Dnealian manuscript handwriting workbooks can help children improve skills in the classroom or homeschool.
In this graduated practice book for D'Nealian manuscript, children learn to write capital letters in natural, progressive stages. Using a finger, children trace a model letter, first following the directional arrows, then on their own. Then , they practive writing the letter. Finally, they practice the letter as part of familiar words.
You can purchase the D'Nealian Handwriting from A to Z Manuscript Capitals Practice book separately here, or as part of the complete four book D'Nealian Handwriting series.
Why Teach Capital Letters?
Kindergarten teachers tell us that if children come to school able to print, they usually print exclusively in capital letters. Parents, grandparents, and caregivers, dealing with children who are strongly motivated to write " like big people," teach the print letters they use. Most adults use capital letters when asked to print.
The procedure usually followed in the classroom is to teach the lowercase manuscript letters first because children use more lowercase than capital letters in their writing. We suggest that you start with the first book in the series, D'Nealian Handwriting from a to z Lowercase Manuscript Practice, and then proceed with this book. Teachers expect children to learn how and when to use capital letters correctly so you might as well start them off in the right direction.
The D'Nealian lowercase manuscrpt letters were developed because the "circle-and-stick" method of printing the small letters was very difficult for children to master; it required fifty-two pencil lifts to produce the twenty-six letters. If the child could produce the first stroke of the letter, chances are he or she couldn't get the second and third strokes attached to it in the right places.
By contrast the D'Nealian lowercase manuscript alphabet takes only thirty-one strokes---one for each letter and five extras for dotting and crossing. And once the skill is mastered, there is no abandoning it to learn a new skill. This lowercase manuscript alphabet was developed to convert into cursive with the addition of only three connecting strokes. That is why it is so important for teachers----or anyone who is instructing and overseeing letter practice----to be sure that the letters are produced according to the stroke directions.
Here is the second book in this series of D'Nealian Handwriting instruction by Author: Donald N. Thurber. |
