Another cursive question......when do you start?

[BatmansWife]

Well, I finally figured out what cursive I'll be using for youngest dd. It was basically a no brainer, since the reading program we are using (McRuffy) has handwriting books. I was seriously considering Italic, but I actually like the McRuffy cursive (plus someone just posted a free worksheet generator site that has the exact same cursive style :hurray:). Anyway, I'm wondering when do you all begin cursive with your kids? With my oldest two, we started around 3rd grade. But, McRuffy offers cursive handwriting even in K. McRuffy has Traditional, Modern, & Cursive. I thought about using Modern for 1st and 2nd (since dd does seem interested in starting something more "fancy") and then Cursive in 3rd, and 4th. Are there advantages in starting Cursive even earlier, maybe skipping the Modern style? Or, are the advantages in not starting cursive yet (dd will be 7 next week)?

[Whereneverever]

I'm a fan of cursive early- I'd start now.

[BatmansWife]

Or another idea.....I already have the Modern for 1st grade. I see that McRuffy has transition books starting in 2nd. I could just use the Modern for 1st grade and then the Modern To Cursive transition book in 2nd.

 

I guess I'm kinda answering my own question. Seems like I'm just talking out loud here. Yep....I think that's what I'll do. But, I'd still love to hear comments. Thanks for putting up with my ramblings again! :blushing:

[wy_kid_wrangler04]

I didnt start until 3rd grade. I did teach my now dd in 1st grade but her printing and cursive were not very good so I brought her back to printing until it was very neat and are going to start cursive. Right now she is still in the hand writing portion of the book but will start the cursive in the next month or so.

[Halcyon]

We started my older in 2nd, and I will begin my younger a bit earlier.

[momtoccm]

My oldest did cursive in 3rd grade. I wish I had started him earlier because learning cursive even improved his printing. My 2nd grader is doing cursive this year and it's going really well. Her printing was already good. I've considered going ahead and starting it with my kindergartener too, but haven't decided yet.

[Tracy]

IMO, the earlier the better. Cursive remediates many of the problems that you see with manuscript writing, such as reversals and spacing issues. And it is easier to do since you don't have to pick up your hand as much. Furthermore, if you ultimately want the child to use cursive exclusively, then it is best to teach it first since our brain retains best what it learns first.

[Beth in SW WA]

Cursive First in K for my younger dds. Now we do modern cursive.

[Dinsfamily]

I started my oldest this year in 1st. I'll be starting the rest in K (or whenever they're ready to start writing).

[NotDaMama]

IMO, the earlier the better. Cursive remediates many of the problems that you see with manuscript writing, such as reversals and spacing issues. And it is easier to do since you don't have to pick up your hand as much. Furthermore, if you ultimately want the child to use cursive exclusively, then it is best to teach it first since our brain retains best what it learns first.

 

:iagree:I only wish we had known this before going to far down the road of manuscript only/first. :glare:

[Dinsfamily]

IMO, the earlier the better. Cursive remediates many of the problems that you see with manuscript writing, such as reversals and spacing issues. And it is easier to do since you don't have to pick up your hand as much. Furthermore, if you ultimately want the child to use cursive exclusively, then it is best to teach it first since our brain retains best what it learns first.

 

Well said. This is why I'm by-passing printing with my littles. I've seen all of these benefits since starting cursive with ds6 and wish I'd started cursive with him last year.

[Tracy]

:iagree:I only wish we had known this before going to far down the road of manuscript only/first. :glare:

 

This is why I'm by-passing printing with my littles. I've seen all of these benefits since starting cursive with ds6 and wish I'd started cursive with him last year.

 

Yes, I went down that road, too. My dd started to write her letters on her own, but she was writing them incorrectly. So I thought that I was doing the right thing by teaching her correct manuscript printing. But I am glad that we picked up cursive at 5yo, and now I know better for my up-and-coming 2yo.

[crazyforlatin]

I'm planning to start cursive now with DD5, as soon as l figure which cursive style to teach and which book to buy.

[BatmansWife]

Well said. This is why I'm by-passing printing with my littles. I've seen all of these benefits since starting cursive with ds6 and wish I'd started cursive with him last year.

 

Thanks for all your comments. I'm actually a bit surprised that so many are starting cursive so young. I'm even more surprised that some of you don't even teach printing. How can that be? Everything they read is in print and not cursive.

[nansk]

I'm even more surprised that some of you don't even teach printing. How can that be? Everything they read is in print and not cursive.

 

Reading and writing are two different skills/abilities. My dd can read my cursive handwriting, although she is learning to write Getty-Dubay Italics.

 

I'm actually a bit surprised that so many are starting cursive so young.

 

 

BTW not everyone recommends starting cursive young. Ruth Beechick, an experienced teacher and homeschool writer, suggests teaching cursive in third grade. She said that if taught at that age, the child can learn in a matter of weeks, what would otherwise take months or years to master.

 

Opinions differ, though. Don Potter and Sam Blumenfeld, also experienced teachers, insist on teaching cursive from the beginning.

 

I have read posts on this forum, which said that, especially for boys, their cursive was much better than their print. I think it is easier for children to space their words correctly when writing in cursive. (When I try writing with my left hand, I find it easier to write in cursive than print.)

[Tracy]

Ruth Beechick, an experienced teacher and homeschool writer, suggests teaching cursive in third grade. She said that if taught at that age, the child can learn in a matter of weeks, what would otherwise take months or years to master.

 

I started dd5 in July, and she is writing nearly independently in cursive now. (She occasionally needs help with the less common letters, and we haven't done capitals yet.) I was surprised at how fast she picked it up.

[Dinsfamily]

BTW not everyone recommends starting cursive young. Ruth Beechick, an experienced teacher and homeschool writer, suggests teaching cursive in third grade. She said that if taught at that age, the child can learn in a matter of weeks, what would otherwise take months or years to master.

 

Since I was taught print first, I thought it was the way to go and taught my ds to print in K. He also had a lot of bad habits to break. It wasn't until he begged to learn cursive and seeing the effects that I decided to teach my other dc cursive first. Also, it only took my ds 3 weeks to switch over to cursive completely and independently. However, he was motivated since he refused to write in print anymore.

 

Thanks for all your comments. I'm actually a bit surprised that so many are starting cursive so young. I'm even more surprised that some of you don't even teach printing. How can that be? Everything they read is in print and not cursive.

 

Both of my older boys were reading well before they were ready to write so this hasn't been a factor for us. I would guess that the exposure dc have to print from a young age in books, on signs and toys, etc. would be more influential than writing instruction. I will say that after solely writing in cursive for the last 6 months, my ds still struggles with reading cursive. It is getting easier for him but it hasn't been automatic.

 

I will make sure my dc are able to print at some point before they start filling out forms. However, I don't expect to spend much time on it.