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Copyright 2010 Rand H. Nelson, Peterson Directed Handwriting

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ISBN 1-890666-38-6

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Organization And Procedure

In addition to background instruction, this book offers two types of pages for use with your student.
The "PRACTICE" section comes first to minimize
scrolling for page selection in PDF By Hand. Use
the Table of Contents below to quickly find the
page number for a practice page. The directory
tree opens for page selection when you click on
the plus sign.

Table of Contents
1.
2.
2.
3.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.

Cover
Organization And Procedure
Table Of Contents
Instructions And Background
Practice Exercise 1
Practice Exercise 2 & 3
Unlined, Practice/Fluency Test
Lined Large
Lined Regular
Practice Sharp Top
Practice Loop Top
Practice Round and Roll Tops
Practice A, a
Practice B, b
Practice C, c
Practice D, d
Practice E, e
Practice F, f
Practice G, g
Practice H, h
Practice I, i
Practice J, j
Practice K, k
Practice L, l
Practice M, m
Practice N, n
Practice O, o

Print the "LEARN" page to teach the movements.

Teach the child how to hold the page in writing
position. Show the start point, stroke movements
and teach the action words. Teach the child how
to finger-trace the model while chanting the words
to learn where to start, which way to go and how
to move with the rhythm of the vocal. Repeat
the finger-trace exercise until the child is moving
smoothly with the voice.

Move to your tablet for Write & Say practice. Fluency is smoothness. When smooth movements
are learned, execution at various speeds becomes
possible. As language and spelling skills grow application speed can increase. The limiting factor is
control. Regular, rhythmic practice will allow improvement of control for better legibility later on.

29.
30.
31.
32.
33.
34.
35.
36.
37.
38.
39.
40.
41.
42.
43.
44.
45.
46.
47.
48.
49.
50.
51.
52.
53.
54.
55.

56.
57.
58.
59.
60.
61.
62.
63.
64.
65.
66.
67.
68
69.
70.
71.
72.
73.
74.
75.
76.
77.
78.
79.
80.
81.

Practice P, p
Practice Q, q
Practice R, r
Practice S, s
Practice T, t
Practice U, u
Practice V, v
Practice W, w
Practice X, x
Practice Y, y
Practice Z, z
Practice 0, 1
Practice 2, 3
Practice 4, 5
Practice 6,7
Practice 8, 9
Learn Exercise 1
Learn Exercise 2 and 3
Learn 4 Basic Strokes
Learn A, a
Learn B, b
Learn C, c
Learn D, d
Learn E, e
Learn F, f
Learn G, g
Learn H, h

Learn I, i
Learn J, j
Learn K, k
Learn L, l
Learn M, m
Learn N, n
Learn O, o
Learn P, p
Learn Q, q
Learn R, r
Learn S, s
Learn T, t
Learn U, u
Learn V, v
Learn W, w
Learn X, x
Learn Y, y
Learn Z, z
Learn 0, 1
Learn 2, 3
Learn 4, 5
Learn 6, 7
Learn 8, 9
Cursive Background
Types of Lessons
More About Fluency

Instructions And Background

The Objectives
1. Provide regular opportunity to improve attention span and
movement control skills
2. Provide regular opportunity to develop skills for holding the
pencil, good sitting posture and holding the paper for writing
3. Teach precisely the movement process needed to create the
letters of the alphabet
4. Provide regular opportunity to practice rhythmic movement
for each letterform, joined pairs or sets of each form, and as
letters are learned, joined combinations for words.

Use the movement model to show the start and end point of each
stroke needed. The Color/Rhythm models will make the learning
easier. Lowercase cursive letters can be formed with rhythmic, pulsing
movement combinations, slide-out-to-the-right, slide-back-to-theleft. These movement combinations produce shapes we call Basic
Strokes. Three movements are needed to create four basic strokes.

Sharp Top

Loop Top

Round Top

Roll Top

Color/rhythm models for letters show the first basic stroke in green,
the second (when needed) in brown and the third (when needed) in red.
Note the three "round top" letters below.

