Happily Homeschooling

Peterson Directed Handwriting - The Peterson Method - Review

Peterson Directed Handwriting

Since 1908

Do you feel like your reading a doctor’s note while grading your daughter’s paper? Does your son struggle to read his handwritten assignment out loud because he can’t read the writing? Don’t feel alone. Penmanship has become less of a priority over the past several years in many schools.  But there is a solution.

Peterson Directed Handwriting is a company that offers products to help guide you (the teacher) how to correctly teach your children (students) the art of handwriting. The method was developed by P.O. Peterson in 1908 and has been proven to be successful through decades of use. According to Peterson’s website, advancement in technology has validated 100 years of action research with several motor science studies. You can view the strategy paper of the Peterson Method here. You will read here that the Peterson Method (or We Write to Read) involves three phases of learning – “Develop, Practice and Apply.” To accomplish and fulfill the process, there is a specific strategy that includes 4 steps:

·        illustrate & describe – this step introduces the movements and the action words that go with the movement

·        airwriting with action words – this is exactly what it says, writing in the air the words while saying the word to establish a rhythm

·        fingertrace with action words – using the text, trace the word with the pointer finger with a goal to move the arm to follow the image

·        write & say – using practice paper in proper position, move the pencil and say the word together

There is much more to each step, which you can read at the above link. As described above, The Peterson Method uses specific strokes for the development of letters. These strokes are given action words that are spoken during the creation of the stroke. This is called rhythmic movement. This movement allows the student to feel the writing or “create a beat” with the words.  Peterson uses all of these strategies to help the student learn how, not only to make the letters, but to hold the pencil and lay the paper. There are special pencils that are included in the kits. These are triangular pencils, so the fingers sit right. Below you can see the triangular pencil compared to the round pencil.

I have been looking for an adequate handwriting program for some time for my children. My son is in 3rd grade and my daughter is in 9th. My son is just learning cursive this year, but my daughter has been trying to improve her writing for a long time (or rather, I have been trying to improve her writing). She was still printing because cursive was so difficult for her and all of it was hard to read. Since she was old enough to hold a pencil she has held it in an awkward position. We have worked on it over and over again but she always reverts back to this position. Though she is right handed, she forms her letters like she is left handed. I've even had her try writing with her left hand which wasn’t the problem. I had read about eye and hand dominance, but this was also not the problem either. I spoke to a few people that attended a catholic school in the 60's and they were instructed using the Palmer method. After searching for this, we ended up back to basics with another curriculum and retrained with the basic manuscript form. Then we received the Peterson 3rd grade hand writing kit. Wow! Was I going about this the wrong way.

Though we had to really work hard trying to get her to “unlearn” all the techniques that didn’t work for her, she is on the way to wonderful penmanship. She actually does not grumble so much about writing, either. Since my son was just beginning to learn cursive through our AOP curriculum, we were able to jump into Peterson without too much relearning. He is still learning the process and his handwriting is coming along.

I have been very impressed with the Peterson Directed Handwriting strategy and recommend it for you if you are in search of a curriculum that is well above the rest. Not sure where to start? This page will help you. There are several different levels to choose from that can be viewed here.

You will also find tons of information and videos including how to teach a left hand dominant child. You can also participate in live chats to get help or more information. These are held on Thursdays or can be scheduled. Click here to learn more.