanship, and when they get to cursive (if you don't do cursive first) requiring dc to use cursive when they write *every*single*thing. You have to mark their answers as wrong if you cannot read what they wrote.

 

It's one of the reasons I prefer R&S English over workbook-based English: children have to write on actual paper instead of filling in lines in workbooks; and if I use workbooks, I tear out the pages so that they are lying flat on the children's work surface; it's much easier to write on a flat surface than to wrestle down a workbook. If I have cut the workbooks apart and put them in three-ring notebooks, I have the dc take the sheet out of the notebook, do the assignment, and put it back in the notebook.

[Cheryl in CA]

It isn't only the initial instruction; it's also at some point requiring dc to actually *use* their good penmanship, and when they get to cursive (if you don't do cursive first) requiring dc to use cursive when they write *every*single*thing. You have to mark their answers as wrong if you cannot read what they wrote.

 

It's one of the reasons I prefer R&S English over workbook-based English: children have to write on actual paper instead of filling in lines in workbooks; and if I use workbooks, I tear out the pages so that they are lying flat on the children's work surface; it's much easier to write on a flat surface than to wrestle down a workbook. If I have cut the workbooks apart and put them in three-ring notebooks, I have the dc take the sheet out of the notebook, do the assignment, and put it back in the notebook.

 

I did that, but it didn't give my boys nice handwriting.  I don't want to know what their writing would look like if I hadn't, LOL.  I think it will help, but only to a certain degree.

[wintermom]

My ds 12 (lefty) and ds 8 (righty) have the neatest printing of my 4 children. Dd's 14 (righty) is alright, and ds 10 (lefty) has always been and still is pretty messy. Their cursive is all similar and neat. They all prefer printing their schoolwork.

 

I had them all complete the same gentle handwriting exercise books, and provided ds with various grips to try and improve his printing. Ds 10 will probably never have really neat printing, but as long as his work is legible it's acceptble for me. 

 

To address the question about what I did to somehow illicit the excellent penmanship from 2 children, I'd have to say they had natural talent, the handwriting movements didn't hurt, they had the patience and ability to form their letters neatly. My one son didn't and I don't have the desire to force him into trying to achieve exellent penmanship when he could discover so many other strengths and joys he does have in the world.

 

P.S. I'm pretty sure that the majority of college students these days type most of their notes directly into computers, so quick and neat handwriting for notetaking is probably not the long-term goal that our children even need these days. They need to handwrite for exams, but the pressure to write quickly probably won't be there in the same way it was for us. 

[mamamindy]

It isn't only the initial instruction; it's also at some point requiring dc to actually *use* their good penmanship, and when they get to cursive (if you don't do cursive first) requiring dc to use cursive when they write *every*single*thing. You have to mark their answers as wrong if you cannot read what they wrote.

 

It's one of the reasons I prefer R&S English over workbook-based English: children have to write on actual paper instead of filling in lines in workbooks; and if I use workbooks, I tear out the pages so that they are lying flat on the children's work surface; it's much easier to write on a flat surface than to wrestle down a workbook. If I have cut the workbooks apart and put them in three-ring notebooks, I have the dc take the sheet out of the notebook, do the assignment, and put it back in the notebook.

It does seem like a lot of practice will result in nice handwriting.

 

I have always hated writing in a WB myself.  Often I choose to journal on loose paper (as much as I hate loose paper lying all around) or getting journals that are spiral so they can lie flat.  I have made my own workbooks for my children - to combat all that darn loose paper! - and I get it spiral bound for the same reason.  Of course when they're first learning letter formation i still use just a piece of paper.  Makes such a big difference.  For DD2 I have to have to make sure NOTHING inhibits her moving her paper into a comfortable position, she doesn't have to press too hard with pencil, etc.

[mamamindy]

OP, I have one DC with excellent cursive penmanship, and another that...needs some improvement. ;)  I hesitate to judge hers yet as she's only 7.5yo.  But thus far, my oldest has a DESIRE to have nice handwriting, and she will spend a lot of her own time practicing.  DD2 could really care less.  So I appreciate you starting this thread!  I would like to encourage her to have better handwriting.  I think penmanship is important, even in this digital world.  I really like the suggestion to keep it positive.  For young ones in our house, I've kept handwriting instruction short, but focus on quality.  And include the fun stuff like sugar-writing and writing in shaving cream.  :)

[FO4UR]

Cursive, first and before they start making up their own strokes.  I start with Montessori sandpaper letters and input that sense of formation without any expectation of pencil work.  Meanwhile, I have the child doing fm work with a tripod grasp.

 

Tracing, with stetro grips and/or crayon nubs is the 2nd step.

 

Copying is the 3rd step, some still need help with tripod grasp.  Some don't.

 

Before we shift focus to spelling or other work, I want to see them write the letters independently from dictation.  I'm a believer in CM's philosophy of a few perfect repetitions, daily.  

 

My dc all have better penmanship than I do.  Their printing is meh, but their cursive is nice.  I gave them each a set of Spencerian Penmanship a couple of years ago. I don't check or grade or anything with them. They are theirs to use or not.  I praise and "ooh" and "ah" their work when they show me. The stroke practice carries over well to daily work, BUT they were all 3 solid in cursive *before* I gave them the Spencerian books.  I think they would work for starters and/or youngers, but not so independently.

 

 

Steadtler colored markers, the fine line ergonomic ones, make handwriting a satisfying chill time activity.