Has anyone used or know about the BFH Fluent Handwriting Method by Nan Jay Barchowsky?

Question

If so what do you think? Does it confuse young children when it seems more people write using a method like in the ABeka cursive writing program?

Answer 1

We used to carry these products at our homeschool/teacher store. We didn't sell any of them. In reviewing the website, here are my impressions:

1) Teaching one lettering system is fine--preferably cursive. Children learn to print from the cursive formations also and they also learn to read cursive writing as well. My personal preference is cursive from the beginning with slightly more simplified formations than the traditional one used by Abeka.

2) This lettering style looks like a cross between Italic and Handwriting without Tears. It uses stencils quite a bit for tracing also. If you have a child with special needs who really needs tracing assistance, this may be a useful method. Otherwise, it seems to end up with stilted-looking formations that are not naturally fluent to the hand.

3) Teaching 2 lettering styles is typical and the most commonly used formations are: Traditional/Zaner-Bloser/ball-stick and Modern/D'Nealian/connective. I have seen over the years that teachers and parents often have definite opinions on which formation style is the "right" one to teach, but that the fine-motor skills of the child really dictate which approach is best.

4) In the past 2 years, I have been using A Reason for Handwriting with very good results. However, the 2 kids I have doing this program also had about 3 years of instruction and practice with cursive strokes and both cursive and manuscript formations of varying styles.

Probably the most important things to keep in mind in teaching handwriting are these 5 criteria (no matter which lettering style(s) you use:

1. Touch the lines.

2. Size of the letters.

3. Spacing between letters and words and use of space on the page.

4. Slant --consistency is the key

5. Formations are legible

I guess this is a long response that could have been said simply that I'm not overly impressed with the BFH Fluent Handwriting Method.