Print / Basic / Manuscript: Writing with no letter joins. Some systems call their printing "ball and stick."

Cursive / Script / Longhand: Writing with joined letters. Used to increase the speed and ease of writing by limiting the number of times one lifts the pen or pencil from the paper.

Serif: An addition to the letter used in cursive writing to initiate the join.

Letterform: The path the writing tool takes to form the letter, numeral or punctuation.

Calligraphy: Literally means "Beautiful writing". Used for formal correspondence, presentations, or artwork. Not intended to be written quickly.  Tools: edged pen and ink (either felt, cartridge or dipped), or brush.

Handwriting: Everyday writing used for communication and notes, often with the necessity for speed and legibility.  Tools: pencil, felt-tip or ball-point pen, crayon, etc.

Blackline Masters provide dozens of additional practice sheets that target specific letters or joins. Each instruction page in the Getty-Dubay Italic Handwriting Series Books A – G has additional practice sheets on the Blackline Masters CD-ROM that provide writing cues such as stroke sequence and starting point.

The DIY Worksheets are a free online resource that, like the Blackline Masters, extend your Getty-Dubay Italic book. With the DIY Worksheets, you get to choose your own text, but stroke sequence and starting point are not displayed. DIY Worksheets are also a resource for the Getty-Dubay Italic handwriting book for adults: Write Now. To use a musical analogy, the Blackline Masters CD-ROM is your scale book and the DIY Worksheets can be your etudes!

The Getty-Dubay Italic Handwriting Series is a developmentally appropriate course that starts with Book A, is designed for use in Kindergarten, and progresses by grade through Book G. Each book supports the motor skill, attention span, and content level of its respective grade level.

Try our Book Selector tool to get an idea of where to start.

If your student needs remedial handwriting work, it is best to use that Getty-Dubay Italic book that matches the student's language skill.  For example, an 8th grader who needs help with basic italic would probably be happier using Book G, instead of going back to Books A or B.

Getty-Dubay Italic books have the advantage of being hands-on. They are intended to be enjoyed in a way that brings a sense of ownership for the student. As such, they are “consumable” for each student, and priced accordingly.

Using tracing paper is a good way for the student to work on a page multiple times. It is not fair use to photocopy any workbook for use by other students.

You might also find the blackline masters useful--these can be duplicated as many times as necessary for your in-home use. In addition, there is a new FREE worksheet creation tool available for basic italic that you can use to indefinitely expand practice for your student: http://www.handwritingsuccess.com/resources.php. We hope to soon add a version of this resource for cursive italic.

As long as your child has mastered the letter shapes there is no reason to keep her from going ahead. Cursive italic is presented at the end of Book C, beginning on page 38. If possible, get her to work through a couple of earlier pages in Book C prior to trying her hand on the cursive joins. The blackline masters from Book C will be helpful here.

Here are a few ideas you can try with your son: 1) Practice on blank paper with large felt pens. These come in a variety of bright and stimulating colors. 2) Write with crayons. 3) Write his letters in sand or cornmeal. 4) Have him lay a jump rope down in the shape of the letters and make a game of hopping around the letters. 5) Ask him to try using letterforms in drawings (e.g. lots of n's for house shingles, w's for hair, etc.)  Find opportunities to help him make the letters and have fun at the same time.

Ask the child to look at the letter and tell you how it's different from the model. Is it wider, taller, thinner, smaller? Are the letters further apart than the model? Never, ever use the word "wrong." It is simply different from the model.

Encourage the child to assess his/her own writing, with your guidance.

Yes. Write Now is easy to follow and designed specifically for adults. Also, get yourself a cursive desk strip and tape it to your desk at home or work. Not only does this serve as a constant reminder, but it also helps you remember the letter shapes. You need to re-train yourself, so don't expect it to happen overnight. Our manager taught herself using this method and it took her approximately 11 weeks to make the change to italic. See our handwriting tips for more information.