General Information
Please remember that we are working to teach, improve and automate
a movement process for each symbol in the alphabet and as they are
learned, combinations of letters to create letter groups fluently. Correct
process is more important than product accuracy in the beginning.
x = 1 round top
n = 2 round tops
m = 3 round tops
The child needs to learn:
The shape names are the grammar of action used when developing
1. Where to start
the patterns for writing the letters. These names refer to the tops of
2. Which way to go
3. How to make each movement (move smoothly with the voice) the letters which are the primary source of legibility. Note that the
word is legible when the bottoms of the letters are hidden.
Teaching The Process
Because we will include movement as a goal from the start, position
skills play a very important role. Cursive letters are created by sliding
the pencil sideways. Therefore, sitting posture, pencil grip and learning
to hold the paper in writing position are critical. The writing hand needs
to be below the image area or it will block lateral movements that are
executed with arm, wrist and fingers in coordinated movements that
will produce the curved traces. The movement challenge will help with
position skill training by presenting a need for good position.
Use the lateral movement exercises to allow the child to master good
position skills before introducing the basic strokes and letters.
3

A few lowercase letters present some exceptions to this basic

movement plan because they have odd tops. The shapes required for
these few letters will require more practice because of the odd rhythms
the movements demand.

These pages are designed for a learning activity called finger-tracing."

Finger-tracing will allow the child to record in muscle memory, gross
movement sequence and rhythm information.
Demonstrate First (Illustrate and Describe)
Touch your pointer finger to the start point.
Say the action words aloud as you trace the strokes with
your finger.
Repeat the demonstration several times. Our Animated Letter
Cards are useful for this demonstration also.

Direct the activity by chanting along with the child. To start the
action and keep it going, you can use the commands, Touch.
Say it.
If the result is too far removed from the goal, repeat the
finger-trace step and then try again. If the initial product is
recognizable, choose the best and try again to make four more
that are just as good or better.
Note:
All of us begin to guide the pencil with the eyes. We call this drawing
movement. When the voice shuts off, the child is drawing instead of
writing. Drawing movement is visually guided and cannot be rhythmic.
The child is unable to chant as a result.

Make the Voice-To-Movement Connection - Air Writing

Teach the child how to move with voice by writing in the air.
The Animated Letter Card is a great tool for this activity. Repeat
until everyone is moving together.
The initial hurdle is to elicit writing movement. It can be rhythmic
which allows the chant. When the child has trouble vocalizing as the
Now help the child to do the finger-tracing.
pencil moves, repeat the air-writing and finger-trace steps. Move back
Teach the child how to rotate the page into writing position to the paper and try again.
and hold the page at the top with the paper-holding hand so that
the writing arm can be under the image.
It is often helpful to try with the eyes closed. The voice will work, but
Direct the finger-trace activity by chanting the words aloud the image produced may not be very accurate. The muscle memory
with the pupil.
needs practice to learn how to drive the pencil. When the pencil is
Repeat the finger-trace several times. Chant slowly at first, and moving with voice to create the strokes, you know that the muscle
increase the rate a little at a time as the child establishes some memory has internalized the movements. He or she will no longer need
rhythm. For multi-stroke letters, pace the chant to emphasize to look at a model to create an example of the letter on the page. We can
the control points within the form.
now begin to do some critical thinking by using the model to compare
for accuracy and to set goals for improved legibility.
Write & Say
Replace the movement-model page with a sheet of unlined Introducing Lines
paper or move to the chalkboard. Please remember we are When the child is able to Write & Say fairly consistent iterations of
working to develop gross motor patterns.
the target letter on unlined paper or the chalkboard, you can introduce
Emphasize that the goal is to move the pencil or chalk with the page with models on lines. Repeat the teaching steps above. During
voice as the action words are chanted. We will write four with the finger-trace exercise, the child will be learning how to use the lines
our voice and pick the one we like best.
as targets for movements. You can then move to a ruled practice sheet
4

for write & say practice. Expect that this new challenge will produce
mixed results at first. The child may not be able to hit the target lines
accurately until practice allows control to improve. Please continue to
direct practice exercises. Independent practice will usually be drawing
movement and practice of old position habits as well.

Four letters end above the baseline when writing words and four tail
letters end below the baseline. These forms will require more practice
and careful process instruction for pupil understanding of the joining
control process.

