Cursive writing for Reception children

[stretto]

DD turned 4 this summer, and has just started Reception.
Her nursery was fab and taught her to write her name very nicely.

Her prep school teaches cursive writing from the very beginning, and the teacher told me that DD is not managing to write her name in cursive (after 2 weeks of school). She said "the nursery haven't taught her to join up her letters and she needs to be doing that". She seemed a bit critical, whereas I think it's great that the nursery got DD writing so beautifully before she even turned 4.

I have tried working on the cursive script with DD, but she says she prefers the style of letters she learnt at nursery. She cried last night when I tried to help her with cursive (and I wasn't making a big deal of it, I was praising her and trying to make it into a game).

I would prefer DD to become a confident writer before worrying about joining up her letters. The cursive script looks like it could be very confusing for little ones.

DH thinks we should maybe explain to her that there are different styles of script, and let the school deal with the cursive script while we help her at home with non-cursive. The school wants us to practise cursive script at home. They have sent home a sheet with the scary-looking cursive script on it, but no worksheets or advice about how to form the letters (i.e. which direction to take the pencil in).

Any advice and perspective would be gratefully received. Thank you.

I'm afraid I disagree about each kid learning to write in their in own style. You could end up in a real muddle that way! I think the school needs to start with one 'correct' way to do things. This will inevitably be more difficult for children who have started in a different way and why many schools would rather nurseries didn't teach writing.

Don't let her get into bad habits because they will be harder to correct later on.

My DS's school pushed cursive from reception, but they aren't expected to join up straight away (DS starting y2 still doesn't). They said that it helps with the flow of the writing so it's less tiring to write, and also that writing in cursive helps with spelling (the flow of the word and muscle memory, I suppose). They said after introducing the system they have started to notice the benefits further up the school.

I have a summer born 4 year old and she's barely coping with getting up and going in each day, let alone having any pressure put on her. It's sounds like the school have got very high expectations and I would not want my child to have their first impressions of school to be marred like this. Can you address your concerns to anyone 'above' the teacher?

My now year 1 child (autumn birthday) wouldn't even have dreamed of so much as writing her name at 4.1 but now forms her letters beautifully and is starting to write cursive script. They have been taught with the flicks from reception but no pressure or criticism at all (bog standard, state school).

I think a Reception child should not feel this pressure! My DD just started Reception and can't recognise her name. I used to teach secondary school and you can't tell the child who was reading/writing at 4 from the ones who got it a bit later at end of reception/start of year 1.

I can't take my concerns further up, as it was the new head who instituted the cursive writing. I will try to discuss it at the upcoming parents' evening. I will probably also have a chat with DD's nursery teachers, as she has been invited back there next week for a party with her old friends.

DS1 didn't do cursive in reception...they started in Y4 (yes I know a very random time to do it!) and it was an absolute nightmare. He wrote very neatly before that and then his writing went completely illegible for about 6 months as did the content because he was concentrating so hard on getting the cursive correct that he forgot about what he was writing. He is now in Y6 and I would say his writing is average...not great but relatively neat.

DS2 has just started Reception and I knew that school had introduced in from Reception. Nursery attached to the school just got them to write their name any way they could which was great as it gave them some achievement without having to undo anything but Ive not taught him anything. He came home from school yesterday and did a page of perfect i's, t's, a's and u's (why those letters I don't know) all with lead in and lead out flicks. I have to say Im amazed as I didn't think he'd get it. I would honestly just let her know thats the way the school wants her to write if she asks and practice that way rather than doing one way at home and another way at school as its going to get confusing for her.

Well, there have been lots of positive comments about cursive writing being taught from reception, which is reassuring, thank you. I think my worry is that it is unnecessarily complicating things at a time when the children need to be concentrating on the link between sounds and writing, and it just adds an extra layer of cognitive stress.

Cursive is a style of writing designed for fountain pens, and cursive done in ballpoint is significantly harder. No wonder so many kids end up in tears over it--I know I did.

www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2015/08/ballpoint-pens-object-lesson-history-handwriting/402205/

Luckily children won't be using either fountain pens or biros in reception ...pencils (especially soft black) move more smoothly across the paper and make a pleasing mark.

Ds(8) is dyspraxic and struggles terribly with cursive writing to the point where at one point I was concerned about the effect it was having on his mental health. He couldn't get to grips with the fact that none of the letters look anything like they do in reading books and given that just holding a pencil is difficult for him he was bound to find it hard. I think it's a lot of pressure on them at such a young age when they are only just learning to read and write.

The paediatric occupation therapy service often recommend cursive handwriting for children with dyspraxia because not having to take their pencil/pen off between letters is easier.
Having said that I'm not a fan of joined handwriting in reception.

It's definitely not easier for my ds mrz. He found printing each letter (albeit very slowly and deliberately) so much easier. It was legible too, his cursive writing is like a page full of scribble.

IT doesn't happen overnight but generally it's worth it in the long term.
The paediatric OTs we've worked with recommend the speed up programme for older children (7+)

I have dyspraxic DD(7) and her print handwriting was illegible, we use 'write from the start' and the senco started DD on cursive. It suddenly made sense for DD and as it was one movement rather than lots of little ones she found it easier. Also it helped her letter reversal.

HippyChickMama - are the school giving him any help with writing? Also have you looked at special pens? DD has a PenAgain and a Stabilo Easy right handed pencil which have been fantastic.

Gosh.

I know nothing about cursive or the benefits. But a child in tears, in September of her reception year, about attainment and homework. That is incredibly sad.

DD2 is in reception. She hasn't had a book or done phonics yet. She can only write a few letters. They play and listen to stories and the lessons are introduced slowly. Handwriting practice in y1, no other homework until y2.

The school doesn't sound laid back to me. It sounds like there is a real risk of her becoming afraid to try in case she fails (a feeling I've struggled with and is really hard to shake.)

My eldest is dyslexic and has found having to write in cursive very difficult as it's meant that for each letter there are three written forms, as opposed to two. I think that if it is easier to write generally it hasn't been easy for him and it's also harder for him to read and there leach letter has less distinction as they all flow.

Dd has been struggling with cursive through reception.
She has started at a different school in yr1 they don't use cursive. Her reading and writing is coming on in leaps and bounds.

Sorry to hear your dd has been upset. Awful at 4.

pumpkin he has extra sessions with the senco to work on his motor skills and he's under an OT, he's finally got an assessment next month. He's only fairly recently been diagnosed. I think part of his problem with cursive writing stems from the fact that he also has Asperger's so he gets anxious because he finds it difficult.