Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Review: Rhythm of Handwriting Cursive Complete Set

Cursive is one of my favorite things. I can't recall how old I was when I learned how to write in cursive, but it is something I have wanted my children to learn. I want to help prevent it from becoming a lost art. Plus, I want my children to be able to read the Constitution of the United States of America and beautiful things such as Thank You cards and letters from elderly relatives. ~Through the TOS Crew, I received a copy of The Rhythm of Handwriting Cursive Complete Set by Logic of English.






How Rhythm of Handwriting Cursive Complete Set Works:




Included in the set you will find: Rhythm of Handwriting Student Book, Handwriting Tactile Cards, Rhythm of Handwriting Quick Reference, and student white board.

We begin with showing the flashcard for the letter we are focusing on. Next, we say the sounds of each letter (which are found on the back of the flashcard) and the students are to count the number of sounds they hear. If the students mispronounce any sounds, this is the time to help them correct their errors. Next, the parent models (with their pointer finger) the motion to write the letter while giving the directions for writing. The children are to repeat forming the letter while they say the directions aloud for about 2-3 times.


How We Used Rhythm of Handwriting Cursive Complete Set in Our Homeschool:


The curriculum encourages students to learn handwriting first. Some of the benefits of doing so are:

  • Less motor skills are needed for writing cursive,
  • The letters 'b' and 'd' are not confused as with manuscript (so it helps to eliminate letter reversals),
  • It improves long-term penmanship skills

 



Dreamer knows how to print and she is just now learning cursive. We begin with using the Handwriting Tactile Cards. This isn't her favorite thing to do; she personally does not like using them because she doesn't like how the texture feels on her fingers. She is more of a visual learner than a tactile learner, so she prefers to look at the letters, talk about the strokes to make each one, and then write them. She was a good sport, however, and did use the tactile cards for much of the program for this review.



 
The student book contains sections of letters by category (swing letters, etc.). Each letter has an example along with arrows to direct the students with the direction of each beginning stroke. We have not made it to the student book yet. Dreamer is enjoying using the white board- it's kind of a novelty for her. :-)




While she has a little ways to go with exact strokes for the letters, she has made improvements. I think that, for Dreamer, the use of the student book will be a milestone for her. It's more of a permanent record of her improved abilities- kind of like a journal to look back on.


What I Like About the Rhythm of Handwriting Cursive Complete Set



  • I love the laminated reference chart. It's perfect for quick reference- it explains how to describe the making of each letter along with the names and pictures of the different strokes. I also like that the letters are broken down into categories: swing letters, curve letters, loop letters, circle letters, slash letters, miscellaneous letters, bump letters and roll letters. In addition, there are steps found on the chart to teaching handwriting.
  • The reusable tactile cards and white board are nice aspects of this program, too. It saves on materials and then we don't have endless papers laying around or to punch and place in Dreamer's notebook. (This set does not come with white board markers or a white board eraser.)
  • The method of saying the sounds (phonemes) of the letters works really well as a reinforcement for the spelling curriculum we use.
  • The instructions are clear.
  • I love the white board! It's perfect for young children of various motor skill levels. This is from the Logic of English website about the white board:
    • 11"x16"
    • Double-sided
    • Side one - Large handwriting chart for large-motor practice
    • Side two - Six lines for writing words, phrases, sentences, and even short paragraphs
    • High quality
    • Stain resistant
    • Will not peel

How Much The Rhythm of Handwriting Cursive Complete Set  Costs



The reusable resources that come in the The Rhythm of Handwriting Cursive Complete Set 
are only $65.00.

**Please note that the Basic Phonogram Flash Cards do not come with the complete set (not sure why they are included in this graphic...). However, the cursive workbook does come with the complete set.


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There are many helpful reviews by my TOS Crew team on this and other Logic of English products. Just click on the graphic below to read more. :-)







Blessings,




1 comment:

  1. Hi Heather,
    Thanks so much for reviewing Rhythm of Handwriting! We're so glad Dreamer is enjoying it.

    By the way, the image at the bottom of your review is the Reusable Resources set for Foundations, which is why it contains the game cards and phonogram flash cards. The ROH set is the one you have pictured at the top of your review.

    Thanks again for reviewing ROH this spring! Best wishes for the upcoming school year.

    Liz

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