hisforhomeschooling Posted January 23, 2016 Share Posted January 23, 2016 My 6 year old son is interested in learning cursive. He is very meticulous and has great print. He has started pretending to write in cursive so I am thinking maybe I should introduce it before he makes up his own and gets confused or frustrated when I teach him the "right" way to do it. I have been looking at workbooks but am not satisfied with what I have seen. Either a) they are whole pages of single letters and that was miserable for us with learning print with BJU or b) there is very little practice before writing sentences. I am not sure about the latter. I feel like he could get frustrated easily without practice, but too much practice will numb his brain. I think that what I want is a line where he can trace the letter a few times, and then a line under that where he can practice it without tracing a few times. Then, for each letter after "a" there would be a tracing line to show how to connect the new letter with previous letters and then a line to practice what you just traced. No more than 4 lines of work. No more than a few letters a line. He doesn't need to do a whole page of As. He just needs the ability to see it, trace it, and practice it. If he does 2 or 3 in a row correctly, that's all I think he needs to do. That's how he learned to write print. Does this exist in workbook form already? Should I just be making my own worksheets for him? If so, does anyone have a site they use? What font is best? Is there a font that has tracing and regular letters and maybe letters with arrows? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freedom Posted January 23, 2016 Share Posted January 23, 2016 Because I wasn't sure I could do it myself, I bought New American Cursive, but it doesn't have an abundance of practice so then I bought Startwrite software at Rainbow. Now I create my own practice sheets with words and soon sentences. Startwrite has multiple cursive fonts and you could create your own program with just that....which what I recommend. :) I started when DS was 6-1/2 and it working beautifully! He also wanted to learn cursive and was also writing in pretend cursive, so I was where you are now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raifta Posted January 23, 2016 Share Posted January 23, 2016 Zaner-Bloser Handwriting 3 sounds pretty similar to that. I had DS learn the basic letters on an erasable whiteboard that showed the cursive letters that I got at some mystery location. Then we moved to the ZB workbook. A page typically has a line where you trace the letter, 2 lines underneath to write the letter (we only use the first line), then a line showing you how to connect that letter to some other single letters (so two letter combinations) with a line under that to copy the above and the finally two lines with the first line being actual words and the second being where he copies the above words. It doesn't seem like overkill and worked well for DD. Have just started DS with it but it seems to be an approach that is working well for him as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jess4879 Posted January 23, 2016 Share Posted January 23, 2016 (edited) We use A Reason for Handwriting in the manner you described. They give a sample letter with arrows to show letter strokes, a tracer letter and then starting lines to practice with starting dots. We never, ever do all the lines. Just do a few letters and move on. Then there is a spot at the bottom that has them connect several of the same letters, moving in to words once they have learnt the entire alphabet. I often use the space to write a sample word and have them copy it. There are bible verses to copy, as well, but we have never done these and there are lots of cute bordered sheets in the back that my kids love. ETA: We use the C book. We had the T book for my oldest and it's similar, but covers manuscript as well, and we didn't need that Edited January 23, 2016 by Jess4879 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CadenceSophia Posted January 24, 2016 Share Posted January 24, 2016 Abeka's Cursive book, Writing with Phonics K5 is just like that. It has the first 60ish pages in larger font, and then it gets smaller around the time they are writing short sentences. If he is really meticulous and self-motivated, why not pull up a few choices or print out some sample sheets and let him choose the style he'd like to write in? I think you can use any cursive book the way you describe. I just make my kids practice more more or less depending on what they need and are ready for - do multiple sheets, half one day half the next, a few letters on different sheets, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elizahelen Posted January 24, 2016 Share Posted January 24, 2016 We are using this -http://teachmejoy.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=2. there's a few lines per letter, you print it at home, reasonable cost, like the script. Check it out! Sent from my XT1094 using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UCF612 Posted January 24, 2016 Share Posted January 24, 2016 Pentime or Abeka K5 maybe? My kids started with Abeka (in school) and switched to Pentime (at home). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah0000 Posted January 24, 2016 Share Posted January 24, 2016 These might work for initial teaching of the formation. http://www.kidzone.ws/cursive/index.htmI've been using them with my DS who also learns handwriting quickly. After he completes these I intend to let him practice the letters at will in a dry erase cursive workbook for a couple weeks then either switch his copywork from manuscript to cursive, or if he needs more guidance, use a workbook like Zaner Bloser 4 or Handwriting Skills Simplified D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eternallytired Posted January 24, 2016 Share Posted January 24, 2016 I couldn't find a workbook I liked, either. I didn't want too much practice on each letter, but the one workbook I tried had too little practice, so the kids were frustrated. It said "Beginning Cursive" but seemed to be more like a fast review. I ended up making my own worksheets using this free website. I liked the fact that I could make the font whatever size I wanted (big at the beginning, and smaller as they got better), and I could do just the amount of repetition I thought they needed. I used the general sequence from several cursive books I saw online (you can usually see the table of contents for the workbooks on the RR site). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FO4UR Posted January 24, 2016 Share Posted January 24, 2016 I made something somewhat close to what you are describing. The catch is that it combines cursive with spelling lessons. The first 30-some pages are just cursive, and then it changes routine to combine spelling. http://www.underthewillowtree.org/2015/03/essentials-in-spelling-grade-2.html?showComment=1453195853458#c27550059049737635 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheAttachedMama Posted January 24, 2016 Share Posted January 24, 2016 We are using this -http://teachmejoy.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=2. there's a few lines per letter, you print it at home, reasonable cost, like the script. Check it out! Sent from my XT1094 using Tapatalk I second this curriculum. I think more people should know about this. I liked the formation of all of the letters. Plus, they teach all of the vowels first so kids can start connecting and writing real words / sentences as soon as possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hisforhomeschooling Posted January 26, 2016 Author Share Posted January 26, 2016 Because I wasn't sure I could do it myself, I bought New American Cursive, but it doesn't have an abundance of practice so then I bought Startwrite software at Rainbow. Now I create my own practice sheets with words and soon sentences. Startwrite has multiple cursive fonts and you could create your own program with just that....which what I recommend. :) I started when DS was 6-1/2 and it working beautifully! He also wanted to learn cursive and was also writing in pretend cursive, so I was where you are now. I hadn't heard of Startwrite in my initial searching. Thanks!! Zaner-Bloser Handwriting 3 sounds pretty similar to that. I had DS learn the basic letters on an erasable whiteboard that showed the cursive letters that I got at some mystery location. Then we moved to the ZB workbook. A page typically has a line where you trace the letter, 2 lines underneath to write the letter (we only use the first line), then a line showing you how to connect that letter to some other single letters (so two letter combinations) with a line under that to copy the above and the finally two lines with the first line being actual words and the second being where he copies the above words. It doesn't seem like overkill and worked well for DD. Have just started DS with it but it seems to be an approach that is working well for him as well. Thanks for the book recommendation! It sounds promising. I will check it out! We use A Reason for Handwriting in the manner you described. They give a sample letter with arrows to show letter strokes, a tracer letter and then starting lines to practice with starting dots. We never, ever do all the lines. Just do a few letters and move on. Then there is a spot at the bottom that has them connect several of the same letters, moving in to words once they have learnt the entire alphabet. I often use the space to write a sample word and have them copy it. There are bible verses to copy, as well, but we have never done these and there are lots of cute bordered sheets in the back that my kids love. ETA: We use the C book. We had the T book for my oldest and it's similar, but covers manuscript as well, and we didn't need that Isn't it silly that I hadn't thought of just not doing all the lines?! Haha, such a newbie still! You're totally right that I could use whatever is in budget the way that I want to. Thanks for telling me which book you used. I like the sequence you're telling me and I will look into it. Abeka's Cursive book, Writing with Phonics K5 is just like that. It has the first 60ish pages in larger font, and then it gets smaller around the time they are writing short sentences. If he is really meticulous and self-motivated, why not pull up a few choices or print out some sample sheets and let him choose the style he'd like to write in? I think you can use any cursive book the way you describe. I just make my kids practice more more or less depending on what they need and are ready for - do multiple sheets, half one day half the next, a few letters on different sheets, etc. Great suggestion. He loves having a choice. And doing more or less depending on his needs makes a lot of sense. Thanks! We are using this -http://teachmejoy.