Cursive handwriting in reception

[Kerryblue]

Having spent most of the last year, (since my dt's have shown lots of interest in writing), helping them to form their letters correctly, they have just been sent home with sheets of paper showing them how to form letters in a 'cursive' style.

When I have done it at home, and in fact in all the workbook type things we have used, I have taught them to 'start at the top'. They have an excellent grasp of most letters now, but the letters are in the form of the letters in this post..

These cursive letters start at the blooming bottom, with curly bits before and after the main body iyswim.

Now they are confused! Mummy tells them to start at the top, teacher from the bottom --arrrrgh.

Primary teachers out there, what should I do? I know the ultimate aim is joined up writing, but surely at aged 4, the correct formation of the letters themselves is more important than this?

Help!!

[noramum]

DD had the same issue last year. It took a while but she has now a very good and clear handwriting.

Our neighbour's DD learned in Y2 to do cursive and she and her mum hated every minute of practice as she felt like a beginner all over again.

Much better to start when they are young.

[learnandsay]

I've just had a similar letter. My new Reception daughter thinks of letters as being Mummy letters, or capital, or Baby (I haven't introduced the term lower case.) We sometimes discuss stuck-together writing, which she objects to on the grounds that she can't read it. But I'm confident that when I show her the letter from the school asking for stuck-together letters she'll understand immediately what's required. I think she knows that they are three different ways of writing the alphabet and she treats each one differently.

[betterwhenthesunshines]

DS was taught to print his letters in reception. And then they attempted to teach them cursive in Yr2. He's now in Yr 6 and his handwriting is still a mess.

DD (different school) was taught cursive in reception. The entire school has better handwriting - and faster. It's just the same letter with a starting link.

[maverick]

Have a look at Debbie's handwriting website -includes free resources:
www.debbiehepplewhitehandwriting.com/

[IwishIwasmoreorganised]

Our school teaches cursive from reception, well from nursery really.

I think it takes a bit longer to master but the end result is lovely. Ds1 is in year 2 now and has beautiful hand writing.

It is hard to find workbooks in the cursive style though.

[pigsinmud]

My dds' school teach them to print in reception and then cursive from yr1. It does work - dd1 in yr4 now has beautiful handwriting. My older boys went to the same school, but they didn't do cursive handwriting then, and their handwriting is a mess - especially ds2.

[Kerryblue]

Thank you, thank you.

That has made me feel a whole lot better. They were quite happy to practice the cursive, it's just that I felt a whole lot of work I had done with them was wasted.

Now I will make sure they try and do cursive - like the teacher says

[krisskross]

we also had the letter about cursive writing (i didnt even know what it meant!!) - can anyone recommend a poster that has a pic of it all? We have a poster on his wall that just has upper and lower case printed. thanks

[RubberNeckerNicker]

This site is quite good and you can join on a free 30 day trial and access printable material.

[MadameCupcake]

DS1 learnt to write all his upper and lower case letters at home before school - I had never heard of cursive so didn't know to show him. He learnt to add the curls at the end of the letters and within a term of YR was naturally joining up.

I have no idea whether it is better to start writing using cursive but DS had the neatest writing in his class, and now he is in Y2 he still does.

DS2 has got to learn cursive at his pre-prep in YR so now his previous attempts at his name that actually looked something similar to the correct letters has turned into something that looks like a load of scruffy spiders!

[noramum]

Krisskorss: there a a lot of different cursive templates, best ask your school.

My DD learns a different one than her friend who goes to a different primary school in the same borough.

[krisskross]

thanks nora. DS is in denial- he is refusing to agree that the cursive i is actually an i......

[ILikeWhisperingToo]

I always wanted more neat handwriting.
It occurred to me literally only last year that, due to mild hypermobility, I was always aiming for an unobtainable goal. I think too much focus is paid to it, tbh.
Not to drag the thread down or anything :)

[weegiemum]

My ds (10 almost 11) and dd2 (9) happily write in cursive. Dd1 (12 almost 13) still can't do joined up but she's borderline dyslexic.

Her unjoined writing is very pretty though (she's very arty, looking at sitting art exams early according to her art teacher) but it takes so long!! Luckily the borderline dyslexic diagnosis will give her more time in exams to write prettily!!

[LaBelleDameSansPatience]

RubberNecker, do you have to join through a school? I just want something to use at home with dd. I suppose I could just write out sheets myself, though.