This page offers out-of-the-box, creative options for inspiring right-brained children to learn about handwriting (or penmanship). Click on the image for a link to the product. Longer reviews will have its own tab. I would love to hear your recommendations by using the comments section at the bottom of the page!
Handwriting without Tears
by Jan Olsen, OTR
From Leslie’s review: After bringing our left-handed then-7-year-old home from public school for a lot of remedial education, we turned to HWT for handwriting. From Robyn’s review: I love HWT. And I get excited about very FEW curricula. For the full reviews, go here.
Copywork – Self-Created
Explode the Code Primer
by Nancy Hall
Primary Phonics
Barbara W. Makar
For my special needs children who had more serious difficulties with handwriting (poor grip, etc.) as well as my active child who didn’t take the time to develop handwriting younger, I started off during the 8 to 10 year time frame (during my short teaching moments) having them do a simple page of spelling oriented workbook pages such as those listed above. The reason I chose those is because each is picture-based, with the letter or sound on the page available to copy. They usually did one math page from a workbook to practice numbers as well.
In the 11 to 13 year time frame, I would usually increase to a sentence or two every day, either from a workbook that was conducive to it, or I took it from a book they were reading from. At this point, I would start introducing smaller print with guide paper from Handwriting without Tears or another appropriate lined paper that guides. For space issues, I would write on every other line as a guide that they would copy initially. As they became more proficient, they would eventually copy from the book themselves. As handwriting competency was gained, I added more of their work to print, but still maintaining a good mix of hands-on, oral, and written work. ~Cindy G.
