Is cursive going away?

[BillieBoy]

Is cursive handwriting going by the wayside? Do you think in few years the SAT’s will no longer require it for their essay portions anymore? Are we hanging on to an archaic ‘art form’ when we could be more legible and more productive with print and type?

 

This is my Sunday afternoon debate with DD (age 10 grade 6). She can do it, she can read it, but doesn’t prefer it AT ALL.

[justamouse]

Not if I can help it. But I keep hearing over and over from different parents how their local school system is doing away with it.

 

I'm firmly in the camp that cursive-pen to paper-is a synapse building exercise.

Edited January 23, 2012 by justamouse

[frugalmama]

I've never been able to write more than my name in cursive, and not once have I needed to.

 

I'll teach it, but if DD isn't into it or struggles it's not a big deal - I'd rather work on more important academic things.

[freesia]

Is cursive handwriting going by the wayside? Do you think in few years the SAT’s will no longer require it for their essay portions anymore? Are we hanging on to an archaic ‘art form’ when we could be more legible and more productive with print and type?

 

This is my Sunday afternoon debate with DD (age 10 grade 6). She can do it, she can read it, but doesn’t prefer it AT ALL.

I don't think the SATs have to be written in cursive. I believe print is fine.

[BillieBoy]

I read this old article and made mention of it to DD. She feels she will be using a laptop for college (like she does now). Her argument it is in the academia and in the professional world, there is no need.

[In The Great White North]

Do you think in few years the SAT’s will no longer require it for their essay portions anymore?

 

The SATs do not require cursive for the essay - they require cursive for the paragraph each student has to copy and sign saying that it is their own work.

 

There are stats showing that essays written in cursive score higher, but that's it.

[Ellie]

Not if I can help it. It is how English has been written for hundreds of years. It is how it is written in other English-speaking countries. It is how our own source documents were written, personal and historical. Why would anyone let it languish?

 

The more you require your dd to write in cursive, the less she will hate it. And even if she doesn't, she still needs to. JMHO.

 

:D

[jewellsmommy]

I write much more efficiently in cursive than in print. Ds much prefers cursive as well, but I think it might be the novelty of it. He just started this year. I am sure there will be those who cling to it. However, I bet the ps will phase it out in favor of typing.

 

My friend was just complaining about her dd's handwriting. The teacher decided that because the girl could not right well enough, she would have to type it instead. My friend would have preferred that the teacher stuck to her guns and made the girl write the assignment better.

[BillieBoy]

I don't think the SATs have to be written in cursive. I believe print is fine.

 

Good to know. I remember doing a prep class in boarding school and the nun beat it in to us that we had to. :glare: Of course, that was million years ago. :tongue_smilie:

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

Not if I can help it. But I keep hearing over and over from different parents how their local school system is doing away with it.

 

I'm firmly in the camp that cursive-pen to paper-is a synapse building exercise.

 

:iagree:I think it is a tragedy of epic proportions for the schools not to teach this. I think cursive is easy to teach and is quite beneficial if taught to true proficiency. I believe in cursive first instead of print. I believe cursive helps with focus and hand-brain-eye coordination. Cursive is faster than print for one who is truly proficient which only takes about 10 to 20 minutes on most days from K- 12:) This practice could double as copy work, spelling, grammar, and for re-enforcement of cross curricula content such as history, science, math, etc.

 

My 2 cents:)

[Iucounu]

Yes, it's going away. There's no benefit to practicing writing in cursive, hence I won't be teaching it.

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

I read this old article and made mention of it to DD. She feels she will be using a laptop for college (like she does now). Her argument it is in the academia and in the professional world, there is no need.

 

I also believe that note taking by hand helps to cement info in the brain:)

 

 

One can be well versed in both typing and cursive:)

[Iucounu]

The SATs do not require cursive for the essay - they require cursive for the paragraph each student has to copy and sign saying that it is their own work.

 

There are stats showing that essays written in cursive score higher, but that's it.

Even that statement can be printed, as shown by students whose printed statements have been accepted. There was a cited stat from a single year showing a slight difference, but that's it; one would expect some slight difference every year one way or the other. Research shows that cursive is no faster than printing, so I don't see any benefit in teaching cursive for the SAT.

[BillieBoy]

Yes, it's going away. There's no benefit to practicing writing in cursive, hence I won't be teaching it.

 

Do you have any worries that you D's wont be able to read it?

