Why Handwriting? Positive/inquiry replies only please.

[Tsuga]

We don't do handwriting. I can see that many people here do penmanship, cursive, etc.

 

I am not interested in hosting a big debate about why, so I'd rather not extensively debate the topic, but I am very curious about why people choose to teach their children handwriting and cursive.

 

Our district teaches it for one semester so that children can read old letters and write a signature if required. I'm more interested in learning about why handwriting fluency is taught as a primary/elementary subject.

 

This question should not be confused with "why writing" or "why know your letters" which are quite different questions in my opinion.

[OneStepAtATime]

I focus on handwriting for my son because he is dysgraphic and needed explicit, long term instruction and practice to be able to write.  Cursive was actually easier for him than print so we also incorporate cursive.  DD likes cursive so she also practices cursive.

 

But we don't make handwriting a big deal in our household.  It doesn't take up all of our day.  It is just one of the things that we do.  DD, for instance, doesn't have to do copywork for her handwriting nor does she have to do cursive.  She chooses to do some cursive practice.  Copywork exists because our grammar program has copywork.  

 

I do keep them mindful of making their writing legible.  Writing is a form of communication, but if no one can read it, there is no communication.

 

FWIW, I don't see teaching cursive for a semester as terrible useful.  It seems to me there would be little retention or mastery.  For DD, her school started teaching cursive in 2nd grade and she was still mastering it in 5th.  Now that we homeschool she still needs periodic practice to remember how to write and read the letters.  She does it because she doesn't want to lose a skill she worked hard to attain.  Do I emphasize it, though?  No.  

[katilac]

1) Because I think taking notes by hand is one of the most effective ways of processing information.

 

2) Because truly poor handwriting makes a poor impression. 

 

3) Because practicing handwriting makes it more of a smooth and painless process (see #1). 

 

4) Because I can't correct their work if I can't read it. 

[FO4UR]

We don't do penmanship as a separate subject beyond kindy/1st. I incorporate it into spelling though. 

 

Why?  b/c just like people make 1st impression judgement calls based upon appearance, people make judgement calls, especially about educational level, based on a person's handwriting.  It is not always true that nice handwriting = well-educated (maybe not even 1/2 of the time), but it is still an automatic stereotype in our world. Wear professional clothing and use your best penmanship...and brush your teeth.

 

 

Also, for dyslexic/dysgraphic kiddos, cursive is ergonomic and harder to reverse letters.  Harder, not impossible.  (ha!)  These kids simply need direct practice to build fluency while other kids might be able to do well enough simply writing in other subjects.

 

 

Then there is the aesthetic side of things.  One of mine just likes the feel of a nice pen and paper. 

 

 

 

 

 

[purpleowl]

Are you asking why cursive as opposed to print?  Or are you asking why spend time focusing on what the writing looks like (legibility/beauty)?  I'm going to answer as though it's the first question.

 

I have read that learning to write with the letters joined together helps the child with learning to blend letters in reading.  Cursive also seems to be associated with fewer letter reversal issues.  There was also something I read about the motions used to write cursive, but I can't remember exactly - maybe it was that there are fewer motions or that the motions were more natural to write than the straight lines of print, not sure.  Sorry I don't have citations; these are just things off the top of my head that I remember reading when I was making the decision.

 

Finally, there's the fact that I just like it and want my kids to know it.  Same reason they'll all learn at least the basics of playing piano - there may be other benefits, but ultimately, it's an optional thing that I choose because I like it.

[eternalsummer]

I have a couple of answers to this:

 

one is that we don't teach handwriting once the kid can write legibly.  It's important to read cursive but I dunno about writing it; DD9 can write cursive and has functional handwriting.

 

DS6 has poor handwriting, so we're working on it.

 

 

another answer is that I used to have a job grading papers for Pearson - writing and reading tests for kids in 3rd-12th, all different levels, usually statewide tests (the VA SOLs, the AZ AIM tests, things like that), and I also graded the ACT writing portion.

I am reasonably convinced that you could score the ACT and other upper-level writing tests within the acceptable levels of accuracy  just by scanning for keywords, paragraph length, transition words, and handwriting.

 

You could come really close to acceptable levels of accuracy grading by handwriting and length or response alone.  If you read nothing, not one word, and just gave it a score based on consistency of handwriting - not beautiful handwriting, or perfectly formed, just a certain sort of regularity of character formation -  and length, you would, as a guess, get within 1 point (on a scale of 7) 75-80% of the time.

