Why do primary schools insist on cursive writing?

[Soubriquet]

It’s rarely used in secondary school and I’ve not seen anyone use it as an adult. Both of my dc’s writing is illegible half the time due to cursive. If they use printed, it’s lovely, yet the teachers keep insisting on cursive.

Why?

Because the flow of cursive writing develops a muscle memory that helps with spelling.
Because it’s part of the curriculum.
Because neat cursive, even writing looks much better than irregular print.

Since most things are typed now, it’s not surprising that we’re losing the skill of writing neatly and legibly. When I look back at my university essays which were all hand written and compare them to my writing now, it’s clear that my writing has deteriorated.

Because it is a skill that everyone should have, and it also means you can write far more quickly than if you take the pen off the paper after every letter.

This country is going to the bloody dogs as it is, let's try and keep some things done properly.

Archaic and pointless, but some university graduate that you've never met, or know the name of, that works in a small office in some part of a London office decided that your kid should be forced to use it.

As much as I know it's a skill, it's difficult when they get to high school as some writing is illegible using cursive. Each child should be free to
find their own writing style.

I actually think we should prioritise the basics including good writing in schools.

Because it's better! It allows you to write quickly, it flows, and you develop your own handwriting style.

It's beautiful. It makes writing beautiful (unless you're a gp)

But mostly, it is quicker!

Agree op. Old fashioned nonsense. My sons writing is much slower because he's trying to make it look nice. Noone can read it. His teacher has told thr class that as long as she can read it and she knows they are spelling words correctly she doesn't mind non cursive writing. It reminds me of my dad saying everyone should learn how to tell the time on a clock face..which we can do but hundreds of years ago people prob said the same about sun dials. Time moves on.

Because it says in the KS2 teacher assessment framework for writing that to get 'expected standard' you have to 'maintain legibility in joined handwriting when writing at speed'.

While that statement remains, every primary school will insist on cursive.

I’m not sure it’s archaic - my handwriting is cursive. Not beautiful or legible to anyone other than me, sadly, but cursive. I agree that the benefit to it is being able to write quickly. I find writing, rather than typing, helps me learn and remember and doing it quickly is useful. It’s also easier to move to printing later (I print if I’m making notes someone else needs to read) if you want than the reverse, so kids at least have the option later in life.

I mostly always use cursive.

What's the alternative? Printing each letter? I don't know what you mean by you've never seen anyone use it as an adult. I think most people's handwriting is joined up. I think cursive is just the building block to make handwriting easier then everyone adapts it a little to their own style and speed.

Until we move to typed exams it's an important skill - it's much harder to write legibly at speed using non-cursive. DS is a slow writer (largely cursive, but just not great fine motor skills) and it means that he has always under performed in exams. He's now choosing university modules more on the basis of how they are assessed rather than interest. So having the ability to write quickly, intensively, remains incredibly important and for most people that is cursive.

Flow and muscle memory and is actually very helpful for children who struggle with writing and spelling. However it is not insisted on in Scottish schools but I've always covered it anyway as its so helpful for some.

A lot of kids stop doing it as soon as they get to senior school - no one cares there as long as their wrting is legible! Cursive writing made my ds writing worse and gave him a complex about it, he struggled so much that he now gets to do exams on a laptop. Learning support at his senior school said he should never have been forced into cursive.
My older dc are 32 and 28, they both print.

Because to reach the expected standard at the end of KS2 it is a requirement that handwriting is joined.

I'm an adult and I use cursive writing.

Everybody I know writes cursive.

I think most people’s cursive handwriting is ugly.

I was never forced to do cursive although I learned how to. I’m left handed and I print. I always get compliments on my handwriting.

I was taught italic at school and my writing was lovely. However once I went to grammar school and had to take notes I just couldn’t keep up and my writing became a mess and to be honest it’s never recovered. I really dislike the look of cursive writing although it may be more practical.

There's a difference between "joined up writing" and "cursive".
Back in my day (the 80s) we were taught joined up writing. Easy to read and easy to write.
That's how I still write today.
Cursive is that fancy pants swirly stuff. No one "needs" to write like that.
Joined up if fine. Why they waste time on cursive I have no clue.

Agreed a lot of adult cursive writing is often illegible. I can't read a word of DH's - mind you he's a Dr so par for the course really!!

Because it's in the National Curriculum and teachers don't get any say in that

This.

Really? I was taught cursive at school but literally no one else I know uses it!

Back in the day, I am ancient, we did regular lessons in italic writing with ink pens. I therefore have beautiful cursive writing. It was like an art form, lovely.

Back to the present, printing is time consuming and tiring. You have a computer for that. Having a good flow of writing is still important for exams and just generally for notes etc.