Getty Dubay

HandwritingELA
Written By Manisha Snoyer (co-founder of Modulo)

Getty-Dubay Italic Handwriting began in 1979, crafted by Inga Dubay and Barbara Getty, both calligraphers and educators who saw a need for an alternative to the traditional looped cursive and print writing styles taught in schools. Their vision was to create a more natural and fluid writing method that could be easily learned by children and adults alike. Both Dubay and Getty have extensive backgrounds in teaching and calligraphy, with Getty having taught at Portland Community College and Dubay at the Oregon College of Art and Craft. Their method has gained significant adoption in schools and among homeschooling families, reflecting its effectiveness and the high regard in which it is held​ (Handwriting Success)​.

Differentiation: What Makes It Special The Getty-Dubay program stands out for its unique approach to handwriting, emphasizing the Italic style which is easier and faster than traditional cursive and more elegant than standard print. This method promotes better legibility and speed and is built on the natural shapes and strokes that people are inclined to use in everyday writing. It provides a practical, effective curriculum suited for various age groups, from young children to adults, facilitating a seamless transition from print to cursive​ (Handwriting Success)​.

How to Get Started To begin using the Getty-Dubay Italic Handwriting Series, one should choose the correct level from their series of seven books, each tailored to different grade levels from kindergarten through sixth grade. The books progressively introduce and build on Italic handwriting skills, making it easy for a beginner to start at any point​ (Homeschooling 4 Him)​.

How It Works This curriculum is designed to be straightforward and user-friendly, requiring minimal preparation from parents. Each book includes directions and examples, enabling children to work independently. Daily practice is encouraged, as regular repetition is key to mastering the skill. The books include engaging content and illustrations to keep the learning process interesting for students​ (Homeschooling 4 Him)​.

What Educational Content It Includes

  • Introduction to Italic handwriting from basic to advanced levels

  • Transition from print to cursive Italic handwriting

  • Practice with letter pairs, words, sentences, and paragraphs

  • Historical insights into letter forms and the development of the alphabet

  • Exercises that incorporate educational content like science and history​ (Homeschooling 4 Him)​.

What’s Good About It Users appreciate the Getty-Dubay program for its simplicity, effectiveness, and the aesthetic appeal of the Italic handwriting style. Many find the method leads to quicker learning and more beautiful handwriting. It’s particularly noted for its structured yet flexible approach that accommodates personal styles within the Italic framework​ (Handwriting Success)​.

What Could Be Improved While the program is highly regarded, some users suggest that additional resources or supplemental materials could enhance the learning experience, such as more varied practice sheets or digital tools tailored to different learning speeds and preferences​ (Homeschooling 4 Him)​.

Advice from Parents Parents recommend ensuring consistent practice and taking full advantage of the resources available, such as the Getty-Dubay app and bonus content. They also suggest integrating handwriting practice with other subjects to keep it engaging and relevant to the student's interests​ (Homeschooling 4 Him)​.

Who It’s An Ideal Fit For The Getty-Dubay Italic Handwriting program is ideal for students who prefer a clear, structured approach to handwriting that still allows for some personal flair. It's particularly suitable for those who struggle with the fine motor skills required for looped cursive​ (Homeschooling 4 Him)​.

Who It’s Probably Not a Fit For This program might not be the best fit for those who prefer traditional looped cursive or who are looking for a highly digitized or interactive learning experience. It may also be less suitable for those who require more tactile or kinesthetic learning aids beyond handwriting practice sheets​ (Homeschooling 4 Him)​.

Grades Kindergarten through 6th grade.

Cost The complete set of books costs around $95, with individual books priced at approximately $13.75 each. Other materials and apps may have additional costs​ (Homeschooling 4 Him)​.

Ways to Get It The Getty-Dubay Italic Handwriting Series and supplementary materials can be purchased through the official Getty-Dubay website, as well as through various educational suppliers and bookstores. The app can be downloaded for tablets, providing a digital option for handwriting practice​ (Handwriting Success)​​ (Homeschooling 4 Him)​.

Affiliate Disclaimer: Some links on our site are affiliate links, which means Modulo may earn a small commission if you purchase through them (at no cost to you). Rest assured, we only recommend resources we’ve rigorously vetted and truly love—affiliate link or not. Thank you so much for supporting our work!

Explore More Handwriting Programs We Recommend

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Discover how L'Escapadou's educational apps can transform homeschooling with our expert review. Perfect for early learners looking to enhance foundational skills

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Discover the benefits of Handwriting Without Tears, a multisensory handwriting program designed for ease and effectiveness in young learners, reviewed by an experienced educator.

Getty Dubay
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Discover how the Getty-Dubay Italic method transforms handwriting for homeschoolers, blending elegance with educational efficiency.

Logic of English
Logic of English

Dive into our detailed review of the Logic of English, a curriculum that transforms early literacy with its unique, multisensory approach designed to engage and educate young learners effectively.

Zaner Bloser: A top choice for learning and improving handwriting
Zaner Bloser: A top choice for learning and improving handwriting

Zaner Bloser is one of our top choices for Handwriting. Zaner Bloser was created by Bob Page. This book is for young students who want to improve on their handwriting and fine-motor skills.

