Can you tell me if the "Seatwork Writing Tablet" for 2nd grade has a new copy work assignment on each page, or if it's mostly just page after page of blank lines? The example given on Abeka's website doesn't really help me much, and the display won't be in my area until the end of next month. :roll:
Someone gifted me with a second grade handwriting, and some pages have words to copy and space to practice, and some pages are just blank. There seem to be more pages with copy work at the beginning and more blank lines toward the end. I'll try to look at it better today and get back to you on that.
It has been a long time since we used A Beka's handwriting program so things might have changed. A Beka begins handwriting in Kindergarten. In the early stages of the program, the lessons have the student trace and copy letters. As the program advances, the student will be tracing and copying sentences in cursive. Eventually the student will be copying scriptures, psalms, quotes, etc... A Beka encourages the parent to have the student write in handwriting for all subjects. This is where some of the blank lined pages come into play. You obviously do not have to do this. It is just a suggestion for reinforcement. A Beka also has the student copy spelling words in cursive. If I remember correctly, past a certain grade, the spelling books actually have the words written in cursive.
If memory serves me correctly, it's just the lined paper (blank) that they use for their seat work. IMHO, seat work is more "busy work" and serves to help keep the students who finish their assignments busy while the teacher (in a classroom setting) can help any others who haven't finished and need assistance.
(How do I even begin to explain what I'm looking for without sounding like one of "those moms"? Sorry... ) Ok, here's the deal: academically he's way ahead, physically he's way behind. He needs to be writing stuff that's written for a 5-6 grader (paragraphs, very short stories, poetry, etc.). He spells better than most kids in high school do, and his grammar is pretty good, too, so he doesn't need to "learn anything" while writing (like the "writing with phonics" book he's using now). He just needs to concentrate on the mechanics of handwriting, hopefully with something not-so-boring, like a paragraph about wildlife in the Amazon or whatever. The problem is that his physical abilities are 2 years delayed. In occupational therapy, he's using HWT kindergarten (the orange book), and at home, he's using Abeka cursive 1st grade. He's using those because they help with letter formation (tracing and side-by-side copying), and because the lines are large enough for a 4 year old (where his motor skills are developmentally). He's bored, and he needs more challenge, but he still needs the handwriting crutch of a much younger writing curriculum. I really, really, REALLY don't want to print my own curriculum. I'd much rather buy a workbook that's ready-made. Is there something out there with loopy, pretty copywork for an older child, but with larger lines for a younger one? I don't even care if it has the dotted line down the middle. As I said, he's using both HWT and Abeka, so he's used to both. When taking notes during the sermon at church, he uses a "composition notebook" (know what I'm talking about?), but he writes on 2-3 lines at a time, because his handwriting is so large. We're really working hard on better letter formation and writing smaller. Recommendations?? *shrugs*
CLE sells a workbook called I Can Write Cursive that sounds like what you're asking for. Bigger lines. Also, Pentime workbooks might fit the bill (also sold by CLE) - some practice on strokes and letters first, then a copywork page. The 3rd grade one might be okay - you trace first, then write, then copywork.
Startwrite software will let you print worksheets according to your specifications. If you want it to be open and go you can print them all off and get them bound at Staples for about $5.
I really like StartWrite, but I don't have time to create anything, and printing is way more expensive than buying. I got the free trial of StartWrite last year and really liked it, but I can't bring myself to buy it. I also like what I've seen of Pentime through online samples. I haven't seen it in person, though. Does CLE have a similar writing style to Abeka? I know Pentime is pretty close. *Edit* I just found a sample of the CLE book, and I LOVE IT!!!! Thank you! I wish there were more like that in the series, but the only other one I saw was a print version that is a level lower than the cursive version.
Yes, there's only I Can Write Manuscript and I Can Write Cursive, just one of each. But maybe you can find something similar in a "traditional cursive" style at a teacher store or WalMart or someplace when you're done with I Can Write Cursive? Then Pentime 3rd?
