Cursive handwriting

For a long time, I have debated with myself on the issue of how insistent I should be with Tiger in terms of producing good handwriting.  There are many arguments against pushing handwriting, especially for boys:

• boys, more often than girls, struggle with fine motor skills required to produce handwriting;
• boys are less inclined to sit still for the amount of time needed to produce good handwriting;
• handwriting has become irrelevant and obselete with the availability of word processing software.

While all of the above call for consideration, I still think that there is value in being able to write legibly and beautifully.  Being able to type need not negate one's ability to write a hand-written note should the need arise, and my personal opinion on this matter is that if a child can make a mark with a writing instrument (as an early step to drawing), then forming legible letters and joining them together is only a matter of consistent practice.

With that in mind, we have resumed our cursive writing sessions after having taken some time off from handwriting practice.  We are doing the handwriting sessions twice a week, using Aesop's Fables for Children as the basis for our copywork.

This is how we have been doing the lessons:

1. Tiger reads one fable to himself, then closes the book and narrates it to me.
2. I print off the handwriting worksheet and copy in pen the moral of the story.
3. Tiger copies in pencil as neatly as possible.

The lessons are painless (Tiger hasn't complained about it yet anyway) and takes only 10 minutes each time.  I can see some improvements in his writing after a few lessons.

I would not suggest this method to be applicable to every child.  As always, my best suggestion about handwriting is to observe the child to determine what the real obstacles to good handwriting are.  In Tiger's case, I have seen on several occasions that he can write beautifully if he can be bothered to.  Hence, the real learning for Tiger in this case is more about the importance of patience and applying more care in his work, than about forming letters.

This post is linked up to:
1) Look What We Did: January Link-Up
2) All Year Round Blog Carnival: Winter
3) Enchanted Thursdays Blog Hop #43
4) Weekly Wrap-U: The First One in 2013
5) Homeschool Mother's Journal: January 11, 2013
6) Collage Friday - A Great Start to 2013
7) Share it Saturday - Linky Party
8) The Sunday Showcase 1/12/13