 

I suspect this is the case because kids with regular, consistent handwriting have written a lot, which means they've taken notes? a lot?  and just in general done more work through the years than kids with poor handwriting.  Honestly I'm not entirely sure why the correlation exists, but it definitely exists.

 

I only read the responses because I felt compelled by honor; there was no need to do so in order to stay employed.

 

 

At any rate, the ideal solution would be to have kids able to type these papers instead of handwrite them -but then you are disadvantaging kids with poor typing skills, so I guess that might be worse.  

[regentrude]

I do not understand the question. People need to be able to write legibly and quickly by hand.

None of my college students take notes on a keyboard. Most write with pen/pencil on paper; those who take notes on a tablet write by hand with a stylus.

Notetaking by hand has been shown to increase retention and improve processing of the information.

 

http://www.academia.edu/6273095/The_Pen_Is_Mightier_Than_The_Keyboard_Advantages_of_Longhand_Over_Laptop_Note_Taking

 

Are you asking why cursive instead of print? It is faster.

[RoundAbout]

1)  There have been quite a few articles about how handwriting, and particularly cursive, is good for the brain.  Not sure if they are true, but since it only takes 10 minutes of our day, and its not a struggle, I decided to err on the side of it being a good thing to teach.

 

2)   Supposedly its easier to remember things that you have written by hand vs. typed.  If true, it seems like being able to write efficiently would be a benefit in note taking.

 

3)  Aesthetics.  Just this past week my husband received a handwritten note from someone in a very senior position.  It was printed, and legible, but frankly looked very childish.   For better, or worse, it made them seem less mature and competent.  If I wasn't going to teach cursive I would at least work on developing a good looking style of printing.

[Guest]

1) Because I think taking notes by hand is one of the most effective ways of processing information.

 

2) Because truly poor handwriting makes a poor impression.

 

3) Because practicing handwriting makes it more of a smooth and painless process (see #1).

 

4) Because I can't correct their work if I can't read it.

Everything Katliac said. Plus, I have poor handwriting and it's an ongoing source of embarrassment for me as an adult. It makes an impression and not a good one.

[Epicurean]

I went to a public school where handwriting wasn't practiced and cursive wasn't taught at all. My handwriting is atrocious. I'm actually making my way through Italic Handwriting Book G from Getty-Dubay in an attempt to make it more of a model for my children when I write instructions, notes on the board, etc.

 

There are a couple of reasons I regret not being made to practice, and why it will be a part of our homeschool until at least fourth grade:

 

1. Job Applications. Even in our keyboard-centric world, I think handwritten job applications will be here for a long time, and like it or not, job applicants are judged on their penmanship. An applicant whose writing looks like the scrawl of an eight year old can't compete against a similarly qualified applicant whose script is neat, uniform, and legible. A person whose penmanship is professional gives the impression that they themselves embody professional qualities, and vice versa.

 

2. Poor handwriting can lead to poor creative writing. A person who is dissatisfied with the way their writing looks and who has not gained complete mastery over handwriting will become demoralized about the draft of an essay, poem or story they were working on. I can attest to this from first-hand experience. Their hand hurts, their work looks sloppy, just getting it down on the page it itself a feat, not to mention the mental effort of coming up with fresh ideas. A person who is fairly confident in their penmanship doesn't have to work nearly as hard.

 

3. Using a computer to the exclusion of handwriting drafts stunts creativity. Again, I speak from personal experience. When you type something, the ability to edit (and re-edit and re-edit and re-edit) gets in the way of creative flow. There's so much at your hands (thesaurus! dictionary! spell check!) that it become paralyzing. You can edit so much and so easily, the student isn't trained to really think before they write and to follow an idea to its end without stopping to edit. On the other hand, writing the old fashioned way means that there's little opportunity for deviation of thought. There are no distractions. Putting pencil to paper is somehow more final than just typing on a plastic keyboard, and yet it is natural enough that it doesn't impede the creative process. YMMV, of course, but I've seen lots of professional writers express this sentiment.

 

4. They won't feel shame when they must write something handwritten as an adult, such as a thank you note. My ideas and sentiments are those of an adult, but my handwriting is not. It's embarrassing. My handwriting isn't the worst handwriting I've ever seen, but as the vehicle for my complex thoughts and emotions, it is childish and careless and sloppy.

