Handwriting in the Early Childhood Classrooms

Handwriting is an important part of our Language curriculum, which includes speaking, writing, and reading.  At Abintra, we teach the cursive method of writing from the beginning.  Cursive writing corresponds developmentally to the physical and mental needs of the EC child. 

Children in a Montessori environment learn cursive in steps.  They begin learning how their sounds correspond with written letters with the Sandpaper Letter lessons, tracing each letter with the first two fingers of their dominant hand and verbalizing the sound the letter makes.  Then they create the same letters in a sand tray, increasing their sense of touch while connecting the shape of the letter to its sound. Next, the letters are written on a chalkboard. After practicing many times with the chalkboard  or whiteboard, the child is introduced to paper and begins to learn how to write in cursive with fluid movement.  The final step in the sequence is to write on lined paper where they learn to shape each letter between the parallel lines and connect letters together.

 

With the use of the Movable Alphabet, the child learns to hook the letters to one another when forming words.  When writing with a pencil, they see how to connect their letters and write with a flow of movement that doesn't require frequent stopping within and between letters.  When we model each step, we make sure to move slowly and deliberately so that the children can see the process clearly. 

In the classroom we observe children who are able to read cursive are also able to read in print. Children read printed words in books and other prepared materials and write in cursive.  Training the hand to write in cursive and the eye to read in both cursive and print helps the child to simultaneously absorb both methods. 

It is important for your child to see you writing in cursive.  Writing grocery lists, thank you cards, notes, and stories with your child are great ways to impart a love of writing.  It is a tool they will use for the rest of their lives despite the ever growing use of tablets, laptops, computers, and cell phones.