[BillieBoy]

I also believe that note taking by hand helps to cement info in the brain:)

 

 

 

I agree, and that's mainly why I taught it. But, my DD makes a good point that when I'm no longer peering over her shoulder :D she'll either print or type.

 

Maybe I'll follow her to college. :lol:

[mamajag]

My DD is 7 and I feel that the way things are going she needs to know how to touch type more than write cursive. I will still teach it, but in a very relaxed manner. I don't think it is truly that important. I'd rather she be a proficient typist and able to get her thoughts down that way as the world is getting more and more centered around technology. I still see college students unable to touch type trying to type up 8-page research papers, and it is just painful to watch.

[Lang Syne Boardie]

I don't know if it is going away. People in the field of education seem to want to make it disappear, but I don't know if that's the same thing as the whole nation growing tired of communicating in cursive.

 

We're still teaching cursive at my house. DH and I both use it, all the grandparents use it, and if I fail to teach my younger students they won't be able to read handwritten notes from their big brothers.

[Lang Syne Boardie]

My DD is 7 and I feel that the way things are going she needs to know how to touch type more than write cursive. I will still teach it, but in a very relaxed manner. I don't think it is truly that important. I'd rather she be a proficient typist and able to get her thoughts down that way as the world is getting more and more centered around technology. I still see college students unable to touch type trying to type up 8-page research papers, and it is just painful to watch.

 

Millions of proficient typists are also good at writing in cursive. There's no reason in the world why a person can't learn both. Millions have easily learned both.

[BillieBoy]

.... I'd rather she be a proficient typist and able to get her thoughts down that way as the world is getting more and more centered around technology. I still see college students unable to touch type trying to type up 8-page research papers, and it is just painful to watch.

 

I agree with this also. I have her doing online typing drills to solidify touch typing. If she's going to do it; do it right.

[Iucounu]

Do you have any worries that you D's wont be able to read it?

No, and I don't think writing practice is necessary to learn to read it, which can be done very quickly in my experience. I can't think of an occupation, except for perhaps historian or calligrapher, which might find it even useful.

[BillieBoy]

I don't know if it is going away. People in the field of education seem to want to make it disappear, but I don't know if that's the same thing as the whole nation growing tired of communicating in cursive.

 

We're still teaching cursive at my house. DH and I both use it, all the grandparents use it, and if I fail to teach my younger students they won't be able to read handwritten notes from their big brothers.

 

Do you think that when the Baby Boomers are gone there won't be anymore advocates of cursive, aside from some of us? If a few generations aren't being taught then they can't read it either. Who will we write to?

[justamouse]

:iagree:I think it is a tragedy of epic proportions for the schools not to teach this. I think cursive is easy to teach and is quite beneficial if taught to true proficiency. I believe in cursive first instead of print. I believe cursive helps with focus and hand-brain-eye coordination. Cursive is faster than print for one who is truly proficient which only takes about 10 to 20 minutes on most days from K- 12:) This practice could double as copy work, spelling, grammar, and for re-enforcement of cross curricula content such as history, science, math, etc.

 

My 2 cents:)

 

I concur. :001_smile:

 

None of my kids were taught to print, they all learned cursive first, and printed on their own. No biggie.

 

I'm willing to bet that in years there will be hard science on why cursive is better, and teachers all over will be scrambling to squeeze it into their curriculum.

 

The more education experts bring in 'new ways' of teaching, the worse education gets in our country. This is just another example.

[BillieBoy]

No, and I don't think writing practice is necessary to learn to read it, which can be done very quickly in my experience. I can't think of an occupation, except for perhaps historian or calligrapher, which might find it even useful.

 

Good point...well, maybe physicians, but really is that handwriting? :001_smile:

[Ruby Rose]

I think the idea of cursive going away is ridiculous. I think we are growing too dependent on technology. My kids will know print, cursive, and typing. Latin is a dead language, but I still see the value in teaching it.

 

Some think text-ese is appropriate, but I think it is creating a generation of illiterates. Call me old fashion.

[BillieBoy]

I think the idea of cursive going away is ridiculous. I think we are growing too dependent on technology. My kids will know print, cursive, and typing. Latin is a dead language, but I still see the value in teaching it.

 

Some think text-ese is appropriate, but I think it is creating a generation of illiterates. Call me old fashion.

 

You have a point. I, too, teach Latin, but not because it's dead. I teach it because it is an exact language, it is rooted in most modern western languages, it's used in science and law, and mainly to be able to read primary sources.

