In this blog post, we’re covering how to teach cursive letter connections for the tow rope letters, or those cursive letters that connect at the middle line. Most letters connect to the next letter on the baseline, but these set of letters throw things off a bit! Let’s explore this set of cursive letters.
Tow Truck Letters
When teaching cursive writing, kids can recognize that cursive letters come in groups or letter families. These cursive letter families are how we can teach kids to write letters in chunks of similar pencil strokes.
Teaching cursive letters in this manner can be a helpful strategy for allowing kids success when learning the pencil strokes needed for forming cursive letters. Below, you’ll find a subcategory of cursive letter groups: How to write cursive tow rope letters!
As we previously discussed, a specific order a teaching cursive letters doesn’t matter as much is teaching a group of letter families together in a block. When students learn cursive letters it is beneficial to learn the pencil strokes associated with cursive letter families.
We have covered all of the different cursive letter families including wave letters letters loop letters bump letters. There is a subgroup of cursive letter families that have a slightly different connecting pattern to them. These are the cursive tow rope letters.
How to Teach Tow Rope Cursive Letter Connection
then you know that there’s been quite a lot of information related to cursive
handwriting. We’ve talked about letter formation, cursive slant, cursive writing speed and rhythm, and even how pencil control is needed in cursive
handwriting.
post in the series. Below you’ll find information on forming cursive letters
that contain a “tow rope” connector to the letter following them.
connect to the next letter using a horizontal line at the middle line. Most
cursive letters connect with a curved line from the baseline.
to.
Tow Rope Letters include cursive letters b, o, v, and w.
How to teach cursive Tow Rope Letters
than teaching other letters of the alphabet.
- Loop Letters (Cursive letter b)
- Wave Letters (Cursive letter o)
- Bump Letters (Cursive letter v)
- Tree Letters (Cursive letter w)
Trick for teaching cursive letters with a tow rope connection
Practice cursive letter connections for tow rope letters
tow rope letters:
- ba, be, bi, bl, bo, and by
- vva, ve, vi, vo, and vy
- wa, we, wi, wo, and wy
- Letter o can be practiced with every letter of the alphabet as a vowel letter.
Use the verbal cues associated with each letters cursive family to formation of these letters.
However pencil stroke exercises can be influential in behind and horizontal line to connect. Additionally practice with commonly connecting letters can make a big impact.
In this way students with practice tow rope letters that connect to other letters as a group. These letter blends commonly and within minutes.
How to Teach Lowercase Cursive b
Teach students to practice be connected to letters that may occur within words. This includes ba, be, bo, bl, br, by.
How to Teach Lowercase Cursive o
Students can practice the commonly connected letters used in words as the letter connects to the second letter. As a vowel, the letter o may connect to every letter of the alphabet.
Because of this, students who are learning cursive can practice the formation of o to the individual pencil strokes that are part of different cursive families. That is, practice o connected to the bump of bump letters, the o connected to the wave that occurs wit wave family letters, the o connected to the spike of tree letters, the o connected to the bump of bump letters, and o as an ending letter.
How to Teach Lowercase Cursive w
Students can practice the connection of lowercase cursive w to vowel and some consonant letters:
Wa, we, wi, wh, wr, wl, wm, wn, wy.
How to Teach Lowercase Cursive v
Students can practice the connection of lowercase cursive v to vowels and commonly used consonant letter combinations. This includes: va, ve, vi, vo, vr, and vy.
Use strategies such as creative cursive to practice these letter combinations in innovative manners to prevent boredom.
Colleen Beck, OTR/L has been an occupational therapist since 2000, working in school-based, hand therapy, outpatient peds, EI, and SNF. Colleen created The OT Toolbox to inspire therapists, teachers, and parents with easy and fun tools to help children thrive. Read her story about going from an OT making $3/hour (after paying for kids’ childcare) to a full-time OT resource creator for millions of readers. Want to collaborate? Send an email to contact@theottoolbox.com.
