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!

It’s very good for the brain (neural connections). I read some evidence that it right hand cursive writing actually improves math skills

Did you have your neurological issue during primary school or develop it as an adult ?

I work with a lot of people who struggle with handwriting, many of them write in print, some of them only write in block capitals.

I think many parts of the curriculum need to be refined and slimmed down. I don't think ditching cursive is automatically going to end up with better handwriting if the time for it and more isn't put into handwriting, which is not generally what is happening, IME.

My penmanship in school was horrible largely as how rushed I found the teaching in between everything else going on. I retaught myself penmanship as a young adult in print and cursive, reading and practices different writing styles to find what works for me. I typically write in italic cursive style and it's far more neat and efficient than the print I attempted to use before.

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

I work with a lot of old documents and find them fairly easy to read - there are some with so many flourishes that it can be distracting, but most that survive are fairly neat and consistent.

Reading through lists of text in inconsistent block capitals that all vary in size is my nightmare, and seems to be a nightmare for those writing it.

It likely comes down in large part to what we're used to. I spent many years with the flourishy cursive, so it's normal to me. Moving to working with adults, some who feel block capitals is the only way they can write legibly (which I know because they always tell me while apologising) took some adjustment for me and I wonder particularly with those fresh out of school how things are still going so wrong. Whether print or cursive, we shouldn't have as many leaving school as it seems to me who struggle and are embarrassed of their handwriting.

Dyslexic children in my class find it easier to spell when using cursive. Am I saying all dyslexic children would be the same? No, and we need to stop generalising what helps/doesn’t help with dyslexia.

Cursive is awful IMO, who joins up b's, s's, f's, x's, z's in real life? It's fine where a letter naturally and easily has a flick at the end of it, but some letters become almost illegible unless written very carefully IMO. Teach joined up writing where it makes life easier and quicker but accept some letters just don't lend themselves to it.
Cursive definitely isn't helpful if you're dyspraxic, i can tell you that much!

I completely agree that phonics doesn’t work for all children!
Children can have a ‘weakness’ (I really hate that term but it’s the one that is used when assessing/moderating) taken into account with the end of KS2 data however the fact stands that for the majority of the children, they need to demonstrate legible cursive to achieve the expected standard, according to the NC.

We teach cursive, from early on. They get lots of practice.
The standard of writing is incredible. It is easy to read, and the presentation is good.
My kids went to the same school before they did this, their writing is terrible, and my eldest had to have laptop dispensation for his exams.
I don’t see the issue, why not learn cursive?

Yet with the SATS majority of the actual exams does not take it in to consideration.

It isn't a problem if it works for the child. If they are dyspraxic/dyslexic, etc, then alternatives should be available.

Yes, of course. I don’t disagree with you.

The curriculum and accompanying key stage two teacher assessment framework state that a year six child cannot be considered expected standard if they cannot write in a cursive style.

Well, that's something that needs to change. Professional educators need to think about all the children.

DD's primary head was obsessed with cursive and her handwriting was beautiful. It was such a shame her grammar was awful and made her appear ill educated.

That's ridiculous.

Sadly the average professional educator has little say about the content of the curriculum!

When my daughter started printing instead of cursive in primary her writing age went up by 2 years.

I’ve never understood it, personally i more often find it illegible. One of my ec does beautiful cursive but it’s still difficult to read, another can’t master it and I find it so hard to figure out any words. I would guess it was originally for speed and style but not sure. The teacher admitted a few people in the class have decided to go back to print and she doesn’t mind and I felt like asking could she not try to get everyone back😅

I was taught cursive writing and my handwriting is beautiful and readable- as stated by many people!
I don't think writing styles are that important- cursive or print, but in primary school they should be uniform as to not confuse the children to much.
I don't think the problem is in the writing style but more in the way it's taught. I remember having notebooks with 3 distinctive lines to help with the writing - my DC were given bog standard notebooks....

It does help with spelling. If children learn cursive from the start, they develop a degree of muscle memory for the most common blends, and it's certainly helpful for dyslexic children who often get those the wrong way round. It's way quicker than printing, too.

When my children were young, they started with printing first. The youngest is dyslexic, and we were fortunate enough to find a specialist tutor who basically took his writing apart and started again with cursive. It definitely helped him, and he now has much the nicest and most legible writing of the three of them.

People saying people in jobs no longer write by hand!!! I can assure you I do and it can be for hours. No way would I be able to do my job without writing in cursive script. Writing is still important and not all jobs do everything electronically.

We were taught cursive but only so far as learning to join up specific letter groups which used tails and starters. We were also taught to use discretion about what and when to join up so that what we wrote was legible. GDD is doing cursive writing and it is causing all kinds of issues for her. It slows her down so much that she is slow to complete work and then it is virtually all but impossible to read.

Exactly this. There’s a reason for cursive. It is much faster, helping children to write more fluently and quickly in exams. If it’s taught properly it shouldn’t be messy.

Unfortunately it seems to be one of those skills (like holding a bloody knife and fork properly) that’s getting lost.

Me too.

I would like to know how they teach handwriting in Poland. All the Polish children who I taught who came to the UK after a few years in Polish schools had beautiful clear handwriting.

They don't teach cursive in Finland which I was a bit miffed about but thought it's no big deal. Until now, when my teenager got her penpal for her class's German exchange project and she's struggled to read his cursive writing, because she never learnt it herself.

Dh is an English examiner for GCSE and cursive causes poor marks. If they can’t be read, doesn’t matter how intelligent they are, they won’t get the marks.

DS is autistic and since learning cursive, he’s illegible. He now has special arrangements for exams to type all of it. But when he was reception / year 1 - his written print was really good. As soon as cursive was pushed, illegible.

one rule for all never works.