 

I don't think cursive is exact, with the many styles, opposite really. But, I can see the value of knowing cursive if only to read historic primary documents written as such.

 

I just wonder if we (the US as a whole) don't teach it for several generations, will it no longer be standard?

[frugalmama]

FWIW most historical documents written in cursive are not written in modern cursive - I work as a family historian and the cursive writing in old documents is a form unto itself. In no way shape or form does learning modern cursive help with deciphering old documents - if that's your reasoning for teaching cursive then have your child take a class on reading old documents as modern doesn't help a bit - it's like comparing apples to grapefruit!

[BillieBoy]

FWIW most historical documents written in cursive are not written in modern cursive - I work as a family historian and the cursive writing in old documents is a form unto itself. In no way shape or form does learning modern cursive help with deciphering old documents - if that's your reasoning for teaching cursive then have your child take a class on reading old documents as modern doesn't help a bit - it's like comparing apples to grapefruit!

 

No, it wasn't my reason, but I could see value in it for that reason, but maybe not. Is there a name for the style you're talking about? It would be interesting to study. What a fun and interesting job.

[frugalmama]

No, it wasn't my reason, but I could see value in it for that reason, but maybe not. Is there a name for the style you're talking about? It would be interesting to study. What a fun and interesting job.

 

There isn't really a name to my knowledge, and there are a number of style depending on who wrote a document and their station in life. http://paperpenalia.com/history.html gives a bit of history behind it in an easy form.

 

 

The only writing program at all similar to early american handwriting is Spencerian, which isn't very commonly used anymore as no one can read it :D

[justamouse]

There isn't really a name to my knowledge, and there are a number of style depending on who wrote a document and their station in life. http://paperpenalia.com/history.html gives a bit of history behind it in an easy form.

 

 

The only writing program at all similar to early american handwriting is Spencerian, which isn't very commonly used anymore as no one can read it :D

 

Actually Mott Media has had Spencerian workbooks out for kids for years.

 

Mott has been some of my most valued curric for my kids.

[Heather in AL]

Is cursive handwriting going by the wayside? Do you think in few years the SAT’s will no longer require it for their essay portions anymore? Are we hanging on to an archaic ‘art form’ when we could be more legible and more productive with print and type?

 

This is my Sunday afternoon debate with DD (age 10 grade 6). She can do it, she can read it, but doesn’t prefer it AT ALL.

 

I do believe cursive is going away. I do not believe it is an archaic art form. My cursive is much more legible than my print.

 

Also, while print and type might be more legible in many cases, I believe cursive assists in showing the writer's emotion, individuality, and attention to detail; those do not come through in print or typeface in the same fashion. I find that I can tell things about a person by their writing (even if it only tells me they were rushed at that particular time.)

 

Reading handwriting is more intimate and gives more of an 'impression' of the writer than type or print. JMHO.

 

Not if I can help it. It is how English has been written for hundreds of years. It is how it is written in other English-speaking countries. It is how our own source documents were written, personal and historical. Why would anyone let it languish?

 

The more you require your dd to write in cursive, the less she will hate it. And even if she doesn't, she still needs to. JMHO.

 

:D

 

:iagree: My kids fought me over writing in cursive. Ds, who hates to write anything, found his cursive to be much more efficient in his college classes than print when note taking. Also, he discovered his cursive is much nicer than his print, so now he chooses to write in cursive~~ even notes to himself or when he adds something to my grocery list.

 

I think the idea of cursive going away is ridiculous. I think we are growing too dependent on technology. My kids will know print, cursive, and typing. Latin is a dead language, but I still see the value in teaching it.

 

Some think text-ese is appropriate, but I think it is creating a generation of illiterates. Call me old fashion.

 

:iagree:with all of this.

 

FWIW most historical documents written in cursive are not written in modern cursive - I work as a family historian and the cursive writing in old documents is a form unto itself. In no way shape or form does learning modern cursive help with deciphering old documents - if that's your reasoning for teaching cursive then have your child take a class on reading old documents as modern doesn't help a bit - it's like comparing apples to grapefruit!