Writing Size
You will find on the last few pages, several masters for ruled practice
paper offering different amounts of space between the lines. As
consistency and control are achieved at the large size, move to the
next smaller ruling to begin the size reduction effort. The large-size
ruling wont be practical for practice of four or five letter words due to Correlation
the laterality of cursive.
Your language/reading program may demand writing far sooner than
your students can master the forms or develop control of the joining
We recommend a focus on mastery of lowercase forms first. In addition, process. Because this is so often the case, we recommend a correlation
we also recommend a sequence based upon movement and control technique called cursive print.
points. The fluent kind of movement is goal-oriented. The end-point of
each letter is emphasized as a control point for the joining stroke that Since the student builds words one letter at a time at first, the cursive
controls form, slant, size and spacing for the next letter in a word.
print technique allows independent application of the correct rhythmic
Eighteen of the lowercase letters end on the baseline when writing a
word. We recommend that these letters be mastered first.

sequence and also good joining-control. When the pupil learns how to
do this correctly, he or she will simply forget to lift between letters as
word patterns are established by directed joining practice activities.

Numerous words are possible with these eighteen letters and we When you see this:
recommend moving to word practice as soon as the letters have been
developed.

you have identified a correctable misunderstanding that would cause trouble

every time the student wanted to use the letter "b" in a word.

The Target Game - Learn To Hold Your Paper In Writing Position

1 Go

1
Stop

2 Go

2
Stop

3 Go

3
Stop

4 Go

4
Stop

5 Go

5
Stop

6 Go

6
Stop

Practice Exercise 2 & 3

Go

Go

Stop

Stop

Unlined Practice

Timed Writing Fluency Test (20 seconds)

Cursive ABC'S and 123'S by Peterson Directed Handwriting

Peterson Directed Handwriting

Peterson Directed Handwriting

10

Write and say, "Sharp Top."

Peterson Directed Handwriting

11

Write and Say, "Loop Top."

Peterson Directed Handwriting

12

Round Top

Roll Top

Peterson Directed Handwriting

13

Learn to use lines. Write & Say

1. Curve Down
2. Sharp Top

Finish or Join

1. Roll Top
2. Sharp Top

1. Roll Top
2. Sharp Top

Peterson Directed Handwriting

Space

14

1. Sharp Top
2. Trace Around

3. Loop Around
4. Rock

1. Loop Top
2. Sharp Trace

1. Loop Top
Space
2. Sharp Trace

Peterson Directed Handwriting

Learn to use lines. Write & Say

15

Learn to use lines. Write & Say

1. Down
2. Loop Around

Slide to
Join or Finish

Rock, Hook Slant Rock, Hook Slant Space

Peterson Directed Handwriting

16

Learn to use lines. Write & Say

1 Twist Down
2. Loop Twist
3. Rock Swing

1. Roll Top
2. Sharp Top

1. Roll Top
Space
2. Sharp Top

Peterson Directed Handwriting

17

Learn to use lines. Write & Say

1. Down
2. Loop Around
3. Loop Around

Join or Finish

Loop Top

Loop Top

Space

Peterson Directed Handwriting

18

Learn to use lines. Write & Say

1. Twist Down Rock
2. Rock Hook

1. Loop Tail
2. Rock

3. Loop Twist

Never Join

1. Loop Tail
2. Rock

Space

Peterson Directed Handwriting

19

Learn to use lines. Write & Say

1. Rock, Loop Rock
2. Slant Curve
3. Rock

1. Roll Top
2. Sharp Tail

1. Roll Top
2. Sharp Tail

Roll to Finish

Peterson Directed Handwriting

20

Learn to use lines. Write & Say

1. Loop Slant
2. Curve Slant
3. Trace Swing

1. Loop Top
2. Round Top

1. Loop Top
2. Round Top

Peterson Directed Handwriting

Space

21

Learn to use lines. Write & Say

1. Roll Up
2. Curve Down
3. Rock

Sharp Top Sharp Top Space

Dot, Dot

Peterson Directed Handwriting

22

Learn to use lines. Write & Say

1. Roll Up
2. Slant Tail

Finish or Join

Sharp Tail

Sharp Tail
1. Space

Dot, Dot

Peterson Directed Handwriting

23

Learn to use lines. Write & Say

1. Loop Slant
2. Twist Down
3. Loop Slant

Join or Finish

1. Loop Top
1. Loop Top
2. Round-hook, Slant 2. Round-hook, Slant
Space

Peterson Directed Handwriting

24

Learn to use lines. Write & Say

1. Rock
2. Loop Twist
3. Loop Twist

Never Join

Loop Top Loop Top Space

Peterson Directed Handwriting

25

Learn to use lines. Write & Say

1. Loop Slant
2. Round Top
3. Round Top

Finish or Join

1. Round Top
2. Round Top
3. Round Top

Peterson Directed Handwriting

Space with a finish stroke.

