4Real Forums: Handwriting

Oh, Dearest Mother, Sweetest Virgin of Altagracia, our Patroness. You are our Advocate and to you we recommend our needs. You are our Teacher and like disciples we come to learn from the example of your holy life. You are our Mother, and like children, we come to offer you all of the love of our hearts. Receive, dearest Mother, our offerings and listen attentively to our supplications. Amen.

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Language Arts Come Alive
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Topic: Handwriting

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mom2mpr
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Posted: Aug 17 2006 at 7:33pm \| IP Logged

When do you stop doing formal hw lessons?
DS(8)KNOWS how to write-both print and cursive, but isn't very neat--unless he wants to be.
We(dh and I) both try to write neatly but alas, it isn't perfect. We mostly print using drafting type writing-which ds tries to emulate. Ds also see's our signatures,when we sign for credit card purchases and he now has his own(messy) signature, following our example

He really doesn't LIKE to write,but can draw awesome pictures of cars and houses.
Just wondering if I finally give up..we used HWT and we liked it but now he says he knows how to write and doesn't need to do it.
Suggestions?
Anne

teachingmom
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Posted: Aug 17 2006 at 11:46pm \| IP Logged

FWIW, I wouldn't stop at age 8. My oldest did handwriting through 5th grade. She has rather neat handwriting, so I probably could have had her stop after 4th grade, but the extra practice in cursive helped, I think. My 2nd dd had pretty poor handwriting at a young age, and her early cursive was very wobbly and difficult to read. She has improved dramatically since age 8. I'd suggest keeping it up until at least age 10, unless a child is very proficient at a younger age.

By the way, even a few minutes of practice daily is very helpful, if the student really concentrates and does his or her best to be neat.

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~Irene (Mom to 6 girls, ages 7-19)

ALmom
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Posted: Aug 18 2006 at 12:18pm \| IP Logged

I have a time limit (no more than 10 minutes per day) but do require it every day. My rule of thumb - I require it until the dc are naturally writing in cursive in most of their work/activities(then I figure that their written work becomes handwriting enough). If you are doing copywork, then you don't necessarily have to have a seperate writing program - simply require that it be done in cursive (if that is what you are teaching) in their neatest handwriting. You can then observe if the dc needs reminders of letter formations or slanting paper, or holding the pencil, etc. Many of mine have to be encouraged to simply release tension in the pencil grip and I may have a goal of loose, flowing motion of the letters figuring that neatness will improve with time. I have told many of my older dc that my goals are not perfection as much as smooth, one motion of the flow between letters (no starting and starting) and basic legibility. I'm not concerned if they have every single loop, etc. (This is for my older dc who are obviously challenged in eye-hand. When I first teach it, I show them the full style of whatever method we use and then go from there).

Is your dc writing in cursive when taking notes for themselves or writing a note to you or relatives. If they jot down a reminder for themselves, is it in cursive? I did not require enough consistent practice with my oldest - and she never really got that proficient. When she filled out college applications - she printed. When she answers essay questions in an exam book, she prints. Now I'm not saying it is an earth shaking failure but daily practice from early on would have made her more comfortable and proficient and probably aided her in quickness of note taking, etc. I am still requiring it of my 6th grader and beginning earlier with my younger dc in terms of mandating a little bit of practice every single day! I stopped requiring it of my current 9th grader a while back when I noticed that she naturally chose to write in cursive. It was past 10, but with her we were just beginning to teach her cursive at 10. I am beginning to teach cursive to my 4th grader and working with printing on my younger ones.

Janet

rose gardens
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Posted: Aug 18 2006 at 4:02pm \| IP Logged

I agree that an 8 year old should continue handwriting practice.

We do handwriting all the way through 8th grade, using "Writing Can Help" from Catholic Heritage. They write short prayers or Bible verses, plus decorative boarders. I'm not familiar with the program you used previously, but younger children typically need larger writing lines than older children. "Writing Can Help" reduces the size of the writing once the child knows the basic letter formation. And I like the decorative boarders which help the child practice stroke formation while encouraging creativity and beauty.

You say he writes neatly when he wants to, but I think you should require him to concentrate a few minutes each day to write neatly. Handwriting practice helps children write legibly for other subjects and frees them to concentrate on things beyond mere letter formation once neat, legible writing becomes habit.

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