Name: Spreading the Feast Gathering
Start: 2025-07-11T00:00:00-05:00
End: 2025-07-12T23:59:59-05:00
Location: LaGrange, KY

Tagged: Copy Work, copywork, Handwriting, penmanship

This topic has 13 replies, 7 voices, and was last updated 11 years ago by suzukimom.

Viewing 14 posts - 1 through 14 (of 14 total)

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May 29, 2014 at 10:08 pm
Tristan
Participant
Let’s talk about handwriting and copywork for a bit. I’ll share a few questions to help get us started but feel free to ask or discuss anything that comes to mind for YOU related to handwriting and copywork.
1. Do you begin handwriting using large motor writing for younger children (in the air, on a chalk or dry erase board, etc)?
2. What do you use for copywork or teaching handwriting (basic supplies or specific styles and materials – anything goes!)?
3. Where do you get your copywork passages and how do you get it in front of your child (print it, write it, hand them a book with the sentence/passage marked, etc)?
4. How often do you assign copywork in a week?
5. Do you use special lined paper (with upper, middle, and lower lines I think of as “kindergarten paper”) or do your children do copywork on simple lined paper (no upper or middle guidelines)? Do you start with one and move to another? When?
6. Do you teach cursive handwriting or a specific style of handwriting like Italic?
7. If you have an older child who regularly mixes upper and lowercase letters in the middle of words would you begin copywork (think upper elementary/middle school age) – this assumes the child is not currently doing copywork?
8. How is YOUR handwriting? Do you expect your children’s handwriting to be nice and not your own? Have you done copywork personally to improve your own writing? Do you write in print or cursive?
Whew! That should get us started. What are your thoughts on any or all of these?
May 30, 2014 at 1:40 am
missceegee
Participant
1. Do you begin handwriting using large motor writing for younger children (in the air, on a chalk or dry erase board, etc)?
Yes. Sidewalk chalk, esp.
2. What do you use for copywork or teaching handwriting (basic supplies or specific styles and materials – anything goes!)?
I teach cursive from the beginning using Cursive First and/or Pencil Pete. I prefer D’Nealian/Contemporary cursive bc all lowercase letters start on the baseline. If I were to teach print, I’d use HWT.
3. Where do you get your copywork passages and how do you get it in front of your child (print it, write it, hand them a book with the sentence/passage marked, etc)?
For beginners, I use prepared papers from Light Home Publications or Scholastic quote books, etc. Amy next step is to choose passages from books, type it in the font we like and give it to child. By 5th grade, they choose their own passages and copy a certain number of lines from one of their schoolbooks. By 7th, we use commonplace books for fave passages.
4. How often do you assign copywork in a week?
Daily until 4/5th. Then 2-3 times per week. Eventually with commonplace books, I only assign it once per week, but it gets done more frequently.
5. Do you use special lined paper (with upper, middle, and lower lines I think of as “kindergarten paper”) or do your children do copywork on simple lined paper (no upper or middle guidelines)? Do you start with one and move to another? When?
I start with 3 line and by 2/3rd I move to wide lined ruled paper.
6. Do you teach cursive handwriting or a specific style of handwriting like Italic?
Cursive first. It’s what was done until the 40s/50s and is actually easier for kids. It avoids many issues like spacing and reversals and bonus is ability to easily read cursive. There are articles online about cursive first.
7. If you have an older child who regularly mixes upper and lowercase letters in the middle of words would you begin copywork (think upper elementary/middle school age) – this assumes the child is not currently doing copywork?
I would start or continue copy work as needed.
8. How is YOUR handwriting? Do you expect your children’s handwriting to be nice and not your own? Have you done copywork personally to improve your own writing? Do you write in print or cursive?
I use cursive mainly. If it’s a grocery list, it’s quick and messier, but in journals and letters, then I use my best. I expect same from my kids.
May 30, 2014 at 2:00 am
Wendy
Participant
A few brief thoughts.