 

Now, I have survived adulthood without having been formally taught cursive. I don't think cursive is a big deal. I'll be teaching linked Italic, but only because it offers a slightly faster method of note taking. I don't really feel burned because I didn't learn cursive. I do feel robbed because my handwriting was never made a priority. I'm trying to change it, but years of ingrained bad habits make it much more difficult than it would be for an elementary student.

[Tsuga]

Are you asking why cursive as opposed to print?  Or are you asking why spend time focusing on what the writing looks like (legibility/beauty)?  I'm going to answer as though it's the first question.

 

Yes, the first. Legible writing for some children takes a lot of instruction, but for most it does not, so I'm more asking about why focus on a specific type of instruction, such as cursive, or intensive script, versus typing. Though, I'd put "beautiful print" in the same category as cursive, since many schools don't teach it any more, for reasons which, while many may not agree with them, I assume are well known.

[Tsuga]

Are you asking why cursive instead of print? It is faster.

 

No, no, I realize cursive is faster, but it's also not hard to do it poorly. Thank you for clarifying.

 

Also, thanks to all who've replied so far. Very good information to have. I appreciate it.

[LucyStoner]

We found that handwriting practice helped our son, who has motor skill issues due to ASD, improve his overall fine motor skills.

 

He has some dysgraphia and types most of his work but legible writing for math and short notes and stuff is a good thing to have.

 

It was also not all that time consuming to do. Just a little practice each day.

[Ellie]

We don't do handwriting. I can see that many people here do penmanship, cursive, etc.

 

I am not interested in hosting a big debate about why, so I'd rather not extensively debate the topic, but I am very curious about why people choose to teach their children handwriting and cursive.

 

Our district teaches it for one semester so that children can read old letters and write a signature if required. I'm more interested in learning about why handwriting fluency is taught as a primary/elementary subject.

 

This question should not be confused with "why writing" or "why know your letters" which are quite different questions in my opinion.

 

It would not occur to me not to teach my children the most basic representation of literacy: good penmanship, in both cursive and manuscript. I cannot imagine their going through life not being able to express themselves fluently in writing. I cannot imagine giving them such a limited exposure to good penmanship that neither their friends/family/co-workers/whoever nor they themselves can read what they have written.

 

It would not occur to me to base my children's instruction on what the public schools do. It is not as if public education is a paragon of educational virtue.

[Tsuga]

Ellie: I was more asking why, not "why not, not". Just giving some background for the question, rather than suggesting that was a good reason not to.

[OneStepAtATime]

Oh Binip, I wanted to add that I agree with others, people are frequently judged by their handwriting. I know better since my very, very bright, articulate child has difficulty with the physical act. Yet even KNOWING that bad handwriting does not automatically mean lack of capability in other areas, even I sometimes judge. A woman the other day was filling in some information for me and her pencil grip and handwriting were pretty kindergartenish. I found myself judging her negatively regarding her ability to do what I was asking her to do. I should not have but I did.

[sbgrace]

I'm teaching it because I want my son with, um, his daddy's very poor penmanship traits, to have a fast, legible handwriting for taking college or meeting notes. I think his best chance of fast and legible for note taking is going to be a mix of cursive and print. I'm fine if he decides to print everything instead. I just want him to reach a competence level in cursive to at least have a choice.

 

Side note: I'm much better than my husband, but I never developed a nice looking cursive. I print when handwriting look matters. I do a hybrid when I need to be quick. I think this is typical of those who have learned cursive. I'm doing a state postcard exchange. We received a postcard with extremely neat, attractive, readable cursive. I wish I was capable of that!

[EndOfOrdinary]

When I was in Catholic school, we were to write with fountain pens only (no pencils, not even for math). More than four blots on a page and it was to be rewritten. Spencerian cursive was the only thing allowed. This is a bit overkill, but the whole point was to see words as art, to see them as representing who you were, and to take seriously the act of communicating as setting you forth as a person. I have carried that message with me to this day, decades later. It may seem silly, but honestly a sense of precise language and artful presentation was fostered with that infernal fountain pen.

 

My son originally learned to write for the sheer purpose of getting the words out of him. He was not really held to any standard much passed basic legibility and complete sentences. Now, writing is more a form of communication. He wants to be heard and taken seriously. He wants to have discourse with others. He wants to show adequate respect for gifts and for opportunities granted to him. As such, writing now carries a bit more weight and cursive penmanship as an artform is taking a much larger role.

