2nd Grade Cursive?

[zenjenn]

So I'd like to start my 2nd grader (actually young 2nd grader - just turned 7 in May) on cursive next year. My mom is a public school teacher and STRONGLY believes that 2nd grade is too early. She taught 3rd grade for almost 20 yrs and thought it was too early for some kids even then. She is worried about it being an exercise in frustration. She is an experienced teacher and, she's mom of course, so it's hard to dismiss it without giving what she's saying some thought. I'd like to feel out the collective wisdom/experience here.

 

I think this 2nd grader's manuscript though is pretty solid? Here's a sample from May - totally free writing, no instruction or correction from me whatsoever:

 

 

Now she wants to do cursive and is starting to try on her own so I think it might be better to just go with it and get her instruction. Experiences?

 

Also..

 

I used HWOT for my 4th grader to learn cursive last year (in 3rd grade). For me that was a no-brainer. She is left-handed and dyslexic and the clarity and vertical orientation of HWOT style was clearly the best match for her.

 

This 2nd grader is right handed and has no issues and I'm wondering several things now:

 

1) Is 2nd grade too early?

2) Should we stick with HWOT just for consistency in the home?

3) If not, what curriculum/style should we use?

[Mrs Twain]

I taught my 3rd grade son cursive last year. He is still working on it as a rising fourth grader. Third grade was appropriate for him because we have had so many issues with his printing.

 

However, my rising second grade girl (who wants to be an artist) has beautiful penmanship. She has no need for any further practice in printing letters. It is boring for her besides. She wants to start cursive in second grade, and so I agreed. I think it is entirely appropriate for her, though it would not have been for my son when he was in 2nd grade.

 

FYI, I use HWOT cursive. I think it is excellent, simple, and straight forward to learn. I am exceedingly happy with the results.

[~Amanda~]

I just reread the WTM this weekend, so its still fresh in my mind; there is one handwriting style, I think its ZB, that starts cursive at the beginning of the second. the other one, I think its HWOT, that starts in 3rd.

[zenjenn]

I agree about HWOT, although my first reaction to seeing it was that it was so *bubbly* like the bubble cursive some women have that (sorry, not to insult anyone here, seriously) that some people might read and take the person less seriously. Kind of like sending a business memo in Comic Sans.

 

However, I swallowed my prejudice for the case of my older girl who is a lefty. I am a lefty and I know I had an *exceedingly difficult time* with the cursive because of the right slant. Through the years I developed my own style that is vertical but it is not bubbly like HWOT. However with my older DD and being lefty, dyslexic, etc, I did not think fighting bubble-writing was a battle worth taking on, for sure. HWOT *worked* and she can write legibly in cursive and it was fairly painless.

 

However, she is developing bubbly writing. However, I'm not sure if that's HWOT or if that's her (she has a very bubbly personality, too. I think it may be unavoidable!)

 

Has anyone used HWOT and had a kid NOT end up with bubble writing?

[zenjenn]

What is ZB?

[~Amanda~]

zaner-bloser

 

http://www.zaner-bloser.com/zaner-bloser-handwriting/zaner-bloser-handwriting-zb-fontsonline

[Eileen Aroon]

We did Memoria Press's New American Cursive. I thought it was the most aesthetically pleasing of all the "early learning" cursives. I agree with you on HWOT I love the teaching method but the actual finished product is pretty ugly in my opinion.

 

NAC was easy for my dd7 who is, like your child, an artistic righty. Good luck. We could have done two workbooks in one year but because of budget, we just did one to get the rules down and then used free worksheets from the web. Totally doable.

[~Amanda~]

We did Memoria Press's New American Cursive. I thought it was the most aesthetically pleasing of all the "early learning" cursives. I agree with you on HWOT I love the teaching method but the actual finished product is pretty ugly in my opinion.

 

NAC was easy for my dd7 who is, like your child, an artistic righty. Good luck. We could have done two workbooks in one year but because of budget, we just did one to get the rules down and then used free worksheets from the web. Totally doable.

Thank you for this recommendation. I'm liking this one!!

[lotsofpumpkins]

My 2nd grader is learning cursive using this:

http://www.christianbook.com/handwriting-simplified-learning-writing-level-c/1571102272/pd/570227?product_redirect=1&Ntt=570227&item_code=&Ntk=keywords&event=ESRCP

 

His manuscript is beautiful, and he's been asking to start cursive for a few months now. I used this workbook with my oldest two also. It's cheap and gets the job done. I just say to do a little bit each day; I don't try to plan it out.