 

This is true. I have come across several documents written in "English" that are very difficult to read and it has nothing to do with how the language at the time was used. I mostly notice the differences when reading documents from other countries. Those "flourishes" are hard to decipher! :D

 

I strongly feel that cursive should still be taught. In addition to the reasons mentioned in this thread, I viewed it as a lesson in "stick-with-it-ness". Learning cursive is challenging. It was one of the earliest challenges my kids faced in schoolwork, so once they 'got it', they were proud of themselves. It ranks up there with riding their bikes for the first time without training wheels. It takes patience, but once you can do it, you'll always be able to do it.

 

Oh, and ds said he no longer writes in cursive in his college classes when he has to write something on the board or that his group partners will have to read because he has had too many students tell him they can't read his writing. He has wonderful cursive, so it has nothing to do with how legible his writing is, but the mere fact that they can't read cursive. :glare:

[TheHomeScientist]

I'm 58 years old. Other than my signature, I think the last time I used cursive rather than printing was probably at least 40 years ago. Actually, I go further. My printing is all capitals, with capitalized letters larger than my "lower-case" capitals.

 

Printing is at least as fast as cursive, and a random specimen of printing is much more likely to be easily readable than a random sample of cursive. The argument about using cursive to develop fine motor skills is correct, as far as it goes, but children learning to print neatly develop those same skills.

 

Cursive is as obsolete as quill pens, and should have gone away about the same time. With everything kids need to learn, I think it's a waste of time to devote any effort to teaching cursive.

 

Someone mentioned Latin. It's perhaps significant that the Romans printed, and did so very efficiently.

[camikins2010]

I personally prefer printing since both my children have horrible handwriting...I do too :)...I so appreciate receiving a letter written in cursive. I pray it does not go away.

[Serenade]

People in the field of education seem to want to make it disappear.

 

I think it takes up too much teaching time, and that is why educators don't like it.

 

Those of you with kids in private schools, is cursive disappearing there, too? I'm wondering if this is mostly a public school trend.

 

Some think text-ese is appropriate, but I think it is creating a generation of illiterates. Call me old fashion.

 

Agreeing 100%.

 

Adding here, that my oldest son, who struggled with printing, has a very nice cursive style. His printing and his cursive are like night and day, with the cursive being way neater and easier to read. His cursive is nicer than mine. He doesn't like to write -- in fact, it was torture to him for years, but he is finally in a place now where he is somewhat comfortable with it. I think learning to write in cursive has helped him.

[J-rap]

I believe cursive is going away. In public schools, it's taught in 3rd and 4th grades, and then never required again. Even papers written during 3rd and 4th grades don't require it. Most kids I know can sign their names in cursive, but print everything else. Cursive is faster, but typing is fastest, so typing onto a computer is taking the place of cursive.

 

Personally, I'll miss it. I far prefer to write in cursive than to print. It's faster.

[LucyStoner]

Good to know. I remember doing a prep class in boarding school and the nun beat it in to us that we had to. :glare: Of course, that was million years ago. :tongue_smilie:

 

There was not an essay portion on the SAT until 2005. Were you thinking of the SAT II Subject Test or an AP test maybe?

[BillieBoy]

There was not an essay portion on the SAT until 2005. Were you thinking of the SAT II Subject Test or an AP test maybe?

 

My bad, I had to take the SAT's and PSAT's (mid west). For the PSAT's our school required an additional essay. My boarding school was affiliated/joined with a private college, maybe it was their requirement. ??? But, um, it was a million years ago. :D

[BillieBoy]

My bad, I had to take the SAT's and PSAT's (mid west). For the PSAT's our school required an additional essay. My boarding school was affiliated/joined with a private college, maybe it was their requirement. ??? But, um, it was a million years ago. :D

 

Oh shoot, maybe it was the ACT's.... Oh my goodness. I really am old. Now, where did I put my kid?? :lol:

[Heather in Neverland]

I don't think the SATs have to be written in cursive. I believe print is fine.

 

This is true and they will go to computerized soon. In Michigan, they are already piloting the state standardized test on computers.

 

 

You can get through life quite nicely without cursive.

[Heather in Neverland]

I think it takes up too much teaching time, and that is why educators don't like it.

 

Those of you with kids in private schools, is cursive disappearing there, too? I'm wondering if this is mostly a public school trend.

 

.

 

We teach cursive in third grade only and even that is optional to the teacher. If she didn't want to teach it I wouldn't make her.

[FO4UR]

It isn't going away, but fewer and fewer students are learning it.

 

 

My 8yo has a neater and faster hand with cursive. I will let him choose print or cursive, and he will choose cursive.

