Has anyone NOT used a formal handwriting program?

[mo2]

Just curious if anyone has taught handwriting without using an actual program.

[LindaOz]

I started off using a program with my older children but have really phased that out and now just teach them by using copywork. I have them copy examples of writing, then if they have any problems with joins or letter shapes I will just target that area and have them practise it. This works for us.

HTH

[Beth in Central TX]

Big sigh...I've used two handwriting programs, but you can't really tell. My boys write legibily most days, but it's not at all similar to the programs we used.

[OneRoomHomeSchool]

I've bought a few and tried them out, but never for more than a week (Italic, Abeka, BJU) so I guess you could say that yes, I have taught handwriting w/out a formal program. My DS6 has pretty nice writing for a little boy, so it worked. ;)

[Aletheia Academy]

It's not so much a curriculum as a tool. You can create your own copywork from Bible passages or all the great literature you're reading.

http://www.startwrite.com/

We'll be starting this in the fall.

Hope you had a good weekend! :)

[mamato3 all-boy boys]

But now that he knows cursive, we are not using a handwriting program. Just copywork and dictation (he has to use cursive now for nearly all his writing).

For ds#2, whom i just started with his K program, we did 2 sheets from RFH when I dropped it. We're going through the preETC books, and we'll add in some copywork and dication, too, so I don't know if I'll ever use the rest of the K program.

I have Startwrite, and it really a great program. I use it to make all sorts of notebooking pages and copywork pages.

[prairiegirl]

I used HWOT with my oldest but now that I know how they form the letters, I just use copywork with my ds and will do the same with my youngest. I think that copywork is the best way to achieve good handwriting.


Julia
mom of 3 (8,7,5)

[Crissy]

I used a program with my older son (HWT) but you wouldn't know it. His handwriting is atrocious!
Then there is my younger son, my lefty. No program and his writing is beautiful.
Huh. I wonder why that is...:confused:

[gardenschooler]

We're using Start Write. I started her off in HWT font, but we quickly realized we like italic better. We'll do something fancier later on.

I use it for copywork, handwriting, poetry, and spelling. (All done as one subject).

[Mamagistra]

I used A Reason for Handwriting with my girls, but I'm using Educational Fontware to create my own copywork for The Boy. :)

[Eliana]

We've never used one. As others have said, it is incorporated into copywork.
Eliana

[Bee]

I'm not using one for my 6 yo.She does copywork instead.I did use several handwriting programs with my oldest dd (Getty-dubay & HWOT) and her handwriting ranges from atrocious to just legible.When she was younger she would cry,saying that it made her hand hurt when she wrote so I let her do alot of her work orally and in a way I regret that now because her handwriting is so poor.She prefers to type her written work on the computer when I have her write papers for school.The 6 yo doesn't complain about writing the way her sister did.

[Narrow Gate Academy]

I started off teaching manuscript with just lined paper, wrote the letters with a highlighter, and had my DDs trace them. Then I gave them letters or words to copy and dots showing where to start each letter. Finally we switched to just copywork. We did cursive just with copywork. HTH

[Georgia]

I've started using the ideas from Cursive First with my left-handed, just want to play, ds8. He is not complaining! We made the salt box and it was an instant hit. The clock idea is genius. My dd10 is jealous - she didn't get to learn that way. It is one of my best purchases. I'm not using the worksheets, just the ideas, and incorporating my own way. It's even helping my handwriting.