Homeschool Printing and Cursive Writing

How do you homeschool printing andcursive writing? Do you children hate to practice their printing and cursive? I know my children do not like to practice writing. Printing and cursive should be practiced so that others can read the child's writing.

Struggling Learners

Sometimes it is hard to homeschool printing and cursive. It is hard for some children to write. They have difficulty holding the pencil. Sometimes our children do not make the letters right. My children would write and s backwards and confuse b and d. There are products that will help.

If you child is having trouble holding a regular pencil try giving him a thick pencil. There are also plastic grips that you can place on the pencil to make it easier to hold.

If you child is making letters backward tactile letters can help. The letters have directional arrows that are raised. Your child can trace the letters and feel the way letter is to be made.

Kinds of Handwriting

There are several kinds of handwriting. You will have to determine what style to use for homeschool printing and cursive. Some examples are Cursive, Manuscript, Italic, D'Nealian, and Handwriting Without Tears. Manuscript is also called printing. Versions of printing and cursive have been taught in pupblic schools for years. You can find samples of styles of handwriting online. You can see samples at Draw Your World

When to Teach

Your child's small muscle coordination should be developed before you begin to teach printing. One of my children had a lot to trouble learning to write. He a lot of difficulty making letters on the kindergarten sized paper. He was five at the time. I feel that we should have had him write large letters in shaving cream or rice.

Cursive is not expected to be learned until around the fourth grade. Some schools are teaching earlier, even as early as second grade. But you make the decision for your child. If you think that it is easier to learn cursive then teach your children cursive.

How to Teach

A child should first write large letters on a carpet, shaving cream, or rice cornmeal mixture. My children loved write in cornmeal.

The next step would to make large letters on paper. Fill the entire 8 1/2 by 11 inch paper. Do not use lined paper yet.

Another activity that we did was to make yarn letters. I would form a letter with glue on a paper. My child would take a piece of yarn and follow the glue.

After your child has learned to form all of the letters and has sufficient small muscle coordination he can start to learn to write. First use really large lined paper. If you can find it use paper that has 3 inch lines. Then go to 2 inch lined paper. You can find line paper in most drug stores or even at dollar stores.

I feel that a child should learn to write by copying Scripture. Copying Bible verses can help children remember the Word. You can copy a verse of scripture on Monday for your children to copy throughout the week. On Friday your children could make a final copy leaving a border to decorate.

Printing and cursive should be taught. A young child probably like to write a letter to grandma. A child should learn cursive so that they can write personal notes and to sign their names to documents.

Remember to make homeschool printing and cursive fun.

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