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Steps4Kids Is Back Again...
Steps4Kids is not a newcomer here. As a matter of fact, Steps4Kids to Write Cursive, is the second handwriting DVD from the Steps4Kids team to be submitted, evaluated, and inducted into The Toy Man™ Product Guide. Steps4Kids to Write Cursive is what we consider to be an excellent tool for home or school use and as stated on the Steps4Kids web site, "...uses the cursive style known as "contemporary cursive. Contemporary cursive uses slanted letters but minimizes the use of ornate loops and curls in order to better enable children to master the art of cursive writing."
One primary factor that sets Steps4Kids to Write Cursive apart just as its predecessor did, and unlike many other handwriting tutorial products on the market; the folks at Steps4Kids, LLC decided to take a different approach once again. Instead of boring and redundant, or whimsical animation that is focused more on visual appeal than instruction, Steps4Kids steps out of the norm and created an entirely new idea in application for tutorials. There are number of new approaches with Steps4Kids to Write Cursive which make it even more exciting and fun to learn cursive writing than ever before!
Steps4Kids to Write Cursive DVD Is Versatile and Adaptive
In my speaking with Lucile Lynch, one of the Steps4Kids team, a full-time mother with a doctorate, teamed up with co-founder occupational therapist Harmony Pyper, M.A., OTR/L and others to create this handwriting DVD. She expressed how "It is important to teach children to write, but you can't just stop there. You need to continue further, beginning with cursive writing and beyond, and deliver a teaching method that can be easily adopted for all students, including special needs children." She made a very valuable point. No two children learn the same way or at the same rate. If you are teaching children to write, the content used in the curriculum needs to be something which is versatile and adaptive. That is what makes the Steps4Kids to Write Cursive DVD so special. The learning methodology is versatile and adaptive so that virtually any student can learn to write cursive writing effectively.
More Important Details
Steps4Kids to Write Cursive, is the second handwriting DVD from the Steps4Kids team consisting of a respected San Diego occupational therapist and an educational advocate who has been recognized by the local school district, a congressional committee (Order of Merit) and the North Coastal Consortium for Special Education (a 14 school district consortium) for her efforts on behalf of children.
The cursive handwriting DVD is quite simple, yet informative. The attention span of virtually any child will be captured and extended because the lesson methodology is fun for a child. It provides over one hour of handwriting support with four easy accessible tracks to teach writing basics. One of the key elements that captured my personal attention was that there is a special section which provides support for left-handed writers like I was when I was a kid. The Steps4Kids to Write Cursive DVD also has upper and lowercase letter writing and a "connections" section to teach and reinforce the connecting rules for both upper and lowercase letters. This is quite invaluable in this teaching method.
Steps4Kids to Write Cursive contains colorful graphics in both the upper and lowercase tracks which show not only the letter about to be taught but also provides two sight words to help children learn how to read cursive writing. There are over 100 cursive sight words shown. To additionally support teaching efforts, Steps4Kids provides a special "teaching ideas" page on its website that offers fun ways to use the DVD to make writing lessons and practice fun.
One of the most popular points which both our evaluators and kids alike made comments on was the fact that
interspersed throughout the upper and lowercase tracks are "Look2Write" game breaks that use colorful graphics to encourage children to write as many words they see in the pictures that start with the cursive letters shown. This method proves to be quite effective in improving the retention of what the kids are learning while having fun simultaneously.
Credentialed Professionals Provide Their Critique
Where other products we evaluate generally have short to mid term impact on a child, handwriting, especially cursive handwriting can play a major role in the critical skill development of a child, including psychological development. It is for this reason we have chosen to make an effort well above the norm by enlisting the aid of top level professionals in the cursive handwriting field for our evaluation of the Steps4Kids to Write Cursive DVD.
In order to ensure accurate and informative reports on Steps4Kids to Write Cursive, we have called upon the professional skills of an Occupational Therapist / Retired Calligraphy & Penmanship Teacher, and a Handwriting Analysis Expert / Professor. These professionals have been instrumental in our being able to develop a very comprehensive evaluation of the Steps4Kids to Write Cursive DVD. It was quite enlightening for many of our staff to discover many new aspects about cursive writing from these professionals. A few excellent examples are listed below;
- Are you aware that a left-handed writer should be taught with a different method than a right-handed writer? It may seem like not of any real importance to many, but in actuality it is a very strong concern. This is an issue that is covered with the Steps4Kids to Write Cursive DVD and was also covered with in-depth information in the reports from our professional evaluators.
- Did you know that there are several styles of cursive writing; not just one single style?
