Downunder Literature

Providing homeschool resources of enduring value

Why is copy work so good?

 

The primary use of copy work is for penmanship—to develop good technical skills. So why not just use a regular handwriting book, you might ask!

Copy work can be so much more than just bending lines nicely. And one of the major benefits is in the content of the copywork that is being used by the child. Many handwriting technique books ask the child to copy a silly sentence but by using quality copywork you could have them practice their handwriting technique while writing a poem or a piece of beautiful prose, from a great author who has excellent technique. Copy work has been used for centuries and is tried-and-tested. Copy work is also useful in teaching spelling, memorization and dictation preparation.

Searching for quality Australian and New Zealand copy work is time consuming, so we have done the hard work for you. We have chosen ‘living literature’ that is VERY EASY TO USE the homeschool or a classroom setting. and reusable if you buy as an ebook.

We carefully selected a broad range of good literature that we believe will be educational, encouraging, uplifting and bring delight to you and your students. Our extracts are chosen from material which dates from 1700’s-2007 and includes classic fiction, poetry, songs, biographies, studies of nature and explorers’ journals. You can see the literature list when you look at each individual books.

Our Beatrix Potter for Beginners and Mother Goose have universal appeal. And the Downunder Copywork series has been developed to provide a language-art resource that has a unique ‘down under’ flavour. 

Handwriting Fonts

We have traditional and modern handwriting fonts depending on your preference.

The manuscript/ball and stick style (used with LEM and in the US). It progress to a traditional style cursive (just like grandma’s).

· Click to see a sample chart

We also have a Foundation font which is a modern slanted manuscript style (similar the other foundation fonts used in Australia and NZ and to the D’nealian which is used in the US).

· Click to see a sample chart

 

What does Charlotte Mason say about Copy Work ?

 ‘The earliest practice in writing proper for children of seven or eight should be, not letter writing or dictation, but transcription [copy work], slow and beautiful work...Transcription should be an introduction to spelling. Children should be encouraged to look at the word, see a picture of it with their eyes shut, and then write from memory....Double ruled lines, small text-hand, should be used at first, as children are eager to write very minute “small hand”, and once they have fallen into this habit it is not easy to get good writing. A sense of beauty in their writing and in the lines they copy should carry them over this stage of their work with pleasure. Not more than ten minutes or a quarter of an hour should be given to the early writing lessons. If they are longer the children get tired and slovenly.’ 

Charlotte Mason from Home Education

 

What does a homeschooling mother say about our Copy Work ?

“From someone who has just purchased the complete set of copy work books for the varying ages of our children, I'd just like to say how impressed I am with them, with the specific and classic Australian and NZ literature used - I can identify with some of the poetry and extracts used that take me back to my dear school days …   ahhhhh! Or should I say AHHHHHHH!!!!!!
My enthusiastic five y/o loves the Beatrix Potter beginner set, too. Certainly worth a look, I've never been so excited about copy work before!”

Leesa (Homeschool Mother,Queensland)

Copywork for Australian and New Zealand homeschoolers