I currently use Sonya’s Spelling Wisdom (book 1). I use the 3rd-5th grade level with my 5th and 6th grade children. We started by doing one lesson a day every school day. If the passage seems long, we split it up into 2 days. The last 20 lessons, or so, of book 1 are long enough to split into 3 days, taking 2-3 days for copying and doing dictation on the 4th day. I believe we will continue in this manner as we progress through all levels of Spelling Wisdom. The text is rich. The vocabulary and spelling is challenging but interesting and applicable to life. The selections provoke noble thoughts and meaningful discussions. We use a college ruled notebook. They learned cursive but they prefer to print. (My almost 3rd graders are not ready for this rigourous copywork and I believe I will wait until 4th or 5th grade to introduce this program to them.)
With the younger children I use A Reason for Handwriting series and supplement it every once in a while with bible copy work. At about the 2nd or 3rd grade we switched to a wide ruled notebook for copy work but prior to that we used the lined paper these workbooks provide.
I write in a hybrid cursive. I loved my dad’s and my aunt’s writing and bagan imitating it at that impressionable age of 13.
I’m wanting to get feedback about the IEW writing, spelling, grammar, and literature curriculum. Do any of you have an opionion about these various programs?

May 30, 2014 at 4:22 am
suzukimom
Participant
First off, I preface this by saying – we have been all over the place trying to get this working right. I do have some LD’s with my oldest 2 that may be affecting our results….
1. Do you begin handwriting using large motor writing for younger children (in the air, on a chalk or dry erase board, etc)?
It has varied – usually in the air, and/or a smaller dry erase board…
1. What do you use for copywork or teaching handwriting (basic supplies or specific styles and materials – anything goes!)?
This has changed over the years… right now I’m using ‘New Handwriting’ by Mona Brooks – it is an italic style. I’ve used Cursive First, Pencil Pete, Peterson Directed Handwriting (Cursive First).
Then we switched to using Italics, which I definitely prefer. So we used Penny Gardner’s course, then one I designed myself, and now New Handwriting.
1. Where do you get your copywork passages and how do you get it in front of your child (print it, write it, hand them a book with the sentence/passage marked, etc)?
This has varied – and this last year we never got copywork done…. I generally print it in a close font.
1. How often do you assign copywork in a week?
Previous years it was everyday (after learning the letters – which was worked on every day.) This last year it was every other day – just because I had so much to do. We had a copywork jar one year, and there was a few slips in there that said ‘no copywork today’ so if they pulled that one, they showed me, initialled the back (they could only do copywork that they hadn’t initialled) and put it back in.
1. Do you use special lined paper (with upper, middle, and lower lines I think of as “kindergarten paper”) or do your children do copywork on simple lined paper (no upper or middle guidelines)? Do you start with one and move to another? When?
That has also varied. We have done the ‘K’ paper. We have done notebook paper at double size. We have done Italic style paper. We have done HWT paper.
1. Do you teach cursive handwriting or a specific style of handwriting like Italic?
Now we do Italic.
1. If you have an older child who regularly mixes upper and lowercase letters in the middle of words would you begin copywork (think upper elementary/middle school age) – this assumes the child is not currently doing copywork?
I do have kids that do that. They do copywork (and they don’t do it in the copywork….)
1. How is YOUR handwriting? Do you expect your children’s handwriting to be nice and not your own? Have you done copywork personally to improve your own writing? Do you write in print or cursive?
My handwriting varies. I don’t think it is great, but it isn’t too bad. But if I am trying to be neat (ie, speed isn’t the priority) it looks pretty good and I’ve had a couple of people say so. But I’m not like my friend in highschool that was hired to do the caligraphy on the award certificates!
I write in…. a mixture. Actually, I realize now that I write mostly in joined italic – but it has cursive mixed in too. My letter formation will vary depending on the use – especially the ‘e’. (Each of the 2 e’s in my name are done differently by me.) I learned cursive in school, then when I was in grade 7 or so my mom bought a book about improving handwriting with italics (and caligraphy) – and so I went through it and changed my writing…
I am seriously considering trying the Getty-Dubay series – it is pretty much the same as what we are doing, and might make things go better etc…
May 30, 2014 at 10:19 am
Tristan
Participant
My answers:
Large Motor? Yes, but not as consistently as I would like with the newest handwriting children. We have a dry erase board but the markers always run out of ink right when I need them. We just uncovered the chalk board from it’s place behind some furniture last month (it’s just a 2’x3′ one) and I plan to try using it.
What do we use? We’ve used Peterson Directed Handwriting for a few kids and have always started with print. For others it’s just been teaching with an example on paper.
