News

Getty-Dubay Italic has earned the 2025 Modular Learning Award

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Getty-Dubay® Italic has been selected as a 2025 Modular Learning Award winner!

This recognition is part of Modulo’s 2025 Guide to Homeschooling Programs, which features 1,000 carefully vetted resources across 116 categories. The award highlights the very best programs that meet the highest standards for homeschooling families, including:

  • Uniquely innovative and not designed just for test prep.
  • Kids love them and find them highly engaging.
  • Error-free and grounded in accuracy.
  • Foster critical thinking without hidden bias or indoctrination.
  • Secular and welcoming to all families.
  • Built on thoughtful, child-centered pedagogy.
  • Encourage self-directed learning and exploration.
  • Highly recommended by families with domain expertise and personal experience.

Getty-Dubay® Italic stood out among tens of thousands reviewed, reflecting its exceptional quality and impact on learners. The 2025 2025 Guide to Homeschooling Programs is designed to be a trusted resource for families navigating the ever-growing world of homeschooling programs, showcasing outstanding options like Getty-Dubay® Italic.

Learn more at https://www.modulo.app/all-resources/homeschooling-programs-2025.

Handwriting Day 2025

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We’re partnering with
Handwriting the Constitution
for National Handwriting Day, 2025

Every year, on John Hancock’s birthday, the United States celebrates the amazing cultural phenomenon of handwriting. Handwriting communicates — it expresses ideas, emotions, thoughts, instructions. Handwriting organizes — by making lists, plans, goals. Handwriting teaches — it helps us to learn and to think. And it connects us to thousands of years of cultural history.

There are many ways to celebrate Handwriting Day, and they all involve exercising that basic literary skill that you probably don’t remember learning for the first time. You can write a letter, postcard, or just a note to a friend or family member — a thank you, a get-well-soon, a love letter or a business letter. You can learn a new handwriting style, or brush up the one you use. You can write out your favorite poem, quotation, or document.

At Handwriting Success, we are celebrating Handwriting Day 2025 by joining the ongoing events of Handwriting the Constitution. (Read the NYTimes.com story here.) Find out more about this non-profit organization created by Morgan O’Hara, and organize your own event www.hanwritingtheconstitution.org.

See below the event that is being sponsored by Handwriting Success in collaboration with Handwriting the Constitution. It is free and open to the public. Spend quality time getting to know this foundational document of self-governance by copying it out by hand, either at this event, on your own or in a group, in public or in private.

You can find out more about how to participate, or create your own local event at www.handwritingtheconstitution.org.

Handwriting the Constitution for National Handwriting Day event:

Wednesday, January 22, 3pm to 5:30pm. Multnomah County Library Hillsdale Branch, 1525 SW Sunset Boulevard, Portland, OR 97239. More information and updates: https://multcolib.org/events-classes/handwriting-constitution

Press Release

A PDF of the complete up-to-date text of the U. S. Constitution can be found here.

New FREE letter-tracing apps

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Learn and practice how to form lowercase letters!

From the makers of the Handwriting Success App, Letter FUNdamentals with Getty-Dubay® Italic is a fun way for young students to practice individual letters on your Apple or Android touchscreen device.

Pick a letter family, then choose a letter to practice. Provides lowercase and capital letter formation practice through four educational steps: following, tracing, tracing and drawing, then freehand drawing.

Getty-Dubay® Italic is a handwriting style that is fun to learn, easy to teach and natural to write.

The Letter FUNdamentals apps develop these skills: 

✔︎ Recognition of letter families based on similar shapes or width
✔︎ Motor memory of correct letter paths
✔︎ Knowledge of starting points, stroke sequence and stroke direction
✔︎ Fluency of letter formation

And use a progression of scaffolds:

✔︎ Following – watch the prompt trace the letter path
✔︎ Leading – move the prompt along the letter path
✔︎ Leading and drawing – move the prompt and draw along the letter path
✔︎ Free drawing – draw the letter path without a guide

Letter FUNdamentals I
Lowercase Precursive game

For ages 7 and up

iPhone & iPad  |  Android

Letter FUNdamentals II
Basic Italic Capitals game

For ages 7 and up

iPhone & iPad  |  Android

Handwriting Success Hailed as One of the Best Educational Apps for Kids

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After a thorough review by Research.com, the Handwriting Success™ App has been included in their prestigious list of the 10 Best Educational Apps for Kids in 2024. Research.com is a leading online platform that provides users with research-backed reviews and comparisons across various products and services.

In today’s digital world, capturing children’s attention and keeping them engaged with traditional learning methods can be challenging. Handwriting Success tackles this issue head-on by transforming handwriting practice into a fun and interactive experience.

