How to Use the First Strokes Cursive Program in Schools ... to Use...Tape a cursive letter cue chart...

First Strokes®

TheHandwritingClinic™/FirstStrokes®ProductsRichardson,Texas

JanMcCleskey,MA,OTR

Copyright2005TheHandwritingClinic/FirstStrokes®Products

TheFirstStrokesCursiveProgramisdesignedtoteachcursiveusingmulti-sensorytechniques..Thestudentshouldnotimmediatelystartusingtheworkbookswithoutfirstlearningtheletterusingkinestheticormulti-sensorymodalities.

ProceduresforUsingWorkbook:

Terminology – Theinstructorshouldusethesimple,consistentterminologyoutlinedinthedescriptionofthesequenceforeachletter.Whenreviewingletters,itisonlynecessarytosaythe“firststroke”oftheletter,ex,draw“skateboardrampu”.

Learnthe“FirstStroke”: Forthelowercaseletters,thereareonly4firststrokelettergroups.Studentsshouldfirstlearnthestroke,andthenworktopracticethelettersinthestrokecategory.Thestrokecategoriesforthelowercaselettersareasfollows:

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Tobegin,thestudentwillstartwiththeSkateboardRampGroup.Theinstructorwillteachthestudenthowtodotheskateboardrampstroke.Thenthestudentwilllearntowritetheskateboardramplettersusingthefollowingmulti-sensorymethodsoflearning.

Largemotorlearning - Studentshouldbeabletowritetheletterinthecorrectsequenceandintheairwitheyesclosedbeforeprogressingtomediummotoractivities.

Mediummotorlearning - Studentshouldbeabletowritetheletterinlargesized,3inchhandwritinglines,beforedoingsmallmotoractivities.Inaclassroom,ateachercoulddothiswiththeentireclass,orinsmallgroups.Examplesofmediummotoractivities:

- UsethewipeofftemplatethatisincludedwiththeFirstStrokesCursiveProgram.Anextraprintablepageisincludedatthebackofthistrainingdocument.Puttheprintablepageintoasheetprotectorandgiveonetoeachstudent.Thestudentwillusedryerasemarkerstopracticewritingthestrokesandletters.

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Wipe Off Practice Card: Use a thin, black, Expo dry erase marker to practice strokes and letter formation before practicing in the workbook. Practice touching and tracing the writing line before making a bridging stroke to the next letter. The writing line on this practice card is hollow, so that a student has a visual cue to practice touching and tracing the writing line.

IMPORTANT: Wipe off the card after each use with a tissue or paper towel. If dry erase ink dries overnight on card, it is difficult to erase.

Pictureofwipe-offtemplate:Skateboardrampi

Thestudentshouldbeabletowritetheletterwithcorrectsequencing,andwithgoodtouchpointsonthewritinglinesbeforeprogressingtosmallmotorpractice.

Smallmotorpractice – Studentshouldpracticetheletters:1.IntheFirstStrokes®Cursiveworkbook.2.Ontheadaptivenotebookpaperthatcomeswiththecursivekit.3.Eventuallytransitiontopracticingwithcorrectsizingonnotebookpaper.(Correctsizing

wouldmimicthesizingofthewritingontheadaptivenotebookpaper.Tallletterstouchthetopline,sinkingletterssinkbelowthewritingline,andthebodyoftheletter1/3space.)

Generalizationactivities - Thestudentshouldimmediatelypracticetheletterontheadaptivenotebookpaperthatcomeswiththecursiveprogram.

Multi-sensoryreview-

1.Oneofthemostimportantlearningtoolsaninstructorcanuse,is“scribblesheets”toworkonvisualmemoryofletters,aswellasthemotorpatterntosequenceletters.Itisrecommendedthatscribblesheetsbeusedmultipletimestorevieweachlettergroup.Thisisalsoagreatactivityforhomepracticeaswell.(Seenextpageforscribblesheetdescription)

2.Studentscanalsoreviewlettersbywritinglettersandwordscontaininglearnedletters,intheair.Otheractivitiesmightinclude:

Practicewritinglettersorwordsin:

- Fillbakingsheetfilledwithsandorsalt- Writeinshavingcream- Cutoff12inchpiecesofafoamswimmingnoodle.Usethefoamsticktowriteletters

intheair.- Instructortypeswordsandlettersinlargefont(inprint),orwritewithdarkmarkerin

cursive.About5– 10wordsperpage.Tapeacursivelettercuecharttothebottomofeachposterincasestudentsmaynotrememberaletter.Hangaroundtheroom,andhavestudentsdivideupintogroupsateachpostertoairwritethewordsincursive.After2minutes,switchtorandomlymovetoanotherposter.