Where do we get passages and how do we get it in front of them? For one child I’ve typed science facts out for his copywork using Startwrite software. For two others they were using Language Lessons for the Very Young so it was included, as well as copywork of scripture verses occasionally in their Discover the Scriptures study. Won’t be using LL any more though. Oldest used Spelling Wisdom passages for copywork when she was doing SW.
How often do they copy? I’ve done daily and I have done 2-3 days per week. I’ve also done not at all – gotten out of the habit.
Lined paper? I usually give K-2 the handwriting lined paper with middle line and upper line using Startwrite. However the ones using Language Lessons had single lines and I don’t think they were ready, or we simply didn’t put enough effort into it. Probably both.
Cursive or a specific style? Oldest learned print then cursive was her choice. She doesn’t use cursive regularly though in 7th grade. The next 3 only know print. I’m considering cursive for this year.
Older child mixing upper and lowercase? Oh my, I have two or three of them! It only happens in their personal writing, not during copywork. I’m hoping to address this. I also have two children with spacing issues. As in, they forget to space out words so things often look like one long string of letters. 🙂
My handwriting? I usually print, it’s legible but not pretty by any means. I’ve done some cursive and when I do I make an effort for it to look nice. I’m planning to improve my own handwriting in the coming school year, it’s one of my goals.
May 30, 2014 at 12:31 pm
HollyS
Participant
1. I have them trace the letters on large flashcards to start. We use HOD’s preschool program and we often make the letter out of masking tape and they play with the letter (add blocks to it, drive toy cars around the letter, etc.). It also has some activities where they add stickers to a letter, draw it in applesauce, etc. We don’t always do these activities, but I usually have them trace the letter to start.
2. I love the Cheerful Cursive book since it has short lessons and has some assignments where they practice reading cursive. For younger ones, I like the Explod the Code Primers…technically phonics, but they are short lessons to teach each lower-case letter. The letters are larger and they only have a few per page, so I think it’s set up perfectly to work on letter formation.
3. We do an assortment of styles with this…sometimes I write it on the dry erase board, sometimes it’s printed on their writing page, and sometimes I hand them a book with it. With my younger children (1st/2nd and younger), I write it on their paper if it isn’t already there.
4. Usually we get to it 2x per week.
5. I use whatever they write better with. My 11yo uses wide lined paper (not college ruled). My 9 and younger DC need larger paper. We prefer the 1/2″ margins…they find it easier than the larger lines.
6. Do you teach cursive handwriting or a specific style of handwriting like Italic?
7. I have one that still does this (age 9). He does copywork. I’m hoping teaching him cursive will help a bit with this.
8. I have very nice handwriting when I try…when I’m writing quickly, it isn’t as nice. I do practice it when I write in my commonplace book.
May 30, 2014 at 3:38 pm
retrofam
Participant
I am currently using D’nealian style printing with my preK dd. We started with Ready Writer worksheets that teach pre writing skills. I use air writing, etc. also. I am adding D’nealian style stencils next year due to dd being frustrated and wanting to write yet can’t form some of the letters yet.
I start out with a Grotto pencil grip with my preK kids.
May 30, 2014 at 6:21 pm
suzukimom
Participant
Older child mixing upper and lowercase? Oh my, I have two or three of them! It only happens in their personal writing, not during copywork. I’m hoping to address this. I also have two children with spacing issues. As in, they forget to space out words so things often look like one long string of letters. 🙂
Tristan, there is a part of me SO GLAD to hear this! (Sorry!) Both of my school kids do the mixing upper/lower case so much it drives me nuts – in anything they write, not in copywork… And Echo misses spaces so much it is one long line of letters too….
May 30, 2014 at 6:30 pm
suzukimom
Participant
New Questions:
1. Do your kids reverse letters/numbers? How often? How old are they? Any suggestions on how to fix it???
2. How many Left-handed kids? Do they hook over or write under? Are you doing anything special?
3. Do they struggle with proper letter formation?
My answers….