- Did you know there are natural and instructed hand and finger movements in cursive writing? One is the natural movement of the hand and finger movements in cursive writing. The other is what is taught in the style of how to write cursively, based upon the teaching method of the instructor.
- Did you know that your cursive handwriting style is influenced by the environment in which you grow up in? As your personality develops from life experiences, the style and technique used in your cursive writing is influenced.
These are but a glimpse of the many details involved in cursive writing which we are not fully aware of. The best way to explain how Steps4Kids to Write Cursive approaches these topics is directly from the industry professionals who helped us in our evaluation with their critique they shared in their reports. The following information consists of direct quotes from those same reports.
Occupational Therapist - "'Steps4Kids to Write Cursive' has taken on the challenge of creating yet another method of teaching cursive writing, yet it clearly manages to define a simple and basic form of learning how to write in cursive writing. The DVD provides a well thought out method of learning which is applicable to a diverse range of learning levels, including special needs children, where many other cursive writing methods fail."
"Steps4Kids to Write Cursive addresses the fact that there are natural and instructed hand and finger movements in cursive writing in the foundation of its overall lesson design. This creates a far easier transition for a teacher or other instructor from an average learning level student to another student who may need a greater level of attention."
The examples in the space below provide you with a colorful visual example of screens from 'Steps4Kids to Write Cursive' which help you to gain a better understanding of the structure of the lessons and why they are so appealing.
As you can see from the screen shots, they are simple and the style of cursive writing being taught is easy for virtually any child to learn regardless of their learning level. As the Occupational Therapist pointed out, "The colorful display and design of each screen were done in a splendid manner which will easily sustain a child's attention span for more than the average brief period which is so common with many kids today."
Handwriting Analysis Expert / Professor - In the report from this evaluator, she examined things from a different point of view. "My personal critique is probably far different than the other person who is also preparing an evaluation report for you. Having a professional background in handwriting analysis and penmanship skills, I am so delighted to see an effort such as what has been presented in this educational DVD. They have really done their homework in the development of this DVD. After thorough evaluation of the DVD, it is my impression that the teaching method is based upon a D'Nealian cursive style for a foundation with its simple and easy to adopt structure, yet minor changes have obviously been made to take the writing skills of left-handed children into consideration, much as cursive writing books in schools years ago."
"Handwriting is an integral part of a child's development. Cursive writing stimulates the critical skill development, with very strong influence on motor skills and creative thought. By having taken cursive writing and moving it into an atmosphere of fun and object / color association, the creators of this DVD have hit upon a very key element in a child's long term development...the element of play." The professor has made some unique statements of facts to focus upon already, yet she continues on in her report with some additional thoughts to consider.
Combining play and learning into an interactive environment which is strong in positive re-enforcement, a child's creative and expression skills have a far greater opportunity to be developed to the very fullest degree! Cursive handwriting tells much about a child's personality and the environment in which they live. This DVD serves as an excellent tool to develop a solid form of expression and positive self-esteem for a child."
'Steps4Kids to Write Cursive' Faces Consumer Evaluation
Consumers have no hesitation in telling you what they think of a product when given the opportunity, and it isn't always what you desire to hear. This being the case, performing random hands-on consumer evaluations of products really tells you a lot. The REAL opinions that let you know just how good a product actually is and if needed, how to improve upon it.
Thanks to the assistance of a local elementary school in the Los Angeles / Torrance, CA area, we had the opportunity to give Steps4Kids to Write Cursive a true hands-on consumer evaluation with people who in past evaluations with us have held no punches in their feedback. Getting a positive comment out of them was like trying to pull a tooth out of a grizzly bear in heat! Now you might wonder why on earth we would perform the evaluation with people like this. Well, the reason is quite simple. If it passes their evaluation, then there is no question that it will be a hit even when reaching the toughest consumers. On the flip side of the situation, if it fails with these consumers, the creators of the DVD will find out what they need to change to make it work.
The biggest question for us was if Steps4Kids to Write Cursive would do as well with the consumers as its predecessor. In the first few minutes there were no questions or comments at all. Then suddenly the teacher asked us to leave the room and come back the next day to get the feedback from her and the participating parents. I must say, I was a bit nervous at this moment, having no idea what we would hear the next day.
The following day we came back and were told to come back at 3 PM because they weren't ready to discuss the evaluation yet and the door was closed. Just imagine how we felt at that point! We came back at 2:55 PM just to have a child waiting outside the door say, "Hey, the teacher said to come back at 3, you're early.!". I just replied thank you and we went to the school office and waited until we were given approval to go to the classroom lab.
