CALLIROBICS
Callirobics is a handwriting exercises program that combines graphic forms and music to help children and adults with their fine motor skills, their handwriting and their self-esteem.
There are three Callirobics programs (an exercise book and a cassette tape), as follows:
1. Callirobics-for-Kids, for Children aged 4-7.
Callirobics-for-kids is a series of simple and enjoyable graphical forms to be traced by the young learner to the sounds of popular melodies. The forms are designed to introduce the basic elements of the writing movement, with inviting illustrations containing each pattern that the children can colour. It is ideal as a preparation for printing and cursive writing, and will help improve childrens' eye-hand and small-muscle coordination.
2. Callirobics, for Children 7-14.
Callirobics Handwriting Exercises combines graphics and music to help children with their fine motor skills, their handwriting, their work habits, their organizational skills and their self-esteem. This is a ten-week program that needs to be done only five minutes per day, one curved-line exercise and one straight-line exercise being done each day. The graphics are not the meaningless loops that many of us experienced in school, but form wonderful pictures of dancing dollies, 'curly heads', bridges, sharks, cat's ears and caterpillars, to name a few.
3. Callirobics for Beginners (for developing Pre-Writing Skills)
Ideal preparation for printing to enhance eye-hand coordination and fine motor skills—basic shapes... down/up/across/around
Testimonials: What
those who have used Callirobics have to say:
"Looking forward to using your program. I was really impressed with the calmness and increased concentration the children demonstrated when I saw your tape being used in a Grade 2 class at General Brock." (E.L. Adamson, Teacher)
"Just a note to tell you how much we have enjoyed using your Callirobics program in our Grade 2 and 3 classes this past year. While the children enjoyed doing the various Callirobics exercises prior to beginning their formal writing lessons, we noticed that the children were able to learn and apply the cursive writing much sooner and with fewer errors in letter formation. They also experienced a greater facility in liking the letters together. What our Grade 2 teacher found was that after practicing the rhythmic patterns, the children moved very quickly and successfully to cursive writing without the usual tedium of practices and shakiness that goes with early cursive experiences." (Linda Sweet, Director, Glenburnie School)
"I purchased the Pre-writing Callirobics kit especially with my Grade 1 ESLers in mind since some of them are having trouble with their letter formation and are lacking a general relaxed flow to their printing. The children love the exercises to music; they sing along to the familiar tunes so their ease in forming letter patterns is improving daily. The pictures introducing each exercise are fun to talk about and create stories about prior to showing the pattern on the chalkboard or chart paper. I am quite impressed by the way my ESL youngsters adopted this program." (Zorine Jonovich, ESL, Virgil School)
"I want to let you know how pleased I have been with your "Callirobics" program. I am a special education teacher. Last year I had ten students in the morning from grades 2, 3 and 4. Eight of them had very poor fine motor skills. I wanted to teach the grade 2's handwriting along with the grade 3's and 4's, hoping it would be easier for them and help to eliminate reversal difficulties. One of the grade 2 students was not even able to do the prewriting activities using markers and large paper. One of my fellow teachers suggested I do your "Callirobics" program. The "Callirobics" really strengthened his left to right progression. I was amazed. All the students' handwriting improved. The results of your program was a definite boost in self-esteem. I have never seen such good results from something so quickly.
When I asked my group of grade 3 students how they liked doing "Callirobics", they were all enthusiastic. One boy said, "The music is wicked." He especially liked doing the Egyptian pyramids." (Sue Sider, Lakesider School)
"The students looked forward to this part of the day and were eager to learn the next 'design'. I found the program provided a non-threatening atmosphere in which students could easily learn the formations to help them be successful in cursive letters; they were expected to learn the flow of the design. Each child could easily complete the design while at the same time learn essential handwriting skills. The most important skill I felt the children learned was the flow of handwriting. The lessons taught students how writing flows from the left to the right without the pencil being lifted from the page. The lessons included pictures and designs that required the student to go back after the design to add dots for eyes or cross the hurdles which, in turn, taught the children that we go back after writing a word to dot the i or cross the t.
When I began teaching the formal cursive writing lessons, I was amazed at how quickly the children understood how to make the formation of the letters and how they related the Callirobics with handwriting. For example, the students linked the letter y with the dancing ladies exercise. This in turn created an increased self-esteem and the students already believed that they could do the proper letter formations." (Angela Harrison, Jersey Public School)
Callirobics-For-Kids (with audio cassette tape) is $33.46 + $2.34 GST (Canada) for a total of $35.80
Callirobics-For Kids (with CD) is $40.42 + $2.82 GST (Canada) for a total of $43.24
Callirobics 7-14 (with audio cassette tape) is $47.72 + $3.34 GST (Canada) for a total of $51.06
Callirobics 7-14 (with CD) is $55.62 + $3.89 GST (Canada) for a total of $59.51
Advanced Callirobics (only with audio cassette tape) is $47.72 + $3.34 GST (Canada) for a total of $51.06
Callirobics for Beginners (only with audio cassette tape) is $33.46 + $2.34 GST (Canada) for a total of $35.80
Shipping and Handling is $7.00/kit
If you would like an information package, call Elaine Charal at (416) 446-2903 or 1-888-830-6726 or E-mail at hwriting@interlog.com
Liora Laufer, the originator of Callirobics (Charlottetown, Virginia, USA) has a web site at www.callirobics.com