The D'Nealian method of learning cursive handwriting is favored by many teachers because of the simplicity involved. Arrows and strokes with numbers teach children how to first form the letters. When these are mastered, each letter is simply joined together by attaching the end stroke of one letter to the beginning stroke of the next. According to the D'Nealian manuscript website, 87% of D'Nealian lowercase letters are the same as their cursive counterparts, which allows children to easily transition into cursive writing when they are ready.
The Getty-Dubay italic handwriting method was developed in the mid-1970s by Barbara Getty and Inga Dubay to teach children how to convert printing into cursive writing. This method is simple for children to learn, since very few letters change when converted to cursive style. According to Portland State University's Continuing Education program, this method "is recommended for children with (attention-deficit disorder) and other learning challenges because it is very simple to learn. It also eliminates the difficulties dyslexic children experience with mirroring or reversible letters."
The Palmer Method was once the most popular way of learning to write. In this method, certain muscles of the arm were used in the writing motion, as opposed to just the fingers holding the pen or pencil. Palmer methodologists believed that the motion would allow a person to write as fast as a typist could type. This method lost favor in the 1920s, when children started to learn to print before learning to write in cursive.
Jardotty is a dotted alphabet cursive font that can be downloaded from the Internet to allow students to practice cursive writing. It is similar to the workbooks that are used in grade school to teach children to learn to join letters. Downloading this font means that parents can create their own worksheets for children to learn how to practice their cursive writing.