A young lady was at the school office at 3 PM on the dot, telling us she would be "...escorting us to the class lab". We arrived at the lab wondering what to expect, with everyone being perfectly quiet. As we entered, here were a group of parents, kids, and the teacher, grouped around the computer lab stations in the room, with a big cake on the desk at the end of the room. The teacher stepped up and said, "On behalf of our school lab, the parents and students who participated in your product evaluation, we would all like to just say THANK YOU! The mother of one of our students owns a bakery and they brought the cake you see here as our way of saying thank you from all of us. This DVD is well beyond anything we had expected and knowing it was created by two mothers puts the icing on the cake!"
To say the very least, we were all dumbstruck from the unexpected praise. From that moment on it was nothing but plenty of comments being shared about how much fun the DVD was and how it was so "neat", and how the teacher was astounded at "...how easily even my most stubborn students were willing to use the DVD". Never did we imagine that Steps4Kids to Write Cursive would be such a monumental hit, especially after our experience the last 24 hours at the school. The feedback forms had an abundance of very good comments for virtually every facet of the DVD. Based upon the feedback from the parents, school, teacher, and kids, Steps4Kids to Write Cursive was an absolute winner with everyone at this school!
Getting Down To The Breakdown Of Ratings
While other organizations will define their ratings in a "blanket" method which simply defines each rating in an overall usage, we choose to take a different approach. Each individual rating that was assigned to this a product based upon our evaluation process, is briefly explained as to how that specific rating score was reached. The ratings for this product are listed below.
Critical Skills Development: Rating Level 5 - Steps4Kids to Write Cursive was nothing but the very best as far as providing a substantial contribution to critical skill development. With the creator of Steps4Kids Handwriting DVD being an occupational therapist, she has an edge on grasping the teaching of children in terms of how to write and understanding the importance of critical skill development for children. This is especially so with children who have special needs that require more attention. It is beyond question that this product contributes substantially to critical skill development and self-improvement.
Educational Value: Rating Level 5 - The educational value with Steps4Kids to Write Cursive is is quite high. Steps4Kids to Write Cursive addresses the fact that there are natural and instructed hand and finger movements in cursive writing in the foundation of its overall lesson design. This creates a far easier transition for a teacher or other instructor from instruction of an 'average learning level' student to another student who may need a greater level of attention. A child is not just learning cursive writing, but rather developing and improving no matter what their mental or physical state may be.
FunFactor™: Rating Level 4 - When it comes to FunFactor™, Steps4Kids to Write Cursive was well above average in this category. According to the feedback from the parents as well as teacher and students, the FunFactor™ was great with the DVD yet the priority of interest was in the learning! Yes, you read that right. The kids loved the games, but the end result was the greater level of self-esteem when the students could show their teacher and parents how they were now learning to write cursive in just one day! Steps4Kids to Write Cursive fell short of a perfect score by a single point in this category.
Innovation Level: Rating Level 5 - Steps4Kids to Write Cursive was unquestionably an innovative concept in taking the task of teaching cursive writing and making it quite simplistic. "'Steps4Kids to Write Cursive' has taken on the challenge of creating yet another method of teaching cursive writing, yet it clearly manages to define a simple and basic form of learning how to write in cursive writing. The DVD provides a well thought out method of learning which is applicable to a diverse range of learning levels, including special needs children, where many other cursive writing methods fail."
Marketing Value: Rating Level 5 - The marketing value of 'Steps4Kids to Write Cursive' is nothing but the very highest. 'Steps4Kids to Write Cursive' was put through the ropes in our own evaluation, our professional industry evaluators, and the hands-on evaluation. Based upon the scoring from all evaluation segments as well as our results from our video tapes, 'Steps4Kids to Write Cursive' pulled a perfect score in the Marketing Value category. It undoubtedly has the level of content and quality to have a very high marketing value. It is a fast-sell product for educational industry as well as consumers sales. It is sure to be a hit in the home-school market.
Visual Appeal: Rating Level 4 - When it comes to visual appeal, this was a big challenge to ascertain. With so many children doing a hands-on evaluation, it took serious effort to make notes on each and establish a profile of the visual appeal for each child. The Steps4Kids to Write Cursive DVD had plenty of colorful content which captured the attention of the students, but looking at the DVD overall from front to back, it falls short of a perfect score by a single digit in this category.
| EVALUATION RESULTS - From evaluation for induction into "The Toy Man® Product Guide" | | Overall Rating: 5 | Seal of Approval: Approved | eco-Recognition
Seal: Not Eligible | Award of Excellence: Approved | eChoice Award: Selected |
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THE TOY MAN® SEAL OF APPROVAL
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THE TOY MAN® AWARDS
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and give a product the well earned recognition it deserves!"
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