Getty Dubay
Getty Dubay

Getty Dubay is one of our top choices for Handwriting. It was created by Inga Dubay and Barbara Getty. For an easy to use, structured and developmentally appropriate handwriting series that easily guides learners from print to cursive, we recommend the Getty-Dubay Handwriting Series. It was inspired by methods used in calligraphy.

L’Escapadou
L’Escapadou

L’Escapadou is one of our top choices for handwriting. It was created by Pierre Abel. The Writing Wizard app from L'escapadou is a great choice for younger, elementary-age students to learn, practice, and improve their handwriting through interactive activities on an iPad application. After the launch of the iPad in 2010, Pierre Abel realized the potential it had to help students learn more effectively. He created this app while homeschooling his two daughters (also his first beta-testers) in order to make learning more engaging.

Rhythm of Handwriting
Rhythm of Handwriting

Rhythm of Handwriting is one of our top choices for writing. It was created by Denise Eide. A multi-sensory approach that helps students develop fluid, legible handwriting. The founder realized that despite her background in teaching English as a second language, she could not explain most of the reasons behind the sounding of words while reading. She stumbled upon Orton phonograms and created a successful presentation.

Handwriting Without Tears: Multisensory strategies for early writing!
Handwriting Without Tears: Multisensory strategies for early writing!

Handwriting Without Tears is one of our top choices for Handwriting. Handwriting Without Tears was created by Jan Z. Olsen. The Handwriting Without Tears® curriculum draws from years of innovation and research to provide developmentally appropriate, multisensory strategies for early writing.

Rhythm of Handwriting: an innovative, evidence-based handwriting curriculum
Rhythm of Handwriting: an innovative, evidence-based handwriting curriculum

Rhythm of Handwriting from Logic of English is one of our top choices for Handwriting . Rhythm of Handwriting was created by Denise Eide. Rhythm of Handwriting is a program that helps struggling writers learn the intricacies of cursive and manuscript writing.

Create your own handwriting worksheets: Customizable worksheets for younger students
Create your own handwriting worksheets: Customizable worksheets for younger students

WorksheetWorks is one of our top choices for Handwriting . WorksheetWorks is a custom handwriting work sheet generator that lets you customize the margins and text of worksheets for students.

ESL Writing Wizard: Free handwriting practice generator
ESL Writing Wizard: Free handwriting practice generator

ESL Writing Wizard is one of our top choices for Handwriting. ESL Writing Wizard was created by Nick Ramsay. ESL Writing Wizard is a free handwriting practice tool that allows parents/teachers to customize practice for students, allowing students to focus on particular words/letters they struggle with

Manisha Snoyer (co-founder of Modulo)

For the last 20 years, I’ve taught over 2000 children in 3 countries (of all socio-economic backgrounds). I pioneered an English language program in a conflict region in the Middle East. I’ve worked as a bilingual public school teacher at some of the highest and lowest performing public schools and in all five boroughs of NYC. I’ve tutored 18 subjects in three languages to some of the wealthiest families in NYC, San Francisco and Paris to make up for shortcomings in private schools they were paying up to $60,000 a year to attend.

Since 2015, I’ve helped hundreds of parents start microschools (way before this was a household buzzword). I founded CottageClass, the first marketplace for microschools and learning pods that was part of the Techstars 2018 class. In 2019, I created a virtual learning program to help families through the pandemic, a free online math tutoring program (masteryhour.org), and schoolclosures.org, a hotline developed in collaboration with Twilio and 80 other partners including Khan Academy, Revolution Foods and the Crisis Text Line, that served 100,000 families impacted by school closures.

I’ve climbed trees with children in forest schools in San Francisco, and tested new digital apps with kids in seven countries.

I’ve also coached dozens of families at different stages in their homeschooling journey. Most recently, I founded Modulo with homeschooling dad, best-selling author and tech entrepreneur Eric Ries, to help families curate their children’s education, social and childcare experiences drawing from a diverse array of in-person and online resources.


During the last three years, I’ve devoted much of my time to reviewing and testing secular homeschooling curriculum and other resource. I’ve spent the last three years talking to thousands of secular homeschooling families, and poring over tens of thousands of secular curriculum reviews and testing physical curriculum and digital apps for with hundreds of students to find the highest quality, most engaging, personalized learning materials for every type of learner.

I’ve spoken about homeschooling and modular learning at multiple venues including SXSW EDU, NY Tech Meetup, and on the LiberatedEd podcast.

In 2022, Modulo was one of 8 organizations who were awarded the Bridge Grant from the Vela Education Fund to expand access to homeschooling and modular learning to under-resourced communities.

My experience in education and homeschooling has led me to believe that there is no perfect education for every child, but families have an extraordinary amount of wisdom they can apply to building the perfect education for their individual child.

My goal with Modulo is to make it possible for any family to easily build a customized education that their child will love, and that will empower the whole family to thrive, taking into account, social, emotional and academic needs.

I love to answer questions from parents and receive feedback on how we can improve Modulo, so feel free to reach out anytime! I personally answer all the questions and comments readers leave on my blogs.

In my free time, I like hiking, traveling the world, tasting ceremonial grade matcha, enjoying dark chocolate.

I graduated Summa Cum Laude from Brandeis University with highest honors, with a double degree in French Literature and American Studies and minors in Environmental Studies and Peace & Conflict Studies.

And I love to learn!

https://www.linkedin.com/in/manisha-snoyer-5042298/
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