This award-winning app leverages the power of tablets and styluses to make learning captivating, all while adhering to the well-established Getty-Dubay® handwriting curriculum trusted by educators and parents worldwide. This makes the app one of the best educational apps for kids.

Beyond Worksheets: A Dynamic Learning Environment

Handwriting Success goes far beyond static worksheets that quickly become dull and repetitive. The app transforms your tablet into a dynamic learning environment, fostering a sense of play and experimentation. Imagine students using a stylus to trace letterforms, experiment with pen width and opacity, and digitally erase mistakes.

This interactive approach engages learning and allows children to practice without wasting paper. They can even explore different writing styles, from basic printing and cursive writing to elegant calligraphy, opening doors to creative expression.

A Personalized Path to Success

Handwriting Success isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. It recognizes that children learn at different paces and have individual preferences. The app caters to personalized learning through a variety of features:

  • Multiple Learning Paths: The app offers a variety of learning paths tailored to age and ability. Younger children can begin with basic letter formation, while older students can progress to mastering cursive or calligraphy. This ensures children are challenged appropriately, neither feeling overwhelmed nor bored.
  • Kinesthetic and Visual Learning: The app caters to visual and kinesthetic learners. Visual learners benefit from clear animations and demonstrations that break down complex writing strokes into manageable steps. Kinesthetic learners can actively participate by tracing letters and practicing writing strokes on the screen, solidifying their understanding through physical engagement.
  • Customizable Settings: Pen width, opacity, and background colors can be adjusted to suit individual preferences and comfort levels. This allows children to personalize their learning experience and feel a sense of ownership over their progress.

For example, a child who struggles with visual clutter might benefit from a more straightforward background color. In contrast, another child might enjoy experimenting with different pen widths to find what feels best for them.

Building a Strong Foundation in Handwriting

The Handwriting Success™ App goes beyond simply teaching letter formation. It focuses on developing a strong foundation in proper handwriting habits to benefit children throughout their academic journey. The app incorporates features like:

  • Posture Pointers: The app subtly reminds children to maintain good writing posture. This helps prevent fatigue, promotes healthy writing habits, and reduces the risk of developing musculoskeletal problems later in life.
  • Grip Guidance: The app subtly guides children on how to hold the stylus correctly, ensuring a comfortable and efficient grip. A proper grip allows for better control over the writing instrument, leading to improved legibility and reduced hand strain.
  • Real-time Feedback: Optional visual cues can be enabled to provide feedback during practice. These cues can help children identify areas for improvement and adjust their writing techniques accordingly. For instance, the app might highlight areas where pressure must be adjusted or letterforms are not entirely formed correctly.

Keeping the Spark Alive: Motivation Through Fun

Learning to write should be a fun and rewarding experience. Handwriting Success incorporates several features to keep children motivated and engaged:

  • Creative Expression: As children progress, they can use their newly acquired skills for creative expression. The app allows them to write stories, create personalized messages, or even design calligraphy artwork. This allows children to see the practical applications of their handwriting skills and fosters a sense of pride in their accomplishments.
  • Progress Tracking: Children can see their progress over time, which can be a powerful motivator. The app tracks completed lessons, mastered skills, and earned points, providing a sense of accomplishment and encouraging them to continue learning. Seeing their progress visualized can be a great confidence booster and can help children set new goals for themselves.

A Family-Friendly Resource: Learning Together

Handwriting Success isn’t just for kids. The app also includes the WRITE NOW ebook, designed for adults and professionals who want to improve handwriting. This makes it a versatile tool that can be used by the whole family.

Parents can use the app with their children, creating a fun and engaging learning experience. Imagine parents and children practicing letterforms side-by-side, offering encouragement and celebrating each other’s successes. This shared experience can foster a love of learning and create lasting memories.

More Than Just an App: A Comprehensive Learning System

The Handwriting Success app is just one component of a comprehensive handwriting learning system. The developers also offer a wealth of handwriting and calligraphy training tools, including:

  • Printable Worksheets: Printable worksheets can supplement the app and provide additional practice opportunities. These worksheets can be beneficial for reinforcing specific skills or catering to different learning styles.
  • Expert Tips and Guidance: Parents and educators can access articles and videos featuring tips and advice from handwriting experts. These resources can provide valuable insights into proper handwriting techniques, strategies for supporting children’s learning, and troubleshooting common challenges.
  • Online Resources: A Special Content web resource provides additional tools, videos and downloadable resources. This creates a supportive learning environment where parents, students and educators can assure success.