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=2. there's a few lines per letter, you print it at home, reasonable cost, like the script. Check it out! Sent from my XT1094 using Tapatalk Is there a way to see a sample? I am interested in checking it out but it looks like there is only the description and the price? I would love to find something that is print-at-home and inexpensive because we have 3 kids (in process for adopting for the first time, too) and they will all need to learn this, obviously. Thanks for telling me about this one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hisforhomeschooling Posted January 26, 2016 Author Share Posted January 26, 2016 Pentime or Abeka K5 maybe? My kids started with Abeka (in school) and switched to Pentime (at home). I will look into them. Thanks! These might work for initial teaching of the formation. http://www.kidzone.ws/cursive/index.htmI've been using them with my DS who also learns handwriting quickly. After he completes these I intend to let him practice the letters at will in a dry erase cursive workbook for a couple weeks then either switch his copywork from manuscript to cursive, or if he needs more guidance, use a workbook like Zaner Bloser 4 or Handwriting Skills Simplified D. I love free options! I didn't think of a site like kidzone having worksheets like that. Thanks! I couldn't find a workbook I liked, either. I didn't want too much practice on each letter, but the one workbook I tried had too little practice, so the kids were frustrated. It said "Beginning Cursive" but seemed to be more like a fast review. I ended up making my own worksheets using this free website. I liked the fact that I could make the font whatever size I wanted (big at the beginning, and smaller as they got better), and I could do just the amount of repetition I thought they needed. I used the general sequence from several cursive books I saw online (you can usually see the table of contents for the workbooks on the RR site). Looking at the general sequence from a table of contents is brilliant! I have done that for other things but not sure I would have thought of it for this. Thanks for that and the website! I made something somewhat close to what you are describing. The catch is that it combines cursive with spelling lessons. The first 30-some pages are just cursive, and then it changes routine to combine spelling. http://www.underthewillowtree.org/2015/03/essentials-in-spelling-grade-2.html?showComment=1453195853458#c27550059049737635 How do you have time?! Thanks for the link! I will look at the samples. I always love finding things that are based on how it used to be done. I second this curriculum. I think more people should know about this. I liked the formation of all of the letters. Plus, they teach all of the vowels first so kids can start connecting and writing real words / sentences as soon as possible. Teaching vowels first makes sense! Again, I haven't found samples yet, but they must be somewhere! Haha! Thanks! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elizahelen Posted January 26, 2016 Share Posted January 26, 2016 (edited) Yes, there is. At the page, scroll down and click the link right above the bolded "included in the..." to see a sample: http://teachmejoy.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2&products_id=5&zenid=ad58d7c886e09256b81dc3a83419b3ef Sent from my XT1094 using Tapatalk Edited January 26, 2016 by elizahelen 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hisforhomeschooling Posted January 26, 2016 Author Share Posted January 26, 2016 HA! Found the sample. Haha. Right there where it says "click here to view sample". Shaking my head, y'all. We are using this -http://teachmejoy.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=2. there's a few lines per letter, you print it at home, reasonable cost, like the script. Check it out!Sent from my XT1094 using Tapatalk I second this curriculum. I think more people should know about this. I liked the formation of all of the letters. Plus, they teach all of the vowels first so kids can start connecting and writing real words / sentences as soon as possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hisforhomeschooling Posted January 26, 2016 Author Share Posted January 26, 2016 Yes, there is. At the page, scroll down and click the link right above the bolded "included in the..." to see a sample: http://teachmejoy.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2&products_id=5&zenid=ad58d7c886e09256b81dc3a83419b3ef Sent from my XT1094 using Tapatalk Yeah...I found it...lol. Thanks! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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