Do you have an older child or teen who struggles with writing? Do they refuse to do most assignments? Does a traditional writing program seem like a lost cause? If so, you are probably wondering how much you should worry about writing. You might be wondering what you can do besides give up. I have some suggestions.
To teach cursive, or not to teach cursive. That is the question. It’s one of the biggest debates in education today. I tend to be on the pro-cursive side of the discussion. Even in a world where we type everything, handwriting is important. So how do we make learning cursive easier and more fun?
Rae has dysgraphia and couldn’t write her name until she was 7. She did every single writing lesson “late.” She didn’t write an essay until she was 16. But she was able to get A’s on essays in college at 17. This is how homeschooling helped her get there.
After homeschooling 3 kids for over a dozen years, and working with many more, I can honestly tell you that the idea your child should be reading, writing and spelling all on a single “grade level” is a HUGE lie. Each of these skills is individual and develops in its own time and in its own way for each child.
I am a fan of interesting crayons and helping children develop a proper grip before they start writing. Walnut Tree Infant Love’s Crayons are definitely interesting. When the company offered to send me a set to review, I agreed. Which one might be a fit for your child?
Copy work is mentioned in many places in the homeschooling world. It is even included in most Five Senses Literature Lessons programs. Copy work means you select a word, sentence, or passage from a book and have your child copy it. As an occupational therapist, I am a huge fan of copy work!
Is your child ready to learn to write letters? There is a developmental path to writing. When we start teaching writing to children too young, we ignore their natural, developmentally-appropriate path.
There are many different approaches to teaching children to write. Most teach lowercase letters in conjunction with the uppercase letters. But this approach is flawed. Teaching children to write with capital letters first is the better strategy.
Hooray! It is finally here! Our newest Orange Level curriculum: Foundations and Fundamentals. This program is a secular, multi-sensory, complete curriculum based on child development that will get your child started off with reading, writing, and math in the best way possible!
Schools today are NOT teaching children to write. Instead, they are allowing children to figure out, on their own, how to make the letters. This leads to children drawing letters instead of writing them.
What’s the difference? And why does it matter?
