Getty-Dubay Blackline Masters CD-ROM

If you love the Italic Handwriting Series by Getty and Dubay, but would like a bit more practice, this product is just what you're looking for. The CD is composed of practice pages that you can use in conjunction with all of the workbooks, Levels A through G. They are meant to be used as an introduction to the workbook pages, or as a review for those students who need a bit more practice, but they are in no way replacements for the workbooks, which is where students learn the proper letter-forms. The CD contains a PDF file, so you need Acrobat Reader (which is included on the CD) to view and print the pages. The CD consists of 50-60 half-sheet worksheets for each level, and each worksheet identifies which page in the actual workbook it is meant to go along with. Since it's just a half-page worksheet, you may think there's not that much extra practice (two handwriting lines per page in Book A and twelve lines in Book G), but you can print out each worksheet as many times as you'd like to give your student the amount of practice they need. This is a great supplement to the actual workbooks, especially for those students who struggle to perfect their handwriting. Rachel

Mom's horrible handwriting inspired us to use an italic handwriting program with our kids. It's difficult not to produce at least legible writing in Italics. Another plus is that manuscript flows into cursive - letters don't completely change, they just join. Not only does this seem sensible to us, but the many compliments the children have received on their handwriting have further encouraged us in this approach. (Children begin moving into cursive writing in Level C.) The last level gets into calligraphy toward the end. From there, follow up with a good calligraphy book for Jr. High/High School and continue handwriting as an art form! Instruction Manual applies to all levels.

These materials are specifically graded and include both instruction and practice.