Can anyone explain why year one children should be writing joined up cursive script?

[Decco]

It just seems a little early to me, when they mostly started to write regularly in reception, it seems very quick to progress to joined cursive script. I can read my son's writing and it looks similar to most of the writing in his class but this keeps being raised (only in parents eve really). Can anyone explain why the rush into joined up writing?

[GwendolineMaryLacey]

I don't know that it is all about the end product though. It's also about building up confidence as they're going along, getting them used to the concept of writing. It's hard when your 5yo presents you with a card and you have no idea what it says. It's disheartening for them. I doubt very much if my dd could read her own writing back at the moment.

[mrz]

Initially we teach with an exit stroke only and add the entry stroke when we begin to teach fully joined.

[Lara2]

My 2 boys also had atrocious writing because they were taught the separate letters with lead ins and outs and then they were expected to join them into legible handwriting! What a joke! Once they decided to print again in Year 10 it all became clear and readable!

[mrz]

Children need to be taught to join the letters correctly. Our pupils have the most beautiful handwriting (even the ones diagnosed with physical problems such as dyspraxia and cerebral palsy).

[learnandsay]

Lara2, that's what my daughter is being taught at the moment. She's just beginning to create legible sentences in print. When she uses cursive letters she just produces scribble.

[Decco]

Thank you everyone for your replies. Making sense to me now.

[Elibean]

Interesting to see (at least in our school) how things have changed. dd1 started joining up her letters mid way through Y2, and only really seriously in Y3. That was just the expectation in the school.

dd2, who is three years younger (and at the same school) is joining up her letters as of this week - in Y1.

They both learned individual letters first, with exit strokes.

[Pyrrah]

Personally my choice would be to follow what the Americans are doing in many places and teach children to print and to touch type. Far more useful than being able to produce a page of what looks like dense knitting.

I declare a bias in that I am unable to do joined-up writing and have always printed.

[Decco]

From what I can remember we were taught to print and then our handwriting was left alone to evolve naturally if that makes sense. We just started joining letters when it felt natural and comfortable to do so, often this happened in senior school (age 11-16) or late key stage 2. Cursive/joined was never formally taught.

I can clearly understand what my son writes now (printing) and I am a bit concerned that teaching cursive so early might hamper their natural handwriting style rather than help. Only time will tell I guess.

[stealthsquiggle]

I have heard the letters with exit strokes described as 'pre-cursive' - that is how DD was taught in YR, and in Y1 the teacher makes the decision for each individual child as to whether /when to get them to start joining up completely.

[stealthsquiggle]

Mind you, I am ambivalent about it - DD's writing is pretty good, but left handed DS managed to fall through the cracks of supposedly the same system and has awful writing

[Bonsoir]

My DD has never printed letters, nor have I ever seen DC in her school print letters. It sounds as if some children are being taught cursive very badly - there is nothing instrinsically wrong with cursive writing.