Review
Handwriting is one of those subjects that everyone needs and no one likes. While a lot of public schools have forgone handwriting, many experts disagree with that decision. Handwriting is valuable, not just as a skill, but as a developmental discipline, contributing to reading ability, small-motor skills, and more.
But the final struggle still remains: How to make handwriting more FUN? Steps4Kids is the answer we found. Using an innovative DVD approach to learning to write, Steps4Kids has eliminated the boring and tedious trace-then-copy method used by most programs. The DVDs actually teach children how each letter is formed, using a gentle voice accompanied by demonstrations.
We started Steps4Kids with the print version, which is for children in preschool and older. The letters are grouped according to shape, not alphabetically, which is helpful for beginning writers. It is a lot easier to learn the lowercase letters c, g, d, e, o, and a together! I also appreciated how this approach separates the difficult letters, b and d. The DVD also has the uppercase and lowercase letters in different sections, which was helpful for us.
The kids really enjoyed using Steps4Kids over and over, and still aren’t tired of it. We use paper and dry-erase boards for their lessons, and they enjoy both. My oldest is now starting the cursive DVD, which is for grades three and up. The print and cursive DVDs are a little different, and Steps4Kids also offers a Modern Manuscript version, for those who prefer that instead of print.
In the print version, each letter is introduced, then used in sight words to hear the sound. The letter is then demonstrated three times by a real person, not a computer, while instructions are given. After several words, a little drawing lesson is demonstrated to add interest. The simple drawings utilize the letters learned, such as a lowercase t as the center of a kite.
The cursive DVD is similar to the print version, but the sight words are used to show how the letters connect, and then each letter is demonstrated just twice. The biggest difference is the inclusion of the “Step2Write” game instead of the drawing lessons. This game is a thirty-second break in which a photograph filled with items is shown. The picture is similar to the Eye Spy books. The challenge is to find and write as many of the items in the thirty-second time period as they can.
We are currently using these DVDs as our only handwriting program. While Steps4Kids teaches the letter forms and proper strokes, you will have to add in something once your kids are ready for more practice. We simply use homemade handwriting sheets and copy work to develop the skills needed for longer sentences and paragraphs. I think that a lot of children could benefit from this approach to learning writing skills.
About the Reviewer