- Fill12inchballoonswithair.Useapermanentmarkertowritewords,ora– zinprintorcursive.Thenhavethestudentstaptheballoonsupintheair,andwriteoneletter.Ex.intheword“goat”,thestudentwouldtap”g”,retap theballoonandthenwrite“o”,retap theballoonandthenwrite“a,andthenretap theballoonandwrite“t”.Thisisafunactivityfortheentirecursivealphabeta– z,orA– Zonceuppercaselettersarememorized.Circlethelettersontheballoonthatthestudenthasdifficultyremembering.

- Layonthefloorandwriteletters,words,a– zorA– Zintheairwithanarmoraleg.- Closeeyesandwriteletters,words,a– zorA– Zintheairwithbothhandsfolded

together.- Instructorwriteswords,sentencesora- zonsentencestrips.Studentstraceorcopy

ontotheirownsentencestrip.


5

StrokeGroupReviewActivity1:Classroompractice– scribblesheets

Eachstudentwillneeda”scribblesheet”.Thescribblesheetisthemostimportantlearningactivityaninstructorusetoreviewletterformation.Ithelpswithvisualmemory,andmostimportantlyithelpsthestudentmotorically learningtosequencethelettercorrectly.Makeascribblesheetforeachlettergroup.Takeapieceofcardstockandwritetheletterswithinagroupatthetop.Thenfolddownthetopwiththeletters..Scribbleseveraldifferentcolorsofcrayonsunderneathtil thick.Thestudentcanpracticethelettersfrommemory,butifthestudentneedstoseetheletter,canunfoldthetoptoseetheletter.Dothistorevieweverylettergroup!

Whenworkingonthescribblesheets,calloutlettersandhavethestudentswrite“fast”and“large”withacrayon.Thegoalistogetthestudenttoachievethemotorpatterntowritethelettersinthecorrectsequencefrommemory.Thestudentcannotreallyseethelettersastheyarewritten– whichhelpswithvisualmemory.Beforetheycanwritethelettersfrommemory,theymayneedtoseethelettersinordertocopytheletters.

Instructionalnote:Instructorcanwritethehandwritinglinesontopofonepieceofpaper.Thenwriteletters,words,a– zorA– Zwithinthehandwritinglines.Photocopyontocardstock.Thestudentcanscribblealloverthebottomportion,forquicksetupofscribblesheets.

Copyright2016:TheHandwritingClinic™/FirstStrokes®Products

Suggestedteachingmodules– CURSIVELOWERCASE

1. Workonstrokes andthefollowinglettersthroughlargemotor,mediummotorandsmallmotorpractice.Reviewlettergroupsthroughmulti-sensoryactivities.Studentsshouldmotoricallysequencethelettersinthecorrectpattern/letterformation.

Skateboardrampletters

Module1 i uws

Module 2 rtepj

Module1and 2Review *Multi-sensoryreviewofskateboardramplettersonscribble sheet

Waverunner cletters

Module3 coa

Module4 dgq

Module1– 4 Review *Multi-sensoryreviewofskateboardrampandwaverunnerclettersonscribblesheet.

Tallthinloopletters

Module5 lfb

Module6 hk

Module1- 6Review *Multi-sensoryreviewskateboard rampletters,waverunnercletters,andtallthinloopletters.

Fingertipletters

Module7 nmv

Module8 xyz

Module1– 8Review *Multi-sensoryreviewskateboard rampletters,waverunnercletters, tallthinlooplettersandfingertipletters.

Module 9 Bridging PracticeWorkbookPages

Module10 Writea– zin theair,andonscribblesheetstowritewithin40seconds.

