cursive writing help

[claire70]

Hi Can anyone recommend a book (or exercise or anything really) that I can get to help DS1 improve his writing over the holidays. (he is 8) The teacher has set this as a task for me but it is up to me to work out how to do it and I haven't seen anything in the shops that would do it. He knows how to form the letters and join them up but he is slow and the letters are oddly seized (the t and i are the same height).

I got my kids to keep a diary last summer, so that some days they might write a sentence and other days a few pages and could embellish it with drawings if they wanted, just to get them enjoying writing. They did enjoy it and gave them lots of practice. Hope this helps a bit.

Hi claire 70. Do you know the correct formations he is to learn/practise? If so, could you get a blank book from WHSmith (they used to have specific handwriting exercise books) and then you write a letter or word at the beginning of each line of one page, and he copies these several times to fill up the line?

I know it doesn't sound much but this is how my DS (aged 7) has improved his handwriting dramatically. He joined a new school earlier this year with not very neat, non-joined-up writing. The new school had already taught joined-up writing whereas DS's old school hadn't. His teacher had a special handwriting exercise book for him and each evening he would do just one page. First it was individual letters, then small groups (e.g. br, ga), then words. DS quite enjoyed it because the amount each day to do was small, and the words (when he got onto those) were themed, e.g. one day it would be fruits, then car makes (he loves cars), for example.

He has now quite nice joined-up handwriting and we try to encourage a little practising at home (it's the school holidays now) with things like - "could you write out the shopping list for me, please, DS" - or "how about writing your little cousin a postcard?"

Can you make him copy sentences that you write yourself in cursive letters? I remember doing that when I was a kid, a long time ago...
may 2 or 3 per day and make them fun (if no time, just copy from a book he likes)
You have to be able to write it very clearly though. You make yours in the evening and and ask hin to copy after breakfast (so it is done for the day and he is not to tired). it is best with lined paper though not blank ones or squared ones

The funny thing is he has a high reading age and he pretty much spell any word. So you'd think he'd have noticed somewhere along the way about the relative heights of letters, but he hasn't.
Can I buy those four/five lined writing books in WH Smith or does anyone know if they are something you can get online?

I'm afraid that he's going to resent this because his younger brother is doing this kind of thing at school (DS1 missed out on this part at that age - my fault, not his!)

I know WHSmith used to sell those books but it was a few years ago that I last bought one. I have just googled "handwriting exercise book" and lots of results came up for online purchasing.

Do you think maybe if you do a little bit each day and ask DS to help choose the words he practises, he might resent it a bit less?

WHSmith called 'Writing Practice Book' cost 69 pence for 48 pages and have the proper handwriting ruled lines, ie 2 large red lines that show where the hook or the tail should go to and then two black lines running through the middle for the ordinary sized letters. If you google 'cursive writing' it brings all sorts of sites (quite a lot from the USA)that bring up sheets that you can then print off these show both the individual leters and then move on to sentences. My DD had in her school report 'has beautiful cursive writing that puts her ahead of her peers'. We just did practice during the holidays as we moved over Easter and she was off school for a month. She has just finished year one. However she is not a naturally gifted academic and has to (same report) 'practice, practice reading!'