Delta (age 10) occasionaly reverses letters/numbers, but it is rare. He does at times form the letters incorrectly (starting at the wrong spot, etc.) – and we just spent this year going through them again – and I’m not sure it helped…. He is Right-Handed
Echo (age 8) reverses letters/numbers a LOT. Numbers are worse than letters for that. She often forms letters incorrectly (going the wrong way around is the main one). I did figure she would struggle with reversals, as when she was young she would write mirror writing. (Start at right of page moving towards the left, forming the letters backwards… you could hold it up to a mirror! [gee, I hope I kept some samples in my keepsake stuff….] – Left-Handed
Foxtrot (barely age 6) very rarely reverses numbers. Has just gone through the letters of the alphabet with me… I haven’t watched her writing on her own carefully, so I’m not sure how she is doing in her own writing. Left-Handed
Golf (age 3) – Right-Handed
No idea on how to fix any of it.
My Left-Handed kids are supposed to turn their page so that their hand goes under their writing – but it tends to be a bit of a struggle to make them do it. The do not hook over though, so that is good.
May 30, 2014 at 10:34 pm
Tristan
Participant
Had to laugh – glad to make you happy suzukimom!
Makayla is right handed and one of the upper/lowercase mixed writers. She’ll be 13 next month. Now that I really look she actually does the most uppercase letters at the beginning of words anywhere in a sentence. It used to be much more in the middle of words too. Her spacing is small, but it’s there.
Joseph is 9 and right handed. He’s an upper/lowercase mixed writer, his tend to be very specific letters (using uppercase D, G, K, L, H are the ones that stand out). He uses punctuation and spaces between sentences but not so often between words in a sentence.
Emma is lefthanded, she reverses a few letters (S is the most common for her)and several numbers. More often the numbers than the letters, and usually the same numbers (3, 6, 9). She only catches her number reversals 50% of the time. She does use periods, has zero spacing between words, and usually writing with uppercase letters. She doesn’t hook over her hand.
Daniel is right handed and 6. He writes with spaces between most words, no reversals, but uses a fair amount of uppercase letters. He catches himself reversing numbers. No punctuation here.
The other 4 don’t really write much.
Oh, and I’m left handed.
May 30, 2014 at 10:47 pm
Karen
Participant
I have a lefty daughter. She doesn’t hook over. She doesn’t go under. She slides her hand right on top of what she’s written — so the side of her left hand is perpetually dirty. That annoys me, but I don’t say anythign about it, because I’m a righty and I’ve no idea what to do for a lefty! *L*
She has problems with spacing, which I blame on her covering up what she’s already written.
She also doesn’t press hard when she writes, so all her stray marks stick out and you can’t tell stray marks apart from on-purpose marks…..and she hates erasers, so everything always looks messy!!!
In the end, I’m convinced that the handwriting faults are all my fault, because I forget to supervise handwriting. I think “oh, that’s one thing they can do on their own.” WRONG!!!! I know this and yet I succumb to this temptation so easily!
May 31, 2014 at 10:42 am
Tristan
Participant
Suzukimom –
I forgot to mention one more thing Emma does – she transposes her numbers sometimes (writes 12 for 21 or 56 for 65). Do any of yours do that?
May 31, 2014 at 12:58 pm
HollyS
Participant
My 7yo reverses the order of her numbers. She can usually catch it when I ask her to look closely at her answer. She also still writes them flipped (so the individual number is written backwards). My older two DC did this at one point as well, but I don’t remember them switching the order of their numbers.
May 31, 2014 at 11:29 pm
suzukimom
Participant
Tristan, Echo occasionally tranposes numbers, but not nearly as often as she reverses them. I’d say she transposes maybe once or twice in a week…. but writing the single number backwards – well I’d say about 25-30% of the numbers.
Really bad right now are 6’s and 3’s and 5’s…. – those are usually written backwards more than frontwards. She will also revers 2’s and 7’s. And really, when you think of it, there really isn’t a way to reverse 1’s, 8’s, or 0’s! 4’s she generally also does right. 9’s usually are written so they look write, but not written ‘properly’. She starts at the top right, goes around clockwise and kind of spirals the 9’s. She has gone through writing all the numbers when taught (RightStart explicitly teaches how to write numbers – and includes a song (not a great song mind you) to help you remember where to start a number….) – and Each year I’ve had her do a few days practicing with the number writing sheets. I will admit to varying how often I make her fix mistakes in writing the numbers during lessons though…. Wish I knew how to fix it!