Looking Ahead: A Commitment to Continuous Improvement

We are constantly working to improve the App. In the future, you can expect to see exciting features like:

  • AI-powered Feedback: The app could integrate artificial intelligence to provide personalized feedback on writing techniques. This could involve analyzing pressure points, letter formation accuracy, and overall consistency, offering suggestions for improvement in a way that is both encouraging and specific.
  • Interactive Games and Activities: The app could incorporate interactive games and activities to make learning more engaging. These activities could focus on specific skills like letter recognition, spelling, and sentence writing while maintaining a fun and playful atmosphere.
  • Multi-language Support: Expanding the app to support multiple languages would open doors for a wider audience. This would allow children to learn proper letter formation and handwriting skills in their native language, while potentially giving them a head start on learning additional languages.

The Final Word: The Power of Handwriting in a Digital Age

We at Handwriting Success are thrilled to receive this prestigious recognition from Research.com, placing us among the top educational apps for kids in 2024. This award is a tremendous honor, and it validates the dedication of our entire team to fostering a love of learning through innovative and engaging technology.

To our valued customers, your trust in Handwriting Success truly motivates us. Your feedback and suggestions are the foundation we build, and your satisfaction is our ultimate goal. We are constantly developing exciting new features and improvements, all driven by a commitment to making Handwriting Success the most engaging and effective tool for learning to write.

The learning journey never ends, and we are honored to be a part of it alongside you. Thank you for choosing Handwriting Success, and stay tuned for even more ways to unlock the power of writing in the future!

FAQs on Recent State Handwriting Mandates

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Is California’s AB 446 “cursive or joined italics” a new mandate?

No, according to the California Department of Education. Since at least 1999, The California CCSS for ELA/Literacy contains outcomes related to cursive or joined italic for grades three and four. AB 446 copies these existing outcomes to the California Education Code Section 51210(a) , and extends the instructional requirement through 6th grade.

Sources: https://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/cr/cf/cursiveinstrufaqs.asp and https://archive.org/details/lessonplansasses0000unse/page/n3/mode/1up?q=“cursive+or+joined+italic”

What does AB 446 mean for handwriting instruction in California starting January 1, 2024?

California AB 446 amended the California Education Code Section 51210(a) , as indicated in bold text, as follows: “The adopted course of study for grades 1 to 6, inclusive, shall include instruction, beginning in grade 1 and continuing through grade 6, in the following areas of study: (1) English, including knowledge of, and appreciation for, literature and the language, as well as the skills of speaking, reading, listening, spelling, handwriting, including instruction in cursive or joined italics in the appropriate grade levels, and composition.”

Neither the California CCSS for ELA/Literacy nor the California Education Code Section 51210(a) provide a definition of the phrase “cursive or joined italics.”

What does “cursive or joined italics” mean?

To understand this phrase, it is necessary to separate the three elements “cursive,” “joined” and “italics.” 

“Cursive” literally means “running,” and is used to describe a mode of writing where some or all letters are written without lifting the writing tool, and in a flowing manner. Cursive is a handwriting mode, not a handwriting style.

“Joined” letters are written without lifting the writing tool and therefore have additional lines made by the writing tool as it moves from one letter to the next. These additional lines are called ligatures or, more commonly, “joins.” If written in a flowing manner, “joined” and “cursive” mean the same thing.

“Italic” is a style of handwriting. Italics (plural) refers to a style of type. It is a common misnomer to use the word “italics” to signify the italic (singular) style of handwriting. Italic is also called Chancery or modern cursive. It was developed in Italy in the 16th century and used in the first printed handwriting instruction book in 1522.

Sources: “Cursive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cursive. Accessed 4 Mar. 2024, “Italic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/italic. Accessed 26 Feb. 2024, and Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “italic script”. Encyclopedia Britannica, 20 Jul. 1998, https://www.britannica.com/topic/italic-script. Accessed 26 February 2024. For “modern cursive” see Primarium, https://primarium.info/handwriting-models.

What is the difference between handwriting and cursive?

“Handwriting” is any writing by hand, and is not specific to the mode or style.

“Cursive” literally means “running”, and is used to describe a mode of writing where some or all letters are written without lifting the writing tool, and in a flowing manner. People have been writing in the cursive mode for at least 2000 years, if not longer. (Learn more here.)

The word “cursive” is sometimes used incorrectly, either to mean handwriting in general or as a shorthand for a 19th-century style of continuously joined writing, now called continuous cursive or looped cursive. 

Source: “Cursive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cursive. Accessed March 4, 2024.

If “joined” and “cursive” mean the same thing, why specify “joined” italic?

Specifying that italic is joined signifies that the requirement is to teach italic in a cursive mode (commonly called cursive italic) in the appropriate grades. Most educational handwriting styles have two modes — an unjoined mode (called print or manuscript) and a cursive (joined) mode. Italic handwriting allows the student to join letters as appropriate, unlike continuous cursive styles, where the cursive mode has no join options.

Is italic usually not joined?

