Why do children have to learn to write joined up?

[Hulababy]

Just curious.

I know some schools start this very early on, and some later. But they all do it eventually. And there seems to be a big push for joined up writing in schools full stop.

But why? What is the reason for it? Why is it important to be able to write joined up?

I can write joined up. I learnt at school. But I rarely write joined up. I print. My writing is far neater and more legible when I print, and I can write just as fast when printing. So, if as an adult, I can chose how I want to write and no one would ever comment on me not joining up (have noticed lots of adults don't join up actually too) why do we find it so important to teach it in early primary?

Would love to know the fuull justifications for it.

This isn't a view I necessarily share, but I distinctly remember my teachers telling us that joined-up handwriting well help distinguish ourselves as "educated" people. It seems content was less important than the presentation.

I must say that I do (obviously very unfairly) judge people by their handwriting if it is very girly with little hearts and circles for dots.

I do agree that joined-up handwriting is quicker, but I must say it is not always more legible!

My father taught me calligraphy went I was very young and for some reason this had much more of an impact on me than any other form of handwriting.

Yes, my handwriting changed dramaticaly after I did an evening class in calligraphy.

Message withdrawn

We use a handwriting/ spelling scheme called "A hand for spelling" (Cripps)It's a combined spelling and handwriting scheme.

The theory is that the handwriting pattern when repeated often enough helps to also embed the spelling pattern.

Supposed to be particularly good for those who struggle with spelling.

Spelling! Joined writers spell better and write faster.

It's because you get extra marks in the SATS if you do.

Poor printed writing is 1 mark, 2 for uneven joined writing and 3 for even well formed handwriting.

Not going to make that much of a difference unless a borderline case.

My handwriting is disgraceful because my school subscribed to the then fashionable theory that once children learned how to print letters they would naturally evolve their own joined up writing.
Well, we didn't.
It slows you down in exams which is still an important consideration.
I would rather ask why NOT learn joined up writing from the start?
DD2 is in year four and has beautiful handwriting, much nicer than mine. I think it is good.

I was taught joined up writing but have totally and utterly forgotten how to do it. I also print, and in capitals only [wierd huh?]

Also can't see why the push for joined up writing. Seems an irrelevancy

It is much faster to write with a cursive script than without.

Also there is evidence (so I am told) that when we write in cursive we 'see' and form the whole word not a series of individual letters as we do when we print. This means that when we learn how to spell new words, the spelling of the whole word embeds with us, not the series of individual letters. So the spelling becomes more automatic if you like.

In the real life of work of course, very few people still write by hand.

Having said that in the real life of work, few people write long pieces of descriptive prose where marks are awarded for the use of flowery language. In good old real life, people are rewarded for their succinctness and for not using flowery overly complex sentence structures. But such is life, and all that

Isn't learning cursive supposed to help with reading? I think that's what one of DD's teachers said at a presentation thingy. No idea how it's supposed to work.

My niece had some wild flowery bits added on to her letters, now it's all calmed down a bit and she has rather nice writing.

I vaguely remember being taught joined up writing in primary. It really didn't take, I did practise it, but it takes me much longer to write in cursive than it does in my natural handwriting.

I remember my GCSE English teacher remarking about my scruffy semi-printed handwriting. She said it showed that my brain was faster than my hand. I do have quite scruffy but legible handwriting but I don't really care.

I do actually find it really hard to read joined up writing. I don't see the point of it.

Surely each person should be encouraged to write in a style that is natural to them, whether careful printing or cursive.

sallystrawberry, you know how Doctors spouses read their notes? They take them to a chemist!

It's funny but one thing I've said about all the paperwork I've brought home from the hospital is you can tell which were written by a nurse and which a doctor by the state of the writing. My green notes are the same.

havent read all of this but am 90% sure, joined writing = extra points for handwriting at SATS

oooops should have read the thread, repetition repetition

could make a difference between levels though, 2 points

What a shame that it affects SATs too. Mind you it wouldn't suprise me. I hate SATs regardless, this is just one more reason.

Still not convinced on the faster writing arguement. Certainly not the case for me or in my small test sample Bloss - I was never disadvantaged by printing in exams either, and was very capable of doing 3-4 essays in 3 hour A level exams and at university, no problem. And at least my responses were readable!

I do think it just puts more pressure on young children, some of whom are only just getting to grips with writing full stop!

Still not convinced.

you know the big round clear printing that girls do, that takes ages and is underlined twice?

when i was at school we called it bint print

I don't remember being formally taught joined up writine but when I try my handwriting is a disgrace.

As a nurse we often can't actually read what Dr's have written in the notes, the writing is so bad. I know they have to write quickly sometimes and can understand that joined up writing may be quicker but if its illegible

DS1 is in Y1, not being taught joined up at the moment but he is being taught to do all these flicky things after letters which I'm assuming is in anticipation of him learning joined up writing later.

Speed, fluency, saves learning to print perfectly then relearn cursive, teaches spelling patterns, eg digraphs, ch, ou, igh etc

Cod - I have that Canadian loopy handwriting as well.

Its apparently a delight to behold and I am dead proud of it! God bless canadian handwriting.

I wish ds's school spent a bit more time on cursive writing, because it's the only thing that makes him put his letters the right way round

I remember learning joined-up handwriting at school. It was one of the milestones that we all knew about. We started on it in the first year of juniors and this is when we abandoned pencils and started to use ink (fountain) pens for the first time. I've since heard the use of ink pens at primary level is quite odd.

We all looked forward to. I can recognise the handwriting of someone from my school year as we all have a similar style. I don't know anyone who prints, at least, no one of my age. Maybe there was a different way of teaching us back then.

[feels old]

They should learn, but there is too much emphasis on it. It's basically a "tick box" element for the SATs system. Moreover, why do some teachers insist that kids use fountain pens once they reach a certain stage? I mean - how many people reading this use a fountain pen on a regular basis, when there are so many perfectly acceptable alternatives? (Unless you work as a registrar, of course!)

There is some argument that joined-up writing makes for faster performance in exams, but if the child's writing is perfectly clear and legible I can't see a GCSE paper being marked down just because the candidate has not used cursive script. Spelling, punctuation and presentation ARE important, but these are not dependent on joined-up script.

Far more effort should be made IMO to teach children to touch type, as this skill is essential in our computer-driven world. It will enable children to produce coursework etc. more quickly when they get to senior school, and prepare their own reports etc. at university and beyond. Because they have never been taught any differently, so many people simply jab at a keyboard with two index fingers...yet the alternative is SOOOO much easier and more comfortable once you've mastered it. And it's far better to learn it young, before getting into bad habits!