26

1. Loop Slant
2. Round Top

Finish or Join

1. Round Top
2. Round Top

1. Round Top
2. Round Top

Peterson Directed Handwriting

Space

27

Curve Down, Rock, Swing

1. Roll Top
2. Rock

1. Roll Top
2. Rock

Peterson Directed Handwriting

Space

28

1. Sharp Top
2. Roll Around

Never Join

1. Sharp Tail
2. Roll Around

Sharp Tail
Roll Around

Peterson Directed Handwriting

Space

29

1. Loop Curve
2. Loop Twist

Never Join

1. Roll Top
2. Down Tail
3. Rock

Roll Top
Down Tail
Rock

Peterson Directed Handwriting

Space

30

1 Sharp Top
Finish or Join
2. Trace Around
3. Loop Slant

Space
1. Sharp
1. Sharp
Roof, Slant

Roof, Slant

Peterson Directed Handwriting

31

1. Rock
2. Loop Twist
3. Rock

Sharp
Slant, Curve

Space
Sharp
Slant, Curve

Peterson Directed Handwriting

32

1. Twist Down
2. Rock
3. Loop Twist

Sharp Top

Sharp Top Space with a finish stroke.

Cross

Peterson Directed Handwriting

33

1. Loop Slant
2. Sharp Top

Join or Finish

Sharp Top
Sharp Top

Sharp Top
Sharp Top

Peterson Directed Handwriting

Space

34

1. Loop Slant
2. Up Twist

Never Join

Round Top
Sharp Trace

Round Top
Sharp Trace

Peterson Directed Handwriting

Space

35

1. Loop Curve
2. Sharp Top
3. Roll, Never Join

Sharp Top
Sharp Top
Sharp Trace

Sharp Top
Sharp Top
Sharp Trace

Peterson Directed Handwriting

Space

36

1. Loop Slant
2. Join or Finish
3. Rock to Cross

Round Top

Round Top

Peterson Directed Handwriting

Space with a finish stroke.

Cross

37

1. Loop Slant
2. Sharp Tail
3. Finish or Join

1. Round Top
2. Sharp Tail

1. Round Top
2. Sharp Tail

Roll to finish and space.

Peterson Directed Handwriting

38

1. Loop Curve
2. Loop Tail
3. Roll to Join or Finish

Round Top
Round Top
Bounce Tail

Bounce Tail

Roll to finish

Peterson Directed Handwriting

39

1. Hook Around Close

1. Slant Down

Peterson Directed Handwriting

40

1. Loop Curve
2. Loop Twist

1. Loop Around
2. Loop Around

Peterson Directed Handwriting

41

1. Slant
2. Slide
3. Slant

1. Slant
2. Roll Around
3. Rock

Peterson Directed Handwriting

42

1. Curve Down
2. Loop

1. Slant
2. Twist
3. Slant

Peterson Directed Handwriting

43

1. Hook Snake
2. Roll Up

1. Curve Around
2. Slant

Peterson Directed Handwriting

44

Learn how to hold the pencil, paper and arms in good sliding position with this game.
Finger-trace with action words to establish understanding of start point, end point and movement with the voice and the commands. Direct the exercise using
a command sequence like, "Touch Go, Look (at the target), Say it." Say, "Slide to the right" as you move. A guide for each movement is provided on this page.
The next page does not have the guide. We want the child to produce a trace with the pencil as the words are chanted aloud. The child may not hit the stop
box with the movement. One goal is to provide opportunity to learn and practice goal-oriented movement. The challenge to move will create need for good
position. It should help you to change poor grip habits also. Control and accuracy of the movement will improve but the child may rarely hit the target. This
"Target Game" is fun and the pupils may like to keep score. Expect that it may take some practice to get some voices going. Emphasize that goal.