 

I'd go ahead and start cursive if I were you. Your dd is asking for it, so it sounds like she'll enjoy it.

[abacus2]

We did cursive last year in second. It was totally fine. The great thing about homeschooling is you can put it off if it doesn't go well for some reason.

[SilverMoon]

My 6yo (7 later this summer) started working on cursive the last month or two of her first grade year. Her writing was comparable to your example, and she's done just fine. I used the free printables from learningpages.com to get her started on new letters, then made my own copywork for her on writing tablet. She was ecstatic to be doing such a big kid thing, and didn't experience frustration.

 

Especially considering her high interest, I'd let her begin. If she does get frustrated you can always slow down or just drop it until next year. Starting now doesn't mean she'd be locked into it for life.

[justamouse]

It's not an exercise in frustration, but it will be if you try and teach it later. Did you get a chance to listen to SWB's lecture on THe Society for Classical Learning? Preconference 01? She talks about it (toward the end, mind you) and why it's important.

 

My kids have never learned manuscript. They started out with cursive and it's all good. There's not confusion, there's no problems. My 6 year old's cursive is gorgeous. SHe's a girl, you know how that is with the pretty handwriting, but still, even my boys have good handwriting.

 

If I were to teach cursive to a second grader, I would also use MP. I actually bought all of their cursive copy work books. My kids were a bit too advanced for them because they'd learned cursive first, but for a kid in 2nd just starting out, they're perfect.

Edited July 22, 2012 by justamouse

[BatmansWife]

I really like the New American Cursive, but what I don't like about it is that there are only 2 books. We planned on using Pentime this coming year (I really like that there are so many books), but then we decided to us The Logic of English and they have their own cursive book. I'm a bit torn, because I like the look of the Pentime books. But, in comparing the LoE cursive to Pentime, I'm like LoE better (they just have one book though). But, if we are using LoE and the student pages are in LoE cursive I might as well us LoE. OK....I'm rambling now. Here is a comparison chart that might be helpful (doesn't include LoE though).

[AnaShoo]

I'm kind of surprised people think printing needs to be solid before you do cursive. I'm actually switching my rising second grader to cursive because his printing is so poor. He is struggling with remembering to start each stroke in the right place, and in general hates writing. He thinks cursive is pretty cool, though, and is doing far better with it. As far as I'm concerned, just learning to write in whatever way is easiest/more enjoyable for my kids is most important in the early years. There's plenty of time to go back to printing and relearn it (since he will need to work on it for filling out forms and such).

[g7s22]

Hi, My DD8 started cursive last year in second grade because she had a strong desire to do so. We used A Reason for Handwriting level T and she enjoyed it. I didn't think she was too young. She occasionally got frustrated, but no more than any other subject:001_smile:

[ThePW]

My 2nd grader is learning cursive using this:

http://www.christianbook.com/handwriting-simplified-learning-writing-level-c/1571102272/pd/570227?product_redirect=1&Ntt=570227&item_code=&Ntk=keywords&event=ESRCP

 

His manuscript is beautiful, and he's been asking to start cursive for a few months now. I used this workbook with my oldest two also. It's cheap and gets the job done. I just say to do a little bit each day; I don't try to plan it out.

 

I'd go ahead and start cursive if I were you. Your dd is asking for it, so it sounds like she'll enjoy it.

 

My second grader (and fifth grader) are using this series of books, they are zaner-bloser style and I really like them so far.

 

My 2nd grader has started with the 'B' Book which transitions to cursive about half way through. (CBD has free shippping until tommorow I think for homeschoolers :001_smile: )

[fourisenough]

I taught all my girls cursive in 2nd grade (age 7 for the first two and DD3 was 6 -turning 7 mid-way through 2nd) using Zaner-Bloser's "2C" book. It begins with a review of manuscript and then moves into cursive.

 

My rising 3rd grader (one year later) uses cursive fluently, quickly, and well for all her school work.

 

I think the admonition to wait another year is a pretty typical public school bias. My cousin who is a primary (1st grade) teacher was SHOCKED to see my daughter writing in cursive over the last year.

