Handwriting-Teaching the formation of letters

This information is adapted from the Spalding Method. I used it when teaching kindergarten.

Manuscript letters are made up of a circle, or parts of it, and straight lines. The clock face is used as a reference point for forming the following features: a circle, all letters that begin at two on the clock, and parts of letters.

The four points most often used are 2, 4, 8, & 10.

Introduce the term midpoint as the reference point for halfway and review top line and base line.

General Handwriting Rules
*All letters sit on the baseline
*For letters that begin on 2 on the clock, rounding conforms to the curve of the circle. Every round letter should fit on the same-sized clock.
*Lines begin at the top and are straight and parallel. All letters that go below the base line go the same distance below the base line as above it.
*Letters or parts of letters are of 2 sizes. They are either tall or short. Tall letters or tall parts approach but do not touch the line above. Short letters or short parts are half as high as tall letters. They begin at the midpoint between the height of a tall letter and the base line.
*Dots and crossbars are tiny, formed just above the midpoint; crossbars are formed in the direction in which we write.

Practice Paper-Here's some basic practice paper, you can find a variety online.

Clock face reference for handwriting

Writing the clock letters