 

My husband will openly admit he writes like a fourth grader. He is embarrassed by it and judged for it rather openly by those who read it. I do not want the same for my son. When your handwriting looks even and like a font, it carries more legitimacy. It is the same reason I want my son to know when to use good/well, may/can, and lay/lie.

[Guest jironarcis]

I have read that learning to write with the letters joined together helps the child with learning to blend letters in reading.

[Bluegoat]

Yes, the first. Legible writing for some children takes a lot of instruction, but for most it does not, so I'm more asking about why focus on a specific type of instruction, such as cursive, or intensive script, versus typing. Though, I'd put "beautiful print" in the same category as cursive, since many schools don't teach it any more, for reasons which, while many may not agree with them, I assume are well known.

 

With my elder daughter, i taughter her cursive before printing, because I think it actually makes a lot more sense to teach it that way.  My younger daughter had already started to teach herself to print so I didn't do quite the same thing with her, but we are now in grade 1 spending more time on cursive.  I think it comes more naturally to the hand.

 

I think that teaching people to read cursive without really learning to write it is only marginally effective, so that isn't an approach I would use.

 

I don't really think it takes time away from anything else - I don't really spend a lot of extra time on handwriting, and good printing seems to come quite naturally out of nice cursive.  Most of our cursive work is copywork that has other purposes beyond just cursive practice.  The time that is spent I think has significant benefits for motor control.

 

And a really important reason for me is that it is a union between what is functional and beautiful.  I think if we are going to do something with our hands, make some kind of physical objec, it should be done carefully and beautifully.  I think taht has an intrinsic value beyond utilitarianism.  i worked for a while in an archives, mostly looking at land documents - they were truely banal documents, but they were all quite beautiful and a joy to read in their own way.

[Junie]

I am regretting not doing handwriting instruction with ds 14 sooner.  He is just now learning cursive, only because I decided that he really needed formal instruction when he thought that one of the hardest parts of the PSAT was writing the honor statement and signing it. :)

 

I didn't start in his early years because he was a little slow with fine motor skills and I thought he would pick it up on his own when he was ready.  No wonder he calls himself the guinea pig.  

 

His handwriting definitely needs work and I plan to show him this thread today so he can see how difficult some situations could be for him if his handwriting doesn't improve.  Thank you to all who contributed!

 

 

 

 

[tm919]

My (now) 5 year old begged to learn cursive when she was 4, when she could already print well. Some older girls she knew were trying to learn at school. We looked at various cursive fonts and she chose peterson directed.

 

I think it's a point of pride to her that she can write in cursive and others can't, but it's also an artistic thing. Perhaps as fewer people can really write a nice cursive font it will become a form of expression... I think if everyone else she knew wrote the same font, she wouldn't really care about it.

[Dramorellis]

I agree with most of what has been written. I also felt it was a valuable skill to add to their tool box. They can choose to use it or not but I felt it was important to introduce it gently at a young age so then they have it if they need/want it. It has improved my son's penmanship overall. I just think it looks nicer and it is my primary mode of written communication. I guess I also put it into the same category as why watch a sunrise or why grow a garden? Beauty for beauty's sake.

[mymomtime]

I am teaching my 5 year old Don Potter's manuscript.  I am working on formation of letters and on fluency.  Once he has some fluency in writing the abc's, I will move to just copy work for handwriting.  We are after schooling, he currently is attending a play based preschool that doesn't focus on letter formation.  I would have started with cursive because that is his preference, but since he is attending PS K next year, I'm not. (FWIW: PS next year is not my choice)

 

My big kids, who have attended public school their entire school career, did NOT learn cursive at school.  They can barely even read it.  I tried teaching them at home, but well, that was before I got into homeschooling the youngest and didn't know what I was doing.  I'm thinking I am going to pick it back up this summer with them.  Just so they can write and read it.  I think it will really help both kids.  I will use Don Potter's cursive with them because I think it will be fast and give them practice that they need. 

 

Also thinking back, they didn't even do intensive manuscript handwriting in my big kids PS.  I know both my kids form letters "wrong" and I'm sure they weren't taught the "right" way.  I'm not letting that happen to the little guy.  Regret is that I wish handwriting was a bigger part of their schooling.

[Ellie]

Ellie: I was more asking why, not "why not, not". Just giving some background for the question, rather than suggesting that was a good reason not to.