1 Go

1
Stop

2 Go

2
Stop

3 Go

4 Go

45

3
Stop

4
Stop

Use a variation of the target exercise to develop coordination between fingers and arm for creating over-curves and under-curves. Guides for finger-trace
training are provided here. The next page is set up for playing the new version of the game. For a grammar of action, use a phrase like, "Roll Over" for
rainbows. Try "Rock Under" for the long rockers. As the pupils master the one-direction movement as evidenced by smooth curves, you can extend the
activity to include sliding over then back to the beginning spot. Use the rainbow and rocker both directions and then combine; rainbow over, rocker back or
rocker over, rainbow back.

1 Go

1
Stop

Another variation offers very valuable exercise. The goal is to combine rolls and rocks as the lateral movement is made. Master the left-to-right combination first. Then you can slide over and back to create a big propeller. "Over, under." or "Roll, Rock" can be used as a grammar of action for the movements. The students can execute the movements multiple times on the same sheet. Just keep the voices working so that they do not try to make each new
trace precisely on top of the first. Correlate counting as multiple iterations are produced to keep them moving.

1 Go

1
Stop

Be sure to emphasize that the exercise is designed for practice of good paper holding and good pencil position. These exercises should be very helpful to
develop good paper holding habits and to those who need improve the pencil grip. Work for relaxed sliding movement executed with the voice.

46

Learn 4 Basic Strokes

Sharp Top

Loop Top

Roll Top
Round Top

These four relatively simple shapes are the building blocks for all 26 lowercase letters. They can be formed with one set of muscles once the child learns
how to slide the beginning stroke sideways far enough to allow the return to travel back to the left. Learning to hold the paper and writing arm in writing
position is the first difficult challenge. The paper should be rotated so the writing arm can be under the image area to allow lateral movement.
47

1.
2.
3.

Curve Down
Sharp Top
Slide to join
Or finsih
1.
2.

Amy

48

Roll Top
Sharp Top
Slide to Join
or Finish

1.
2.
3.
4.

Sharp Top
Trace Around
Loop Around
Rock

1.
2.
3.

Loop Top
Sharp Trace
Swing to
Join or Finish

Bill

B
B
49

1.
2.

Down
Loop Around
Slide to
Join or Finish

1. Rock, Hook Slant

Slide to

Join or Finish

Carl

50

1
2.
3.

Twist Down
Loop Twist
Rock Swing
Never Join

D
Dana
D
51

1. Roll Top
2. Sharp Top

Slide to Join or Finish

1.
2.
3.
4.

Down
Loop Around
Loop Around
Join or Finish

1. Loop Top

Slide to Join

or Finish

Mark

52

1.
2.
3.

Twist Down Rock

Rock Hook
Loop Twist
Never Join

1.
2.

Fran

F
F
53

Loop Tail
Rock
Slide To Join
or Finish

1. Rock, Loop Rock

2. Slant Curve
3. Rock

1.
2.

Leah
G
G
54

Roll Top
Sharp Tail
Roll to Join
or Finish

1. Loop Slant
2. Curve Slant
3. Trace Swing

1.
2.

Loop Top
Round Top
Slide To Join
or Finish

Hank

H
H
55

1. Roll Up
2. Curve Down
3. Rock

1.

Ivan

I
I
56

Sharp Top
Slide to Join
or Finish
Dot

1. Roll Up
2. Slant Tail
3. Finish or Join

1.

Sharp Tail
Roll to Join
or Finish
Dot

Jerry

57

1.
2.
3.

Loop Slant
Twist Down
Loop Slant
Join or Finish

58

1. Loop Top
2. Round-hook, Slant

Join or Finish

1.
2.
3.

Rock
Loop Twist
Loop Twist
Never Join

Gail
L
L
59

1. Loop Top

Slide to Join

or Finish

1.
2.
3.

Loop Slant
Round Top
Round Top
Finish or Join

Erin

60

1.
2.
3.

Round Top
Round Top
Round Top
Finish or Join

1. Loop Slant
2. Round Top

Finish or Join

61

1. Round Top
2. Round Top

Finish or Join

1. Curve Down
2. Rock
3. Swing
(Never Join)

Ollie
O
O
62

1.
2.

