Handwriting

[Pyrrah]

Do primary schools still insist on pupils writing in cursive rather than print, or is it optional?

I've heard that there is some debate on print v cursive. I was forced to write in cursive at prep school and went back to my natural print style as soon as I got to secondary school.

Even now the only thing I ever write in cursive is my signature. I get a ridiculous number of compliments on my handwriting which really suprises me as it's just large, round and not joined-up, it's very easy to read but not what I would call 'beautiful'.

I was suprised because I got into such trouble at school for not joining things up.

It depends on the children's age and the school's policy.

One of the level descriptors for level 3 in writing is to write legibly with consistent letter formation and sometimes joined. Saying that, I would never not give a child a level 3 because they wrote in print... but they should be moving towards cursive.

Cursive handwriting can also help with spelling patterns, as many children learn the 'feel' of a word.

My year 5 teacher was obsessed with handwriting, and would rip out my work and make me repeat it if all my letters weren't the same height. He used a microscope (I kid you not) to check.

Even though I learnt to write in cursive, I now write in a mixture of both (when not at school...). Handwriting is meant to be an indicator of your personality type, so I'm not keen on making everyone write in the exact same style.

Mine didn't quite use a microscope - but they did use rulers to check if everything was the same height. We were all issued with proper fountain pens at age 7 and from then on everything had to be cursive.

As you say, handwriting is a personal thing and so I don't have any issues with what is or isn't taught, just wondered what the latest fashion/thinking was.

Handwriting is one of the things that lots of parents complain about, along with spellings.

I think I have quite a laissez-faire attitude towards both tbh. As long as I can understand what's been written, then that's ok by me. Obviously we do still teach handwriting and spelling patterns, but I'm not going to correct every single spelling mistake or it would ruin the child's confidence. And there would be more of my writing on the page than the child's. I correct words I think the child should know, or ambitious attempts at new vocabulary.

Similar for handwriting. In handwriting practice, then yes I do correct letter formation. In a science lesson, however, I mark the science and not the presentation (unless it's ridiculous...).

My DSs primary school taught cursive pretty much staight away. DS2 has dyspraxia and struggles with writing, however, his writing is much better when he does it cursively (sp?) than when he prints. It seems to help him to write neater, with similar sizes and with the letters the right way round.

Mine didn't quite use a microscope - but they did use rulers to check if everything was the same height. We were all issued with proper fountain pens at age 7 and from then on everything had to be cursive.

I would be amazed at a state primary school in England that was that rigid! Encouraged but not mandatory, is my experience.

It was a private prep not state...

Mine was state. And not THAT long ago... 1995

My DD is in Yr1 and she is being taught cursive handwriting.