Heart_Mom Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 I started teaching my oldest cursive when he was 8 years old. We first used Cheerful Cursive, which didn't go well for him (but it's been great for my 2nd child!), and now we've done two levels of HWT cursive. Well actually, he's almost finished the 2nd HWT cursive book. It's just not going well. He can do it, but with difficulty. It's legible if he really tries. Today he had a copywork assignment in HOD to copy from a cursive model and he really struggled with it. It's hard for him to copy from a traditional cursive after learning the HWT model. And just writing in cursive (composing something) is hard for him too. I'm tempted to just let him print and not worry about writing in cursive. He can read cursive, and he can write his name in cursive. Is there really a need for him to write well in cursive? I guess I'm trying to figure out if it's worth it to continue... TIA!:001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momma4Boys Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 IMO the only reason we learn to write in cursive is to increase the speed of our writing - it can be much faster than printing. But if you hate writing in cursive (and you have been given the opportunity to learn it) then write however you prefer. My father is an engineer and has chosen to print his whole adult life - he has survived just fine :D the writing process for boys is hard enough... IHTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 If his printing can be read by others then let him write how he feels most comfortable. I'd work on typing skills if not doing cursive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heart_Mom Posted June 13, 2012 Author Share Posted June 13, 2012 IMO the only reason we learn to write in cursive is to increase the speed of our writing - it can be much faster than printing. But if you hate writing in cursive (and you have been given the opportunity to learn it) then write however you prefer. My father is an engineer and has chosen to print his whole adult life - he has survived just fine :D the writing process for boys is hard enough... IHTH Printing is certainly faster for him than cursive. I didn't want him to throw in the towel on cursive right away, but if it hasn't clicked after 2-3 years of trying, I'm not sure if it ever will. And you're right about the writing process being hard for boys anyway! I'm amazed at how easy it is for my 8 year old daughter to write in cursive (and how pretty it looks!). Even my 5 year old daughter loves to do copywork for fun. Um ... my son has NEVER done copywork for fun. (And I'm assuming that's typical!) If his printing can be read by others then let him write how he feels most comfortable. I'd work on typing skills if not doing cursive. His printing can be read by others ... at least most of the time! That's a great idea to do typing to take the place of cursive. That will probably be a skill that will serve him much better in his future anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
................... Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 I'm going with "no" too. Since he can read cursive writing just fine and sign his name in cursive that's good. At his age, it's too late to bother establishing cursive because at this point he needs to learn to type. Which is also a time consuming skill. I would continue requiring that he wrote his name in cursive on all daily work so that he will always know how to sign his name. And I recommend Typing Instructor for Kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heart_Mom Posted June 13, 2012 Author Share Posted June 13, 2012 I'm going with "no" too. Since he can read cursive writing just fine and sign his name in cursive that's good. At his age, it's too late to bother establishing cursive because at this point he needs to learn to type. Which is also a time consuming skill. I would continue requiring that he wrote his name in cursive on all daily work so that he will always know how to sign his name. And I recommend Typing Instructor for Kids. That's a good point that typing is going to take him a while to master, and that is necessary. I think that's a great idea that he continue to write his name in cursive on his papers. I need to think of a way to keep him reading cursive fairly frequently. Suggestions anyone? We already have a typing program called "All the Right Type" that we'll try, but I'll keep your suggestion in mind if he has trouble with it. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
................... Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 Well you can just write all his assignments in cursive. That's what I do. My kids don't realize that I do that partly on purpose to be sure they are getting practice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walking-Iris Posted June 13, 2012 Share Posted June 13, 2012 Well you can just write all his assignments in cursive. That's what I do. My kids don't realize that I do that partly on purpose to be sure they are getting practice. That's a pretty good idea. My 9 year old learned cursive with HWT and he does well with it. But his printing is faster and he prefers to print. I just ask him to continue to sign his name in cursive, and when doing a spelling list I ask him to throw in some cursive sometimes just to keep the skill sharp. But then again I think of learning cursive as a brain development thing more than a handwriting thing. Also Iwanted to add that I had my ds work through a zaner bloser book after learning the HWT model. He had fun trying to blend the two together to make his own style. And I talk about how he can get creative and blend some print and cursive as long as it can be read. For me the ultimate goal for handwriting is legibility and expression. I want then to have a personal way to write rather than a rigid adherence to a certain model. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsMe Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 I'm of the mindset that just because kids have problems with it or learning it or wanting not to, doesn't mean you throw it by the wayside and quit. It's a great developmental tool and practice makes perfect. Pare down what he has to write so it suits him, but don't dump it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walking-Iris Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 I'm of the mindset that just because kids have problems with it or learning it or wanting not to, doesn't mean you throw it by the wayside and quit. It's a great developmental tool and practice makes perfect. Pare down what he has to write so it suits him, but don't dump it. I agree. If they are having trouble with something basic like handwriting then you dig in and figure out the issue. About the OPs left handed issue. The only thing you would have to alter would be to not expect cursive to be slanted, otherwise there should be nothing at all inherently different. Even the tilting of the paper is not necessary, most people tilt or don't tilt a paper in whatever way fits. If a right handed parent were to write to show a left handed child a model, it helps to sit on the child's left hand side so they can see what you're writing. Really there's no big deal about being left handed. Our entire family is besides my dh and his brother and his entire family are as well. No big deal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 The more he is required to write in cursive--which should be everything except labeling maps--the more "fluent" he will become. Cursive is how English has been written for centuries; manuscript was invented only recently. All our souce documents were written in cursive (although when they were written, there wasn't a choice between "writing" and...well, anything else.) How sad to think that someday American citizens won't be able to read them. :-( Other English-speaking countries don't seem to have a problem with their children learning cursive. Are our children less capable than theirs? :confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walking-Iris Posted June 16, 2012 Share Posted June 16, 2012 (edited) The more he is required to write in cursive--which should be everything except labeling maps--the more "fluent" he will become. really? Everything should be written in cursive? I agree with the rest of your post and think cursive is important, but I wouldn't necessarily expect everything to be written in it. To each his own. To each her own. ;) Edited June 16, 2012 by Walking-Iris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heart_Mom Posted June 16, 2012 Author Share Posted June 16, 2012 Thanks to everyone for your advice. My husband and I are considering what would be best to do here. I honestly don't think he's quite ready for cursive copywork. If we decide to continue cursive, I think I'll have him do a cursive handwriting book like PenTime to help him gain fluency. Lots to ponder! Thanks, ladies! :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
black_midori Posted June 16, 2012 Share Posted June 16, 2012 Once they know it well enough to read it & competently write it & sign their name, I'd let it be a choice. I will continue at least another year with my 8yo, but if he continues to dislike it & yet knows enough we will be done. I want him to give it a fair try, which to me means he will have at least 1 school year (maybe this one, maybe next) where he writes a LARGE part in cursive. Once that is done, I will pretty much just tell him "write neatly" and let his choice be cursive or print. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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