Uppercase:CandyCane Letters

Module11HKMN

Module12UVWXYZ

Uppercase: LeaningLineLetters

Module13BDPR

Uppercase:FrowningLetters

ACEO

6Copyright2016:TheHandwritingClinic™/FirstStrokes®Products



Loopity Loop LTwoCoolQOverandUnderFandT

Module14 LQFT

Sailboat ILeftLoopJSwingRightGandS

Module15 IJGS

Multi-sensoryreviewofuppercaseLetters

Module16 *Multi-sensoryreviewofuppercaselettersA- Z

Module17 WriteA– Zin theair,andonscribblesheetstowritewithin40seconds.

Module18Writing Projects Students canworkonwritingsmallparagraphsorspellingwordsincursive.Placeacuecard(copyfrombackofworkbook),ontothestudentsdesksareaorontoapieceofcardstock(laminated).Studentscanrefertothecuecardiftheyforgethowtowritealetter.

*Ideallystudentsshouldbeabletowritea– zwithin40secondsandA–Zwithin40secondseitherintheair,oronhandwritinglinesbeforedoinglargewritingassignments.60secondsmightbeatargetforastudenttowritesmallerassignments.Itisaclearindicationthatastudentwillneedmoremultisensorypracticebeforegeneralizingcursivetowriting,ifastudentcannotwriteallthelettersfrommemorywithin60seconds.

Module19Writing withgoodsizingonregularnotebookpaper

Studentsshouldbeabletomaintainthesizingofthelettersandwordsandtransitionfromtheadapted notebookpaperthatcomeswiththeFirstStroke®CursiveKit,ontoregularnotebookpaper.


*Multi-sensoryreview– seecursiveworkbookformulti-sensoryactivities,orrefertoactivitieswithinthedocument,“HowtoUsetheFirstStrokesCursiveProgramWithinaSchoolSetting”.


MODULEINSTRUCTION:

Foreachmodule,gothroughthefollowingstepstointroducethecursiveconceptsforeachlettergroup.

Lesson1:Introducethestrokeforthelettergroup.Studentshouldpracticethestrokeonthelargewipeoffsheetswithadryerasemarker.Oncethecomponentsofthestrokearemastered,thentheletterscanbeintroducedafewatatime.

Lesson2:Letterformation- Practicemediummotor– ondryerasesheet- Practicelargemotor- Workbookpages(smallmotor)- Generalizeletterstotheadaptivenotebookpaper

Lesson3:Wordpractice- Practicethewordsintheworkbook- Practicethewordsontheadaptivenotebookpaper- Scribblesheetpractice(studentsuseapieceofcardstock,andscribblealloverit

sothatthereisheavycrayonwax.).Studentwillpracticewritingletters/wordsastheinstructorcallsouttheletters/words.Studentshouldwrite“fast”and“large”.Thishelpsthestudentdevelopspeedandvisualmemoryoftheletterandmotoricmemory.

- Othermulti-sensoryactivities

Videoclips:TherearevideoclipsoftheFirstStrokes®lowercaselettersat:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0r7dqLIhaf0

SearchYouTubefor“FirstStrokesCursive”


Module1– extrapractice

• Skateboardrampletters• Howtousetheadaptivenotebookpaper(useprinttoteachthepaper)


Name:______________________________

Copythelettershere,andontheadaptivenotebookpaper.


Name:_______________Eventhoughweareworkingoncursive,itisimportanttounderstandprintonthisadaptivenotebookpaper.Practicetheselettersinprint.


zebra

monkey

lion

elephant

Name:_______________________Directions– copythewordstothesideinprint topracticethesizingoflettersonthispaper.Tallletterstouchthetopline,sinkingletterstouchthelinebelow.


Module2– extrapractice

• Skateboardrampletters– Writethewordsinthebackoftheskateboardrampchapter.

– Workonwritingthelettersandthewordsfrommemoryintheair.

– Dotheattachedhomeworkpages– Mostimportantly,dothescribblesheet.


Name:______________________________



Day2:HomeworkScribblealloverthissquarewithacrayon.Thenlookateachletterorword,andwritewiththecrayoninthesquarewitheyesclosedincursive.

i uwstrejpjetpetwettipriprutjutsipset


Modules3and4–ExtraPractice

– Workonwritingthelettersandthewordsfrommemory,intheair,witheyesclosed.



