Connecting with Handwriting Without Tears®

Early Reading Victories – The Handwriting Key

Handwriting is an essential foundational skill for reading success. The research is clear—handwriting letters and early reading success are inextricably tied. The process of forming letters while handwriting activates neural pathways associated with strong reading skills. In fact, handwriting plays a crucial role in the formation of these brain networks that underlie the development of strong reading skills.

The Link between Handwriting Without Tears® and A–Z

A–Z for Mat Man® and Me includes the trademark handwriting models and formation language that is core to the Handwriting Without Tears® (HWT) curriculum. Throughout the Student Letter Books and practice book pages, students see same fonts and features that they see in every HWT Student Book. Using both programs together reinforces and extends handwriting instruction and alphabet knowledge. In HWT, students practice the formation of letters they recognize for grapheme-phoneme correspondence. In A–Z for Mat Man® and Me students build on that learning as they write and read words.

Familar Features of HWT in A–Z for Mat Man® and Me

In the practice book pages, students see the starting dot and direction arrow for each letter, gray strokes for tracing, and double lines to assist with letter placement and size. In HWT Letters and Numbers for Me, children learn letter formation using extra wide double lines. Children begin to naturally write smaller as their fine motor skills develop, so midway through HWT My Printing Book, we transition to regular double lines. In the A–Z for Mat Man® and Me: Practice for Developing Readers, we use regular double lines throughout. Model writing letters and words for children on double lines and other lines, to demonstrate the correct size and placement of letters.

Gray Block Prevents Reversals Starting Dot Lefty Friendly with Multiple Models Gray Stroke for Tracing

Double Lines Quickly Teach Children How to Place Letters

• Small letters fit in the middle space. • Tall letters go in the top place. • Descending letters go in the bottom space. • The base line guides placement, and the midline controls the size of letters. top space

middle space

bottom space dog tall small mid line

base line