ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Dear First Grade Parents,

We are using D'Nealian modern cursive handwriting in our school and wanted to tell you why and give you a sample alphabet. The most important handwriting goal is legibility, as writing is used to communicate. While technology is an important part of our world, it does not replace the need for students to have beautiful, legible handwriting. We will provide the direct instruction in handwriting but invite your support in case you'd like your student to have extra practice at home. The transition to D'Nealian from other handwriting programs is a relatively easy one.

WHY D'NEALIAN MODERN CURSIVE?

1. Letters are formed with one continuous stroke. The more times a beginning writer or a child with perception problems lifts the pencil, the harder it becomes to make a well shaped letter. For adults, we tend to print using one stroke as a more natural way of writing.

2. Letters cut down on reversals. For example, many beginner writers have trouble with these letters:

There is less confusion with these using D'Nealian because there are no pencil lifts. Each letter has its own shape -- they are not just "sticks" placed on different sides of the "balls."

3. The transition from lower-case manuscript to cursive is more natural. Rather than learning a completely different set of manuscript letters and then cursive letters, in the D'Nealian program most of the manuscript letters are the basic forms of the corresponding cursive letters. (Each letter is made with a continuous stroke, except the dotted i and j and the crossed letters f,t, and x.)

With the exception of f,r,s,v and z, manuscript letters become cursive letters with the addition of simple joining strokes. These strokes are the simple uphill stroke and the overhill stroke.

Thank you,

1st Grade Teachers

If your child is struggling with handwriting this is a great link to help develop fine motor skills.

school.familyeducation.com/penmanship/growth-and-development/38388.html