DS is 11, but he never learned cursive in public school (shocking, right?). Last year, I concentrated on printing, because he couldn't even properly form his letters. This year, we are starting cursive writing, but I don't liketheres workbook I bought. I think he needs something that goes over the shapes and slants and curves before he tries any letters. He doesn't have very good control over his pencil. What about Abeka cursive for kindergarteners? Could I make that work for a 6th grader who has never written in cursive before? I saw a friend's son using that last year, but I don't know if I could apply that to my DS. Please help!!
I can't help you with curriculums. I just use a whiteboard and do them over and over again sometimes actually holding their hands until they feel comfortable doing it on their own. I draw the arrows and do it stroke by stroke. Mine are 10 and almost 9. We just started a week ago, I wasn't in any big hurry.LOL
Donna Young has a lot of different cursive printable pages. Check through the different tabs to see if anything will work for you. There is even a tab that has animations of the letters being drawn. http://donnayoung.org/penmanship/cursive-handwriting.htm
Most schools do not teach cursive anymore. They consider it outdated and unnecessary. All the more reason to get all gung ho on it, right? lol I just use copywork books and have my children practice. I do not use a curriculum.
I know! His spelling book has the list words in cursive, and he cannot read them. Since last year, I've had to copy the list words in print for him. Here's another reason: he started attending a youth club through our city, and he's supposed to sign himself in, with an actual signature. He just stared at the paper and said, "I don't know how. What do I do?" I was so embarrassed. The staffer said that none of the kids know how to sign their names anymore.
What about "Handwriing Without Tears"? Has anyone used that? The teacher's guide looks like it has a lot of 'out-of-the-box' warm up techniques. My biggest problem with DS is that he has almost no control over his pencil. He simply cannot form the undercurve slant I've been trying to get him to write. It becomes a painful struggle. Should I perhaps try something like making beaded necklaces or friendship bracelets? Perhaps that would help his fine motor skills?
Does he have other problems with writing or is it just the neatness issue? Does he have dysgraphia? http://www.ncld.org/ld-basics/ld-aamp-language/writing/dysgraphia
I don't recommend HWT. I love it for print, but the cursive style is too boxy and choppy for me. It doesn't look like real cursive IMO. I think Abeka K could work for you, but it might be easier to use something like http://www.startwrite.com/index.php so you can make your own age-appropriate assignments.
Blizzard, last year, I thought he might have dysgraphia, as he was showing nearly every symptom. Then I started him on Draw Write Now, and his writing improved immensely. His printing is much neater now, and the spacing is more uniform. I really think it's a fine motor skill problem. He only wears Velcro shoes because he gets frustrated when trying to tie shoes. Basically he can't do it. Ugh, this is making me feel like a horrible mom. I had him when I was really young, and I didn't teach him everything that I should have when he was younger. Now I feel like I'm playing catch-up, not just academically, but in other areas as well. What makes me feel even worse is that my DD is going to have all these advantages that DS never had, because she was born to a more mature version of myself.:cry:
2littleboys, I didn't like the look of HWT cursive either, but would that boxiness possibly make it easier to learn?
I think we ALL have these moments. Ds got undivided attention. Dd gets the benefit of my experience (which isn't always helpful!). I think it was Dr. Sears who said that kids don't need perfect parents- and that being a perfect parent isn't necessarily a gift to a child. They NEED to see our mistakes. (((hugs))) We can't go back, we can only go forward. Your ds will STILL get the benefit of you being a more 'mature' mom now.
I have the same issue, in that DS is in 4th grade but still doesn't really know more than a handful of cursive letters. So this year I picked up CLE's 3rd grade Pentime book. It goes over the individual strokes first and then starts with letters and letter combinations. So far he is doing pretty decent, though his handwriting is still rough. He is a lefty and a fairly young boy - not a lot on his side when it comes to writing beautifully. LOL But as long as he can read cursive and sign his name, the rest is just icing to me.
Thanks Meghan. I can't help but thinking how so much if his current struggles are my fault, and now I owe it to him to work overtime to fix the problems I helped create. I guess all I can do is try, right?
Peacangrove, the CLE 3rd grade Pentime book is pretty cheap, I may buy that and the Abeka kindergarten cursive (also not that expensive) and see if eiher of them work out.
I have this link. Its great because you can actually make up creative writing or what not and then have them copy or trace them . http://www.worksheetworks.com/english/writing/handwriting/handwriting-cursive-trace.html
My daughter is 11 and this year I am really concentrating on handwriting. We've worked through all the Handwriting without tears, but still her handwriting is awful. I really don't think one program is better than another, but just to recognize that it is difficult for the child (and some children more than others) and that it needs practice and patience to teach.
You aren't a horrible mom! We all make mistakes and like Meghan said, it isn't always a bad thing. Kids have struggles that we can't always plan or prevent. I found these suggestions for helping with fine motor and writing skills: http://www.ot-mom-learning-activities.com/fine-motor-skills-activities-for-older-kids.html http://www.ot-mom-learning-activities.com/improve-handwriting-older-kids.html