Name:______________________________



Name:______________________________

Copythewordsontotheadaptivenotebookpaper.



oadgqc catcotcaptapjotactdoggoodquitquadadag

Review:skateboardramplettersi uwstjper


Name:______________________________




lfbhk plusthefollowingwords:hallhillkidflagfakebakehikebikeballfallfellbellwebfabPlusreviewskateboardrampletters:justwiperwaverunnercletters:adgqco



– Writethewordsinthebackofthefingertipletterssection




WriteonCRpaper:

ThetherapistwillgiveanadditionalhomeworksheetonCRpaper.

Name:______________________________




nmvxyz plusthefollowingwords:namemanzebraboxfixvanmove

Plusreviewskateboardrampletters:justwiperwaverunnercletters:adgqcotallthinloopletters:lfhbk


Module7(a– zpractice)

• Dothesepracticepages



Writea– z,1letteratatime,asfastaspossible.Writeeachletterlarge,andwitheyesclosed.Ifyouneedtoseealetter– thereisachartinthebackoftheworkbook.Tryandmemorizealllowercaseletters!


Name:_______________________

Writethelowercaselettersa– zonthehandwritinglines.Ifneeded,lookatthechartinthebackoftheworkbook.

Reprintthisworksheet,andpracticeeveryday,untilyoucanwritetheuppercasealphabeta– zfrommemoryin40secondsorless!

Also,writethealphabeta– zintheair,witheyesclosed,severaltimesaday!Soonyouwillbeabletodothisin40seconds– butdon’tworry– itusuallytakesafewweeksofpracticetogetcursivethisfast!Keeppracticing!


Name:_______________________

Writeasentenceaboutalionandatigeronthepaperbelow,incursive.Useaprintcapitalletterifyouhavenotyetworkedontheletteryouneedforthebeginningofthesentence.


Modules8,9,10– extrapractice

UpperCaseLetters

• CandyCaneletters:– HKMNUVWXYZ

• LeaningLineletters:– BDPR

• Frowningletters:– ACEO



CandyCaneletters:HKMNUVWXYZ

LeaningLineletters:BDPR

Frowningletters:ACEO


Modules11,12,13– extrapractice

• Day7UpperCaseLetters

• Loopty LoopL• TwoCoolQ• OverandUnderFandT• SailboatI• LeftLoopJ• SwingRightGandS



Loopty LoopLTwoCoolQOverandUnderFandTSailboatILeftLoopJSwingRightGandS


Scribblealloverthissquarewithacrayon.Thenlookateachletterorword,andwritewiththecrayoninthesquarewitheyesclosedincursive.

WriteUPPERCASEA- Z,1letteratatime,asfastaspossible.Writeeachletterlarge,andwitheyesclosed.Ifyouneedtoseealetter– thereisachartinthebackoftheworkbook.Tryandmemorizealllowercaseletters!


Name:_______________________

WritetheuppercaselettersA– Zonthehandwritinglines.Ifneeded,lookatthechartinthebackoftheworkbook.

Reprintthisworksheet,andpracticeeveryday,untilyoucanwritetheuppercasealphabeta– zfrommemoryin60secondsorless!




Skateboardrampletters

Module1 i uws

Module 2 rtepj

Module1and 2Review *Multi-sensoryreviewofskateboardramplettersonscribble sheet

Waverunner cletters

Module3 coa

Module4 dgq

Module1– 4 Review *Multi-sensoryreviewofskateboardrampandwaverunnerclettersonscribblesheet.

Tallthinloopletters

Module5 lfb

Module6 hk

Module1- 6Review *Multi-sensoryreviewskateboard rampletters,waverunnercletters,andtallthinloopletters.

Fingertipletters

Module7 nmv

Module8 xyz

Module1– 8Review *Multi-sensoryreviewskateboard rampletters,waverunnercletters, tallthinlooplettersandfingertipletters.

Module 9 Bridging PracticeWorkbookPages

Module10 Writea– zin theair,andonscribblesheetstowritewithin40seconds.

