Handwriting Advice Needed

[Aletheia Academy]

Hello!

I was trying to hold off until the fall, but my ds(5) really wants to start handwriting in earnest. He is no longer interested in wipe-off books and pre-writing exercises.

I am intrested in the GD Italic handwriting program, and I was planning to use StartWrite, as well. My questions are

1.) Do you recommend using StartWrite without the Italic Handwriting workbooks?

2.) If so, would the teacher manual for the Italic Handwriting program be of use just for my information in helping him learn?

3.) Do you recommend teaching letter formation on a letter-by-letter basis first or jumping right into copywork, i.e. his name, brief sentences, etc.?

I welcome your expertise! :o

Warmly,

[Karin]

For the last question, I highly recommend letter by letter formation first. While we have used most of what you've listed, we didn't do either of those handwriting methods, so I can't answer your other questions, but if your ds is a lefty, you may wish to consider Handwriting Without Tears if the ones you have don't have a second model for left handed kids. In most books, if the model is on the same line it's on the left and gets covered if a child is left handed, as my youngest is.

[training5]

I have the same question as you do. I am interested to see what others have to say.

[Aletheia Academy]

Can anyone offer their experience/advice?

[Marie in Oh]

letter by letter formation. I also second HWT for letter formation, then you can move to some other program that accomplishes what you want to accomplich, but the method of formation in the TG of HWT is unmatched imo. I personally don't like how the letter look with HWT but the way they teach it is so good, and it absolutely keeps reversals at a minimum or non-existant. After I teach them to form their letters, we then move to A Reason for Handwriting for practice.