 

:huh:

[Twigs]

I am a chemistry tutor. Many of the students won't write out their work, making it very difficult for me to follow their logic (or lack of!) when working our problems and be able to help them. Also, several of the instructors give partial credit for "show your work" problems. This  is one instance when being able to write quickly and legibly is important and will effect their grades. Not being able to write (print or cursive) is a huge handicap.

 

I successfully remediated my handwriting in my 40's using Getty Dubay's Write Now.

[SporkUK]

We do penmanship separately. It's one of our priorities for our kids to have good writing that is as comfortable and automatic as possible for them, that they and others can read. I teach cursive, I intend to add manuscript later for filling in forms. 

 

The why is because this was not something given my partner or I. For my partner, writing is still very painful illegible exercise to do damage along the sides of his hands and because he was taught by a left handed much older sibling so writes with a crook even though he's write handed. The importance of handwriting was dismissed by my parents and I can still recall starting college and writing rows of letters in my off time because I was so tired of having poor handwriting and it is still not as neat, comfortable, or automatic as I would like over ten years later when I write far more than most people.

 

I cannot think of a single benefit not having it as a child gained me and it is has caused many problems. I want my children to have and be able to enjoy this life skill as much as I would any other.  

 

 

[Hwin]

It does not come naturally to my oldest, so separate lessons, especially cursive, are helpful. I don't think that he will ever have beautiful handwriting, but it's certainly going to take some training if it's ever to be legible. Even he cannot read his writing. I have notebooks upon notebooks of illegible stories. Should I save them? It's kind of sad.

 

If handwriting comes naturally to my younger children, I will re-evaluate.

[Southern Ivy]

This blog post states almost perfectly why I think handwriting is a necessity. 
http://www.intoxicatedonlife.com/2014/01/23/national-handwriting-day/

[Farrar]

nm

[Tsuga]

Farrar, I just want to say you are very responsive and receptive!

 

Thank you!

[Tsuga]

Btw... I hard-code in cursive then type it. It never occurred to me that this was for any reason other than that learned math on paper. Very interesting links here.

[MomatHWTK]

I want my children to be able to read and write cursive, so I am teaching them to do so.  :)

[Alice]

Because I work with way too many doctors whose handwriting no one can read. :) 

 

[camino]

This is my first year homeschooling my oldest, who is 9 and in third grade. He has severe dysgraphia. It takes supreme effort and concentration for him to write something legible. I decided to start cursive with him because, after years of daily practice with print-handwriting, I decided it would be easier to start something new rather than try to undo his bad habits. It is also less humiliating for him because it is like learning a new language. I had heard that cursive is easier for many kids with motor issues and it definitely is for my son. For one thing, the letters often start at the bottom, which his brain seems hard-wired to do no matter how hard I have tried to change the habit! I would like him to have some way to write legibly by hand and feel proud of his work. That said, typing is clearly his most practical form and will always that in the future.

[camino]

This is my first year homeschooling my oldest, who is 9 and in third grade. He has severe dysgraphia. It takes supreme effort and concentration for him to write something legible. I decided to start cursive with him because, after years of daily practice with print-handwriting, I decided it would be easier to start something new rather than try to undo his bad habits. It is also less humiliating for him because it is like learning a new language. I had heard that cursive is easier for many kids with motor issues and it definitely is for my son. For one thing, the letters often start at the bottom, which his brain seems hard-wired to do no matter how hard I have tried to change the habit! I would like him to have some way to write legibly by hand and feel proud of his work. That said, typing is clearly his most practical form and will always that in the future.

[lllll]

..

[SparrowsNest]

 

There are numerous academic and social benefits already mentioned, but for me, there is a more personal element at play.  I struggle to write quickly and legibly.  If I write quickly, no one (myself included) can read what I've written.  If I write legibly, it takes too long, and I get frustrated because my brain is several thoughts ahead.  In other words, I lose thoughts as my brain works faster than my hand.  I am self-conscious about my handwriting, and I don't want that for my children.

 

 

[Mrs. B]

I couldn't stand those "please be tidy" stickers or stamps my teachers put on my school work ALL.THE.TIME. Yet, past K year I don't recall any teacher teaching me how to hold a pencil or form letters the best way for the best output. It wasn't until I started homeschooling that I learned print letters should start at the top. Going through the handwriting charts with my children made drastic improvements in my own handwriting. I teach handwriting print in K/1st mainly for the practice of forming letters and numbers correctly. After they form letters correctly, we start copywork. My cursive is atrocious, so I use a workbook to teach my children cursive starting in 3rd grade. I don't bog them down with handwriting. They do a short print copywork passage starting with single words and progressing to a few sentences between K and 2. After that, they do simple cursive workbooks. After that, I incorporate handwriting into other subjects. Mostly, I remind them for spelling dictation or math worksheets to write neatly. I ALWAYS make them correct any numbers that are sloppy in their math work from grade 1. To not seem like a number neatness nazi, I explain that mistakes can easily be made in a multi-step math problem when one forgets if they wrote a sloppy zero or sloppy six one step up.