Roll Top
Rock
Swing to Join
or Finish

1. Sharp Top
2. Roll Around

Never Join

1. Sharp Tail
2. Roll Around

Join or Finish

P
P
63

1. Loop Curve
2. Loop Twist

Never Join
1.
2.
3.

Roll Top
Down Tail
Rock
Join or Finish

E
LIB RTY

IN GOD WE
TRUST

Quinn
Q
Q
64

1 98 8

1
2.
3.

Sharp Top
Trace Around
Loop Slant
Finish or Join

1. Sharp

Roof, Slant

Join or Finish

65

1. Rock
2. Loop Twist
3. Rock

1. Sharp

Slant, Curve

Join or Finish

S
Sarah
S
66

1.
2.
3.

Twist Down
Rock
Loop Twist
Never Join

1. Sharp Top

Join or Finish

Cross

Tom

T
T
67

1. Loop Slant
2. Sharp Top

Join or Finish

Uri

1. Sharp Top
2. Sharp Top

Join or Finish

68

1. Loop Slant
2. Up Twist

Never Join

Vera
V
V
69

1. Round Top
2. Sharp Trace

Join or Finish

1.
2.
3.

1.
2.
3.

Loop Curve
Sharp Top
Roll
Never Join

Rose

W
W
70

Sharp Top
Sharp Top
Sharp Trace
Join or Finish

1. Loop Slant
2. Join or Finish
3. Rock to Cross

Xavier

71

1. Round Top

Join or Finish

Cross

1.
2.

1. Loop Slant
2. Sharp Tail
3. Finish or Join

72

Round Top
Sharp Tail
Roll to Join
or Finish

1.
2.
3.

Loop Curve
Loop Tail
Roll to Join
or Finish

73

1.

2.

Round Top
Bounce Tail
Roll to Join
or Finish

1. Slant Down

1. Hook Around Close

74

1. Loop Curve
2. Loop Twist

1. Loop Around
2. Loop Around

75

1. Slant
2. Slide
3. Slant

1. Slant
2. Roll Around
3. Rock

76

1. Curve Down
2. Loop

77

1. Slant
2. Twist
3. Slant

1. Hook Snake
2. Roll Up

78

1. Curve Around
2. Slant

Background For Cursive

A growing number of people are interested in introducing written language

using cursive alphabet forms. Some reading specialists feel that words presented in joined sequences will make it easier for the child to learn to read.
This makes sense, but there are additional considerations related to movement training that create issues that need to be understood.

That end point is the spot where another letter will begin when writing a
word. We call it a "control point" because it allows the child to stop, preplan
the next sequence and control the beginning stroke of the coming form. The
beginning stroke controls the shape, size, slope and spacing of the letter
within the word, and therefore, the legibility of the outcome.

The child must first internalize the movement process that will create each
letter before it will be possible to assemble a word successfully. Initially the
child builds words one letter at a time. This process is particularly demanding when the child is operating visually.

Because virtually every other program introduces the individual letters with
a tail or finish stroke, our models will probably look strange to you. We do
teach the child to use a finish stroke to space words. And, when a letter is
written alone like a word, it needs a finish stroke to space it in a sentence.
It is also true that some forms like "b," "v," and "w" need a finish stroke for
legibility when written alone.

Our first goal for this tool, is to provide the means for causing internalization
of the movement pattern for each individual letter so that the child will no
longer have to look at a model then draw the shape. Once internalized, the
child can call that form from within and no longer need to look at a visual
model to recall the shape.

We also teach each lowercase letter with a beginning stroke while many
other programs do not. There are a number of reasons for this process and
they need some explanation.

