Handwriting Without Tears

by Lyn Newton | More from this Blogger

21 Feb 2007 09:38 AM

My school has recently adopted a handwriting program, Handwriting Without Tears. This program focuses strictly on penmanship. The goal of Handwriting Without Tears is to provide all students the ability to write clearly and correctly. The program uses a variety of sensory techniques. It is designed to meet the needs of all types of learners.

Teachers and parents are given ideas and activities to improve a child's posture, handgrip, self-confidence, body awareness, and more. The program has its own workbook, paper, pencil, and supplement materials. The instruction is easy to follow and requires little preparation.

The program uses three levels of instruction- imitation, copying, and independent writing. During imitation, the teacher writes and the child imitates the teacher. In copying, the child writes letters by looking at the book. Through independent writing, the child must write strictly from memory. During this phase, there are no models for the student to copy or imitate.

The program begins with the easiest letters first and then gradually adds to what the students have learned. In the beginning, the students feel the letters and practice the motions needed to create each letter. When learning a letter, the children first use manipulative tools and hands-on activities. The actual writing comes after the children have built the letter with play dough, wood pieces, or chalk.

Handwriting Without Tears has unique paper. Instead of using the typical two solid lines with a dashed line in the middle, the program has two-lined paper. The bottom line gives the students a guide for keeping letters in line. The top line controls the letter size. The paper is unlike any that I have worked with and takes some time to get accustomed to using. The Handwriting Without Tears curriculum begins in Pre-Kindergarten writing and continues through cursive. The Pre-K program offers songs and age appropriate material. The program is very unique and affordable compared to many other writing programs.

I enjoy working with the program. However, I have found that completing all of the given activities can be very time-consuming. Some of the activities are wonderful supplements for the children that need fine motor practice. However, some of my students come to kindergarten with beautiful penmanship, for their age, and great hand control. I think that parts of the program are best carried out in small groups with the students needing extra practice.

Related Articles How Important is Penmanship and Handwriting? Can Your Child Use a Word Processor? What Your Kindergartner Should Know: Language Arts

Learn more about Lyn Newton

Lyn is a kindergarten teacher and mommy to a girl and a boy. In her spare time, she enjoys informative and creative writing.

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Andrea Hermitt (5512) 21 Feb 2007 10:39 AM

This is a popular handwriting program for homeschoolers as well.

Lyn Newton (3966) 21 Feb 2007 12:24 PM

How do homeschooling parents like the program?

Valorie Delp (49340) 21 Feb 2007 06:11 PM

I LOVE it! BUT. . .homeschoolers have the freedom to skip around and do things as needed whereas in a classroom you really can't skip unless NO ONE needs it. Actually, what I like about it is that I can have my older daughter practicing, while my son works on something with the magnetic board, while my 3yo works with the wood pieces. But I can see how going through all their suggestions would be very time consuming in class. It is the first handwriting program that my oldest daughter hasn't balked at. She has horrible penmanship (& spelling too; despite reading really, really well).

Lyn Newton (3966) 22 Feb 2007 12:53 PM

Thanks for the reply. I can see how it would be great for you. It does work well for various levels.

Valorie Delp (49340) 23 Feb 2007 10:09 AM

In the classroom, I could see how it would work if you had a para and HWT was the 'extra' practice part for kids that weren't getting the regular stuff.

mcmama (51978) 18 Mar 2007 06:49 AM

Being dysgraphic, I really think the use of manipulatives is so very important. Some children just do not have the hand to eye to brain wiring complete by the primary grades, and I was one of those.

What would have helped me would have been a lot of tracing and building - dysgraphic students are often confused by the direction and linking of strokes in cursive. This is why we have little ears on our loops, and our penmanship does not connect letters very well.

Back in the day, students copied the teacher - on the board. To me, the large vertical motions I watched being formed on the blackboard had little relevance to the smaller horizontal motions on my paper. The visual just did not connect to the motion.