 

He has all the typical beginner problems (multiplied!!!) of spacing, sizing, reversals, etc....with printing. All of those problems disappear in cursive.

 

 

 

I do think that people are judged by their handwriting just much as they are judged by clothes that they wear. (for better or for worse) It *is* important to teach. imho

 

 

That said, I also start mine typing in 1st grade. There is no reason to think choosing one is excluding the other. Both are well within easy reach.

[desertmum]

While it is true that most students will be using a laptop to take notes in college I believe handwriting is important. It 'teaches' the brain how to spell words and form sentences. IMHO

[Alenee]

Not if I can help it. It is how English has been written for hundreds of years. It is how it is written in other English-speaking countries. It is how our own source documents were written, personal and historical. Why would anyone let it languish?

 

The more you require your dd to write in cursive, the less she will hate it. And even if she doesn't, she still needs to. JMHO.

 

:D

 

:iagree: Yup! I do have a dd who hates any handwriting but cursive is her go-to style. A little a day is all you need!

[MistyMountain]

I believe cursive is going away. In public schools, it's taught in 3rd and 4th grades, and then never required again. Even papers written during 3rd and 4th grades don't require it.

 

 

That is how it was done when I was in school and I am 30.

[SorrelZG]

While it is true that most students will be using a laptop to take notes in college I believe handwriting is important. It 'teaches' the brain how to spell words and form sentences. IMHO

 

I definitely find writing to be a different experience to typing. Typing notes doesn't even work well for all of us. Personally I need to write and draw - thankfully typing isn't necessary now that we are in the age of the touchscreen and stylus. :D

 

 

Well, I suppose I have to give in to the fact that I can't write as fast as I can type. :(

 

 

Oops, and sorry for dragging up an old thread .. I'm just wrestling with this cursive issue. I was content so long as it was what DS was into but now that his enthusiasm is flailing I'm just not sure I want to require it. *sigh*

Edited March 28, 2012 by SCGS

[Ruby Rose]

I recently read (when researching cursive first) that cursive was made for the hand and manuscript was made for printing machines. Only in the last 80-100 years has manuscript even been taught. A lot of non-English countries do not teach manuscript. I thought that was interesting.

[KidsHappen]

Coming from the other end of the spectrum, I have reached an age where my hands shake anywhere from slightly to severely when trying to preform fine motor skills with my hands. On a good day, my hand writing is obviously shaky and on a bad day illegible. More than once my dd has had adults call regarding my signature because they thought it was forged. On the other hand I can print almost as fast and it is fairly legible. I know that I am not the only older person that has this problem. I can barely read my MIL's handwriting now whereas it was easily legible 30 years ago.

[justLisa]

I think some kind of connected/partially connected writing CAN increase speed, but not always. I went through a cursive book with my two, and they prefer to not use it . What I DO, is print out sentences/short stories in cursive just to be able to read it.

 

And the loopy cursive is NOT the only cursive that is used in other countries.

[SorrelZG]

I think some kind of connected/partially connected writing CAN increase speed, but not always. I went through a cursive book with my two, and they prefer to not use it . What I DO, is print out sentences/short stories in cursive just to be able to read it.

 

And the loopy cursive is NOT the only cursive that is used in other countries.

 

This jogged a memory - I went to school in another country and we weren't taught the cursive the way DS is learning it (the style used in Cursive First). My mother was taught that way but when I was in school they taught us print with no tails, in 2nd we added tails (end connecting strokes) and began slanting and then it was eventually joined. What style does that sound like? Italics, maybe? I don't know. I had just forgotten that the old style wasn't even how I was taught.

[Ester Maria]

Millions of proficient typists are also good at writing in cursive. There's no reason in the world why a person can't learn both. Millions have easily learned both.

:iagree:

[Heather in Neverland]

I just wonder if we (the US as a whole) don't teach it for several generations, will it no longer be standard?

 

I really don't think it is a standard now. I don't know very many elementary schools that still teach it. In my school it is optional and left to the individual teacher but I don't require it. Most of the kids print or use a computer.

 

I never write in cursive except to sign my name. In fact, I rarely handwrite anything. Everything is done via computer, iPhone, iPad, etc. these days.

 

In an age where parents want more and more crammed into the elementary schedule, something had to go. The parents of my students would rather us teach computer skills, foreign languages, etc. than cursive.

 

Also, when I taught AP English, they told us during training that they would MUCH rather the kids print than use cursive because it is more legible.

 

 

.