Schools shouldn't teach cursive writing

[IShotTheDeputyItWasMe]

When I grew up, we'd learn to write using print ie not joined up. Then a few years later we'd have to re-learn in cursive. I remember finding relearning quite difficult eg the way "s" is written is very different. What was the point in teaching print and then expecting everyone to use cursive?

A lot of primary schools now teach cursive from the off.

But why teach it at all? Not many adults write pure cursive and sometimes cursive, particularly messy or very elaborate cursive can be really hard to read. It looks nice sometimes but what's the point in using it when print is much easier to read and most adults use it or a variation of print anyway.

I deal with old documents that are always written in cursive and they are a nightmare to read.

Personally, I mainly use print but do join some letters. But my writing is odd anyway because I also did calligraphy and have incorporated some of that too. My capital "h" is ridiculous!

I'm rolling my eyes at you.

DH was amazed that I did a touch typing course at secondary school - this was an all girls academic school as well, so it wasn't as if it was assuming we'd all go into the typing pool or something.

It has hands down been one of the most useful things I ever did there!

Me too

I agree that you don't see nice handwriting much really.

Cursive can be lovely to look at but like I said it's often a nightmare to read. I deal with old legal docs that are always written in cursive and use a superfluous amount of words. They can look beautiful but by God they can be hard work and by the end of the day my eyes hurt.

Thanks. I would never get mine either.

I was appalled at the state of children's writing when I moved to England. As if cursive wasn't bad enough, they used Pens.

No primary school I've taught in Scotland used pens.

I write almost exclusively in cursive. The joined up writing which I see in the UK is very different to the cursive that I learned. It seems more akin to a hybrid between print and cursive. I don’t particularly care for it from an aesthetic point of view and don’t think children should be forced to learn it.

My ds was home educated until year 5. He had absolutely beautiful handwriting.

When he started school in year 5, the teachers agreed that his hand writing was beautiful - but it wasn’t the cursive they taught so it was unacceptable and ds had to go back to writing with a pencil until he did it.

You couldn’t read a word of it. He’d gone from amazing handwriting to an illegible scrawl. But they school were thrilled as he was forming the letters how they expected him to.

When he started secondary, the first week, his English teacher brought up his awful handwriting. I told him what had happened. His words were “I don’t care if he writes in capital letters in the blood of his enemies and long as I can read it.”

So, ds chucked in the cursive, went back to how he always wrote and order was restored.

Hearts actually. 😝

I was all for cursive when dc were at primary. I believed the teachers… but now I think some dc are better without. All 3 of my DDs are academically very capable but all have shocking hand writing that was only improved once they went to secondary and teachers suggested they try writing without cursive and suddenly all was good. My eldest is looking to get As in A level sciences but doesn’t write in cursive. I think it actually created a struggle at primary that was totally unnecessary.

Cursive is good for many many children but children are individuals with individual needs. DD's HT was obsessed with cursive, neat handwriting. DD is dyspraxic and really struggled with cursive writing and it held her back in confidence and achievement.

When she went to secondary school she was allowed to write in the best way that she found easy and comfortable. It was faster for her and her writing was more legible.

In Yr 12 she was assessed and the dyspraxia and ADHD were confirmed. She was then allowed to use a laptop for exams. Again she went from strength to strength, obtaining 3 A*s dropping 8 UMS points in essay based subjects. She went on to take a first from Cambridge. Her writing now is fine.

She now teaches English in a secondary school and specialises in SEN. She does not hold with the cursive mantra.

Cursive writing is not the issue. Expecting all children to be square pegs in round holes is the issue. Huge comprehensives where there is little acknowledgement of difference and need is the issue.

I had to teach both my dcs how to write mixed print/joined up once they got to secondary age as their cursive was illegible.

It depends what you mean by cursive. American style cursive is overly frilly and overly prescriptive imo. But ordinary joined up handwriting, which is what is usually taught in the UK, is just much faster and easier than printing. Everyone should be able to read and write it, and adapt it to their own style. I find it painful to watch anyone, child or adult, printing their letters.

This thread has opened my eyes, people actually judge/question "what went wrong?" when they see an adult using print? 🤣

It would never even occur to me to care how someone else writes as long as I can understand it.

Cursive might be faster but I can't think of many real world situations where faster handwriting is an advantage. What we need is clearer handwriting and faster typing.

What about the people who would rather do RE than learn to write cursive?

Huh ? 🤣

I'm not suggesting we teach rhem cursive.

We should teach them how to write clearly.

That is, along with reading and number/shape and social skills, the absolute core of primary education.

Teaching cursive handwriting in primary school is a waste of time.
My dd feels so down that her handwriting isn't "good enough" to receive a pen award. She's intelligent and has been in greater depth for most of her school life, there's no dispute over the content of her work but the teacher always makes her feel bad about her cursive.

I've told her I care about what she says in her work, not what her handwriting looks like as long as we can read it (we can, its neat) and that in high school (she's year 4 at the moment) or when she's working, nobody will tell her she can't use a flippin pen!

Cursive, when taught properly, IS ‘neat and efficient’. It also does help most people with spelling.

An emphatic "yes!" to people learning how to type. When someone types slowly / using two fingers only, now that's when I question what went wrong.

Until the expectation for end of year 6 writing standards removes the requirement to have legible cursive writing them schools have to teach it however pointless they think it is

I just made sure as a parent I worked at home to tell her it was pointless and it was not something that would impact her academic future and made sure she did not feel pressure around it.

Yes, my primary school did this too, and once at secondary school we were always complimented on the legibility of our handwriting. It was quicker, too, as I did three essay subjects at A level (it was before computers at home), and helpful in exams.

I am.old, though! (I'm also a quick touch typist, also useful nowadays ...)

I am incredibly grateful to have been taught cursive as it helps me, someone with a neurological disorder which causes pain in my hands meaning writing is excruciating, to write much much quicker.
An old friend used to write in print and it was honestly so childlike. Think 4yr old’s writing - “h e l l o, h o w a r e y o u”

So when do you expect all our future engineers and scientists to learn elementary algebra if not at school?