CursiveLogic has to be one of my most recommended companies ever. Their approach to cursive is so different and so unique that it has been a Godsend to more people than just my dysgraphic son (13). We first reviewed this company in 2015 when Michael was 10. Since then, they have changed their workbook a little, but the best change has been the addition of a webinar, which is now part of the CursiveLogic Quick-Start Pack. This option includes one CursiveLogic workbook, plus six months access to the 45-minute instructional webinar which tells you everything you need to know to teach the CursiveLogic method to your own child.
This time around, I also received a new, very awesome adult coloring book - The Art of Cursive. Those who follow me on Facebook may remember when I posted about the Kickstarter for this very coloring book! I contributed (in fact, I couldn't throw my money at them fast enough! That's how much I believe in this company and their product!) and received a few of the pages in advance of the book's publication. I loved it on sight. The book has a few instructional pages at the beginning, but it is not meant to take the place of the curriculum. It is for those who already know cursive, either through CursiveLogic, or through another method. It is a beautiful product.
As before, Michael (13) was my tester with this cursive program. Yes, he has used CursiveLogic before, and yes the program is still essentially the same, using a shape-based, multi sensory approach to learning cursive. Letters are taught by their shapes, not alphabetically. They are also taught in strings so that hand writers are actually *writing* things almost immediately, which makes writing so much more enjoyable. Most of all, CursiveLogic makes sense. The approach is, well, logical. Colors are tied to shapes, which are tied to phrases to use while writing. For someone like me, who talks herself through tasks routinely, this approach is by far the best one we've ever used.
Now, anyone who knows me very well (or who had me as a 3rd grade teacher!) knows that my love is fancy 19th century style script. My own children beat the notion of teaching it to them out of me, though. The final blow came from my dysgraphic son. His hand was just not going to make all those beautiful swirls. However, cursive is less fatiguing for his hand when writing. The cursive logic font is perfect for him. It's definitely cursive (not italic, or any such substitute), but it is reasonable - easy to learn and easy to use in daily life:
Because Michael had slipped back into print recently, I was thrilled for him to be able to refresh himself with CursiveLogic!
And that coloring book! Initially, I had taken it for myself, but when Michael's twin sister saw it, I relented and let her have it. She learned cursive way before Michael and uses it as her main form of handwriting, so she was actually a great tester for the coloring book. She had only been using it for a few minutes when she exclaimed, "This is so calming!"
She thought that the embedding of the letters in the pictures was so neat! I think she's saving the facing handwriting practice pages for Michael, though!
I was going to say that I wish I had known about CursiveLogic when my older kids were learning cursive, but I just checked its "founding" date, which is 2010. At least one of my kids already knew cursive by then, but my now 14 year-old could have benefited! Still, it was around for my child who most needed it, and for that I am so grateful. I am also so excited when I see people to whom I have recommended it bring their copies to me to show me what their kids have done with their Orange Ovals, and their...(you didn't think I would actually tell you what shape/color comes next, did you?! I don't believe in spoilers!)
Most fortunately, CursiveLogic is offering an awesome coupon for the rest of March!
If you've been considering cursive, I don't think you'll be disappointed with this program. You don't have to take my word for it, though. Click through to the Crew Blog to read all of the reviews, some of which even include before and after pictures of real users' handwriting, changed for the better because of CursiveLogic!
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