Given long established motor learning tenants, this effort is aimed at gross
motor first. It is now known that the recordings established at the gross level
are shared readily among various muscle groups and will pass control information on to the fine level as we work to reduce the size to a more practical
level. That is the reason for the large models.
You will use those models in exercises by having the child trace using the
pointer finger as you and the students chant the "action words" aloud. The
action words are designed to create a beat when chanted. The result is that
the brain is challenged to move with rhythm which greatly enhances the internalization process. The child is learning to look ahead to goals and move
to each goal with smooth rhythm as the form is created. Our Color/Rhythm
models exaggerate goals within the whole sequence making it easier for the
student to learn how to use this special kind of goal oriented movement.
As the Finger-Trace exercise progresses, the internal system is recording
start point, direction, movement sequence and how-to-move information simultaneously.
One critical understanding is the impact of end point for each letter. You will
quickly see that our models are different from any other program. The end
point of each letter, as it will be used in words, is exaggerated. Because the
child needs to form words as quickly as possible, we exaggerate the point of
control, the end point of each letter.
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1. The control factor for shape, size and spacing mentioned earlier is an
important advantage.
2. The beginning stroke is really a joining stroke. The letter will be used
internally more often than at the beginning of a word. For some letters the beginning stroke isn't necessary for word legibility when the
letter starts a word. But, that beginning stroke also adds to sentence
legibility through improved word spacing. The finish stroke combines
with the beginning stroke to allow the motor system to achieve good
word spacing with minimal need for visual input.
3. The most important reason for this approach relates to rhythm for fluency and legibility. There are only four basic shapes needed to create
the 26 lowercase letters. Use an index card to cover the bottom half
of letters across a cursive word. You will see four basic shapes of letter tops in all program models. For legibility, we need to make sharp
tops, loop tops, round tops and roll tops. These four shapes can be
well controlled with a pulsing, rhythmic movement, out-right, back-left.
Without the beginning stroke, that rhythm advantage is lost.

For this age group, fluent legibility is a long term goal. It is clear that a
lot of language skills are needed before the entry level student will be
able to generate text fluently. This movement-based approach combines beginning and end point to enable understanding of the assembly process that will enhance internalization of automatic patterns for
word production.

Types of Lessons - Develop, Practice, Apply

Initially the goal is to DEVELOP internal patterns for producing each letter. The book is alphabetically arranged so that you can use this method to
conduct patterning exercises in conjunction with your reading and language
program sequence.
As you introduce each form, you simply add this physical training exercise
to each lesson to DEVELOP an internal pattern for writing the symbol. The
child who can produce multiple iterations of the target form while chanting
the grammar of action aloud, has developed a pattern for producing the
shape. Use the voices as your guide.
You will quickly see that PRACTICE activities are needed. The initial forms
produced with rhythmic movement won't be very accurate and in some cases may be barely recognizable. Few children will have used this type of
movement before. Up to this point, all experience with writing has been visually guided drawing. They will need regular opportunity to improve control in
order to bring results closer to the model. That is what practice is all about.
The trick is to PRACTICE the right kind of movement. This will be your first
important challenge.
The child will care more about shape accuracy (product) than the movement
used (process). The pupils will quickly abandon rhythmic movement when
practice is independent. They will also revert to sequences that may have
been previously established. They will revert to the poor pencil grip habit
you are trying to correct. When you work hard to maintain the movement
goal by directing the activity, you provide the opportunity to improve control
of the automatic kind of movement, to apply correct sequences and to use
good position skills. Directed practice offers the best hope of developing
the right kind of skills that will enable fluency later on. It is all about building
confidence. Write & Say four copies. Choose the best from that group and
try again.
The product will improve quickly in most cases and confidence will improve
as well. Master the movement challenge with the basic stroke, and all the
others forms will come along much more easily.
In that regard, it is probably a good idea to concentrate on mastery of lowercase forms first. The advantage of cursive lies in the challenge to use the
"threading process" in words.
If your language program creates a demand for writing words early on, you
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need to teach a process for APPLICATION that will work for the children.
The Peterson cursive concept is uniquely suited to meet this challenge. Because of our focus on end-point for each form, it is possible for your pupils
to begin to apply letters in words in a way that is appropriate for beginning
language skills. The Peterson concept is the only one that can support early
application of cursive forms without forcing a total reversion to drawing.
The student has no pattern for writing a new word. They build a target word
one letter at a time until they can internalize all of the needed movement
sequences. Each new word offers a challenge similar to that presented by
a new line dance. It can be learned step-by-step. Our process for initial application is called "Cursive Print."

It allows a child to apply the correct letter sequence one letter at a time just
like they are thinking.

