The Zaner Bloser method is a method used to help student master manuscript and cursive handwriting skills. Zaner Bloser method supports teachers with a convenient three-step lesson model that can be incorporated into any classroom. Zaner Bloser letters have two completely different styles between printing and cursive. It is written straight up and down in manuscript printing and slanted in cursive. Zaner Bloser was the dominant handwriting style in the US until Modern Manuscript (D'Nealian) gained popularity and the 'simplified' Zaner Bloser was introduced.
D'Nealian is a style of manuscript and cursive handwriting style. It derived from the Palmer Method and was designed to ease the learning of manuscript and cursive handwriting. Different from the Zaner Bloser style, the D'Nealian manuscript form has many similarities to the cursive version. It is written at a slight slant in both manuscript and cursive. The letters are learned with tails in manuscript printing so the transition to cursive is simpler. In theory, it is easier for children to learn and acquire basic handwriting skills using this method.
Pre-cursive handwriting is the transition between printing (unjoined) letters and cursive (joining all letters) handwriting. In pre-cursive handwriting, children practice adding lead-ins and lead-outs to letters and practice to start and finish in the right place for the letters to be joined. Pre-cursive handwriting appears in the National Curriculum at the LKS2 stage. In years 3 and 4, children are expected to add small tails or flicks to mark where the letters will connect when they finally transition into cursive writing. The pre-cursive handwriting stage is important for children to recognize the style and hand movement they will use when they learn to write cursive handwriting.
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It will be easier for both children and parents to use a gradual approach when learning to handwrite. You can start with a simple fine motor approach, forming letters without a pencil and paper. For example, you can try to do this on the sand when going to the beach. After the children are familiar with forming letters, you can move on to handwriting pages. It will be easier for the children to learn uppercase letters first, and then move on the lowercase. You don't have to make your children learn to write letters in alphabetical order. Instead, you can teach them to write letters in order of easiest to hardest.