[sleeplessnights]

Memoria Press' New American Cursive was designed for 1st graders:

 

http://www.memoriapress.com/descriptions/new-cursive.html

[TheAutumnOak]

It's not an exercise in frustration, but it will be if you try and teach it later. Did you get a chance to listen to SWB's lecture on THe Society for Classical Learning? Preconference 01? She talks about it (toward the end, mind you) and why it's important.

 

My kids have never learned manuscript. They started out with cursive and it's all good. There's not confusion, there's no problems. My 6 year old's cursive is gorgeous. SHe's a girl, you know how that is with the pretty handwriting, but still, even my boys have good handwriting.

 

If I were to teach cursive to a second grader, I would also use MP. I actually bought all of their cursive copy work books. My kids were a bit too advanced for them because they'd learned cursive first, but for a kid in 2nd just starting out, they're perfect.

 

:iagree: We start cursive here in K or first grade...We are using Memoria Press New American Cursive...I personally learned a slightly different way when I was younger and prefer the way I learned, but MP's is fine and I find it easier to teach it...I also have the StartWrite program that allows me to type up anything (including my own copywork) in the New American Cursive font...I got it for about $30 at Rainbow Resource...

[chepyl]

My 6 year old asked to learn cursive last year. We started and he decided he did not want to do it anymore. He can write his name and his sister's name. He did not have a hard time learning to write the letters, he just got tired of writing, so we backed off.

 

I am not using a curriculum, I wrote the letters and he copies my writing.

[Berta]

I started my daughter last year for 1st grade with cursive. It comes very easily to her and her writing is beautiful. She also turned 7 in May and will be starting 2nd grade. We use A Reason For Handwriting and she is now on book D.

 

I put her in PS in the middle of 1st grade due to me having to work full time. Her teacher was shocked that she could write in cursive and refused to let her do any of her work in cursive. This year she will have the same teacher for 2nd grade (she looped up to 2nd) and this year I will be requesting that she be allowed to write in cursive since it's easier for her. I really don't want to hear that she can't because the other kids don't know cursive. They never will, since the school here has done away with it.

[ScoutTN]

We are going to start MP's NAC this fall with DD who is also a young 7yo.

She is a lefty with no learning issues and we did HWOT manuscript.

I don't like their cursive.

[blondeviolin]

We'll be doing NAC as well. You should really direct any naysayers to the benefits of learning cursive first.

[momaof3]

I'm kind of surprised people think printing needs to be solid before you do cursive. I'm actually switching my rising second grader to cursive because his printing is so poor. He is struggling with remembering to start each stroke in the right place, and in general hates writing. He thinks cursive is pretty cool, though, and is doing far better with it. As far as I'm concerned, just learning to write in whatever way is easiest/more enjoyable for my kids is most important in the early years. There's plenty of time to go back to printing and relearn it (since he will need to work on it for filling out forms and such).

I agree. I actually read somewhere that many children will learn cursive easier than printing. A child who has sloppy printing may have beautiful cursive and vice versa. I will also be starting my rising 2nd grader on cursive this year. I used MP for my oldest last year and loved it but don't think it will be a good fit for my 2nd grader. I am thinking of using RS this year because it has both manuscript and cursive.

[MiniBlondes]

My 2nd grader (born in April) will be doing HWT 3 Cursive this year. Her print is comparable to your DD. She sees her older sister writing in cursive and is anxious to try it herself.

 

I can't predict how well it will work. But we are going to try it anyway. :)

Edited July 23, 2012 by MiniBlondes

[Classically Minded]

I started cursive with my dd in early 1st grade and it actually hindered her reading, she began to have issues and slowed waaay down. Upon reading some articles, I came to the conclusion that the cursive was the culprit. Books and most reading is in print and for her, cursive was interfering in the learning to read process. We immediately stopped the cursive and her reading picked up dramatically and she was reading on a 4th grade level by mid-1st grade year!

 

We went back to the cursive at the start of 2nd grade after all her phonics training was complete and she did great with it. We use Memoria Press' New American Cursive and both of us love it. She self-taught herself with the book and I liked how I didn't have to explain it, but rather Mr. Meerkat did in the book. We are in the 2nd book now and they also have a book of NAC for Prima Latina. You can buy the software also and make your own copywork.