This approach transforms application into practice of the correct rhythmic

units for each letter. An actual lift isn't necessary, but knowing where to stop
and think is truly a gift. As the word sequence is internalized and control of
joining movements improves, fluency can begin to emerge. When the pupil
no longer needs to stop and think he or she can keep moving to flow the
word onto the page. It is not likely that adult flow will emerge until much later,
but the right control information is stored to allow it when the child is ready.
Cursive does not work like this:

I can read.
The sentence above illustrates one misunderstanding that causes a majority of grade four students to revert to print writing. Poor concept leads to
drawing and cursive cannot be applied automatically. It interferes with composition. Controlled fluent movement is goal oriented and rhythmic. Learning how to overcome the cursive challenge will boost language processing
across the board.

More About Fluency

The concept of handwriting fluency is tricky to explain. It involves production

rate, but also legibility. It it easy to measure and therefore, is a very good
way to track progress and spot the need for help. Literally thousands of digital samples helped to provide much better understanding.
Many people wrote easily on the digital tablet. Because the pen did not produce traces on the surface, the experience is a lot like writing with your eyes
closed. Try that now and discover how well your internal system controls
your pen. The people who wrote without trouble found it easy to call upon
their internal pen driver. The results however, differed drastically.
Some produced a sentence or word that was barely legible or worse. Others
however, produced text that was easily read and usually quite attractive. We
used motor-control software to analyze the recordings and discovered the
source of the different results. Legible ease showed very consistent rhythm
(acceleration/deceleration cycles) for each form written. Hard to read but fluent scrawl did not show consistent rhythm.
Other people had a great deal of trouble and found it difficult to write their
name without being able to see the traces produced by the pen. Still others found it difficult, but managed to carefully produce very legible text by
watching the cursor and traces produced on the computer screen. Analysis
revealed a lack of consistent rhythm in the movements in both cases. It was
later learned that the visual feedback system cannot guide rhythmic movement.
We changed the nib on the pen so that it would produce traces. Subjects
wrote on paper taped to the tablet. It was surprising to discover that much
the same results were measured. The only real difference was that very few
people had great difficulty. The rate of production (fluency) was very much
the same as were the measures of rhythm. The conclusion was that some
people relied heavily on the visual system to produce a legible product while
others could accomplish the task much more easily with or without help from
the visual feedback system, and rhythm was a key to legibility.

Measuring Fluency

A fluency score is easy to establish. It is expressed as Letters-Per-Minute.

Conduct a timed writing exercise and allow only one minute for the student
to write. Count the number of legible letters and you have a letters-per-minute fluency score (LPM).
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However, legibility can add a level of difficulty to what otherwise seems to be

a simple and quick activity. The child who just wrote the sample knows what
letters were written. Therefore, they are all legible. But, when you look at the
page, there may be some forms that you cannot easily identify.
Teaching the legibility factors or "qualities" involves teaching some critical
thinking skills. At first the process is more important than the process. But
over time, as practice improves movement control, we can tighten the range
of acceptance and identify specific goals that will bring the product closer to
the model goal.
The simple act of conducting the "fluency test" will help the child see the goal
and the reason for directed practice exercises. Once a month would likely be
sufficient for diagnostic purposes but once a week would be more motivating. When the fluency score does not improve beyond 20 LPM, it is likely
that child needs help with internalization and learning how to use the internal
driver for his or her pencil. The goal for an entry level child should be 30-40
LPM by the start of grade one.
Challenge Levels
A kindergartner may increase a fluency score fairly rapidly when the writing
task entails writing the alphabet only. A higher level of difficulty is presented
when the task for the test is to write a word, or a sequence of simple words.
An even higher level of difficulty is presented when the child is asked to write
a sentence using several words.
Early on you may have students that are challenged to attend to the writing
task for a full minute. And of course, you may have many that do not know
how to write any letters at all. You can address both issues and use the fluency test as a means to solidify the learning as letters are presented.
The child can write repeatedly, one letter in spaced pairs or a series during
a 20-second timed exercise. Count the number of legible letters written and
multiply by 3 to convert the count to a LPM Score. After teaching several letters you can have the child write as many known letters of the alphabet as
possible during the time allowed. The goal is to stimulate the child to write
from memory rather than copy from a display on chart or chalkboard. Early
on, it is a good idea to provide strips of unlined paper for writing and show
the child how to write from left to right across the strip.