Italic handwriting can be joined or unjoined. Kindergarten and 1st grade students learn the print (unjoined) mode of italic (sometimes called “basic italic”). Students in 2nd grade and up learn how to join the print mode italic letters they have already learned. The letter paths remain unchanged in the cursive mode, and therefore students in 2nd grade and up have the option to join or not, as appropriate. 

How does italic differ from continuous (“looped”) cursive styles?

There are many educational handwriting styles. Most educational handwriting styles have two modes, a print (unjoined) mode and a cursive (joined) mode. Italic styles typically do not change letter paths between these two writing modes. In other words, students learning the cursive mode do not need to relearn the alphabet.

Unlike italic styles, continuous cursive styles have a cursive mode that has few letter paths in common with the print mode. Continuous cursive handwriting styles have as many as 42 new letter paths compared to their respective print mode (image of example letter ‘f’ below: red letters indicate a new letter path in the cursive mode compared to the print mode).

Compare other letters here.

Why teach joined italic instead of continuous cursive?

Curriculum decision makers opt for italic handwriting for a number of reasons:

  • Italic builds on previous concepts throughout the student’s formative years. Students learn a print mode of italic in Kindergarten and 1st grade, then in 2nd and 3rd grade learn how to join those letters for the cursive mode of italic.
  • The italic style is easier to read, due to its loop-free ascenders and descenders, and use of letterforms that are commonly found it type.
  • There is evidence that italic handwriting may have better retention compared to some continuous cursive handwriting styles.

Continuous cursive, by contrast, requires that students abandon the print mode letter paths they learn in Kindergarten and 1st grade, and then relearn the alphabet in order to write in a cursive mode. Some continuous cursive styles require up to 42 new letter paths for the cursive mode. See this Style Comparison Tool to learn more.

What curricula provide instruction in joined italic?

There are several publishers of educational materials for italic handwriting worldwide. Some may indicate that their style is “italic” without actually maintaining the characteristics of the historical italic hand. For this reason, it is important to know some of the features of italic handwriting, in order to assess prospective methods.

In general, italic handwriting:

  • Does not use loops or curlicues.
  • Has a slight slope to the right of 5 to 15 degrees (measured from vertical).
  • Has a capital letter height and ascender height that is 1.5 times the lowercase letter body height.
  • Uses lowercase letter proportions that are roughly 2 to 3 (width to height) for most lowercase letters.
  • Has the option to use serifs.
  • Does not join from capital letters to lowercase.
  • Does not include entry strokes in the body of the letter (image below of example letter ‘e’: italic on left, continuous cursives styles on right, entry stroke is indicated with an arrow).
  • Does not join out of letters g, j, q or info f.
  • Has letters ‘r’ and ‘s’ that are similar to what students see in type.
  • Has a letter ‘a’ shape with a semi-flat top.
  • The letter ‘a’ shape is shared with d, g, and q and is rotated for b, and p.
  • The letter ’n’ shape is shared with h, r, and m, and is rotated for u and y.
  • Has no ascender on ‘t’, only a slight rise above the waist-height line.
  • Has 20 lowercase letters that are written in one stroke (some italic styles use a two-stroke ‘e’ and/or a one-stroke ‘k’).
  • Uses capital letters based on Roman models, similar to what students see in type (image below shows non-Roman capitals in red).

The Getty-Dubay® Italic Handwriting Series for K-6 is an educational handwriting curriculum that contains all these attributes of the italic style. Learn more at handwritingsuccess.com

Font credits: Italic font used is Getty-Dubay® Educational Fonts, continuous cursive font used is Learning Curve by Blue Vinyl Fonts.

New Research Validation Suggests Better Retention with Italic

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A new research validation study of handwriting retention in elementary school now tells us that one handwriting style, commonly called “italic”, may be more beneficial than continuous looped cursive styles.

A 9-year-long correlation study by Betty Duvall, looked at the handwriting of 756 eleventh-grade students in Great Falls, Montana, who had received continuous looped cursive writing instruction since grade 3. “Although no students had received instruction in italic, [by 11th grade] 47% of the students wrote italic cursive or italic print and nearly 2.5 times as many students wrote italic cursive as wrote the [continuous] cursive style they had been taught.” Duvall therefore concluded that there was a logical rationale to teach italic handwriting.

Duvall’s work has been validated by Nathaniel Hansford and Elizabeth Reenstra of Pedagogy Non Grata (https://www.pedagogynongrata.com). They give the Duvall study a U.S. Department of Education Every Students Succeeds Act (ESSA) Tier 3 rating. “This study shows promising evidence that italic handwriting instruction correlates with higher levels of retention than other forms of handwriting instruction,” writes Hansford.

Read the validation report here.