Uppercase:CandyCane Letters

Module11HKMN

Module12UVWXYZ

Uppercase: LeaningLineLetters

Module13BDPR

Uppercase:FrowningLetters

ACEO


Module10–a– zMulti-sensoryReview

• Writeincursive!StudentcanusethechartsatthebackoftheFirstStrokes®Cursiveworkbookifavisualcueisneeded.

• Continueworkingonthescribblesheetsfora– z.


CONTINUEDPRACTICE:Scribblealloverthissquarewithacrayon.Thenlookateachletterorword,andwritewiththecrayoninthesquarewitheyesclosedincursive.

Writea– z,1letteratatime,asfastaspossible.Writeeachletterlarge,andwitheyesclosed.Ifyouneedtoseealetter– thereisachartinthebackoftheworkbook.Tryandmemorizealllowercaseletters!


Module17–A– ZMulti-sensoryReview


• ContinueworkingonthescribblesheetsforA- Z.


Day9:HomeworkCONTINUEDPRACTICE:Scribblealloverthissquarewithacrayon.Thenlookateachletterorword,andwritewiththecrayoninthesquarewitheyesclosedincursive.

WriteuppercaselettersA- Z,1letteratatime,asfastaspossible.Writeeachletterlarge,andwitheyesclosed.Ifyouneedtoseealetter– thereisachartinthebackoftheworkbook.Tryandmemorizealluppercaseletters!


Module18–WritingGeneralizationPractice



Name:_______________________

Write2sentencesusingthewordbank.Skipalineasyouwrite.Writelettersletterswherethetallletterstouchthetopline,thesinkingletterstouchthedottedlinebelow,andthebodyoftheletteris1/3spaceinthecuedhighlightedline.


Name:_______________________

Write2sentencesusingthewordbank.Skipalineasyouwrite.Writeletterswherethetallletterstouchthetopline,thesinkingletterstouchthedottedlinebelow,andthebodyoftheletteris1/3spaceinthecuedhighlightedline.


Module18–WritingGeneralizationPractice


• Maintainthesamesizingtowritesentencesonregularnotebookpaper.Writelettersletterswherethetallletterstouchthetopline,thesinkingletterstouchthedottedlinebelow,andthebodyoftheletteris1/3spaceinthecuedhighlightedline.


Name:_____________________

RHINOCEROS• Namemeans“nosehorn”.

• Therearefivedifferentspeciesofrhinoceros.TheyaretheBlackRhinoceros,WhiteRhinoceros,

IndianRhinoceros,Javan RhinocerosandSumatranRhinoceros

• 2nd largestlandmammal.• 3speciesendangeredastheycan

behuntedfortheirhorns.• Largebody,smallbrain.

• Eatsplants

Write2sentencesusingtheanimalfacts.Skipalineasyouwrite.Writeletterswherethetallletterstouchthetopline,thesinkingletterstouchthedottedlinebelow,andthebodyoftheletteris1/3spaceinthecuedhighlightedline.


Name:_____________________


• Secondlargestcatspecies(tigerlargest).

• Canrun81kilometersperhour/50milesperhour.

• Femalesliveingroups,verysocial.• Liveabout12yearsinthewild.

• Maleshavemanes.• Females(lionesses)arebetter

hunters.• Restabout20hours

perday.


Name:_____________________


WARTHOG• Memberofthepigfamily.

• Havewart-likebumpsontheirface.• Greyorblack,bristles,haveathick

mane.• Have2tusks,useforfighting.• Paddedkneesallowthemto

eatgrassinkneeling.• Pooreyesight,goodhearing.

• Runfast• Peacefulusually


PrintableWipe-OffSheet

• Photocopyontocardstock.Putinsheetprotector.(Orphotocopyontophotocopypaper,andputinasheetprotectorwithapieceofheavyweightcardstockbehind).

• Usethissheetforallinstructionofstrokesandletters.


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Copyrig

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ndwritingClinic/FirstStrokes®Prod

ucts

FirstStrokesLowerCaseTerminology


FirstStrokesUpperCaseTerminology


Alternative Q: Make Q as a ”Frowning Letter”

Capital Letters G and S start on the writing line and swing to the right.

How to Use the First Strokes Cursive Program in Schools ... to Use...Tape a cursive letter cue chart...

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