[Rosie_0801]

What everyone else said, plus I need to keep dd off the computer so typing would not be a good substitute.

[OneStepAtATime]

FWIW, when I was in 3rd grade I got LOTS of Messy Monkey stickers on my papers.  We didn't write in cursive for 3rd.  It was print.  But I could not even print neatly, much less write in cursive.  It was so embarrassing.  And yet even though I got counted off for bad handwriting over and over, I was not given any explicit instruction in how to properly write.  Dad was military and we moved around quite a bit and I had not had consistent instruction no matter where we lived.  I did eventually pick up cursive since some schools required it and I had to  to survive.  But I was never very fluid with cursive and my print was never pretty either while I was in grammar school.  Additional practice at home with all the papers I had to turn in through Middle and High School helped. My handwriting is now a sort of hybrid between print and cursive.  When I write slowly it is actually quite pretty now.  When I speed up it gets really sloppy and kindergartenish.  

 

I do feel that having legible print and the muscle tone and memory to write fluidly, without strain, is still very important.  I wish I had had more explicit instruction and practice when I was first learning, before I developed poor writing habits.  

 

Cursive is helpful, too, IMHO, and I am working on teaching it to DS.  Cursive is easier for him than print, anyway, but handwriting of any kind is exhausting and painful.  I realize that it will take a lot of time and consistent practice to ever get fluid.  We do a small amount of practice every day.  Making it his primary means of output would hold him back from academics in other areas, though, so this is NOT a priority, just a side thing we do consistently.  

 

DD just needs periodic practice since she already knows cursive.  Very little remains a mastered skill if it isn't practiced.  She recognizes that and likes being able to read and write in cursive.

 

I had thought of working on improving my own cursive handwriting while working with DS, but I realized that honestly I type so much faster than I write, and am much more effective at communication through typing that at this point in my life improving my cursive handwriting just isn't much of a priority anymore.  I do work on certain letters that look pretty bad and that has helped.  I just don't do daily practice.   

 

I don't think cursive handwriting is a hill to die on, however.  Helpful?  Yes.  Are there benefits?  Yes.  But I think choosing not to teach cursive doesn't make someone a bad parent or a poor instructor.  In today's day and age, you CAN get by without cursive.  If a parent chooses to focus on other skills, I see no reason they shouldn't.  Sort of like choosing not to teach Latin or choosing not to teach philosophy....knowledge that could be helpful but is not absolutely necessary. KWIM?  Just seems at this point that this is more of a personal choice for what fits a family than a hill to die on for all families.

[Targhee]

1) Improve ease of writing (and legibility/clarity) so the focus can be on content, spelling, grammar, etc. when they write. Ergonomics, posture, pencil grip, and strokes for efficiency are as much a part of this as actually forming letters.

 

2) In the case of cursive, to improve speed.

 

3) also in the case of cursive, to be skilled in reading cursive (think of the family papers, historical documents, etc they can not read if they do not know cursive.

[Mrs. A]

I teach cursive because it's beautiful. There are many other reasons mentioned already that are definitely on my list as well, but #1 is because I like beautiful things and I consider cursive to be beautiful. :) 

[Tsuga]

Between the cognitive benefits, writing while not being on the computer, and adding beauty to life because why not, I'm sold. Thank those of you who took the time to share your own troubles--I didn't realize how hard it could be later.

[Guest]

Thank you from me too--all of my kids have difficulty with handwriting just like their parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents. The new baby is no exception and I was plodding until I read this thread. Now I'm excited about his progress and looking forward to cursive!

[AdventuresinHomeschooling]

There are many reasons why I teach penmanship. First of all, there are practical reasons many have mentioned here. I was an HR director, and poor handwriting truly makes a poor impression on that Thank You note. Even neat print vs. script can be a turnoff. I admittedly do not have the neatest of handwriting. Part of that was that I changed schools and went from formal cursive to D'Nealian back to formal cursive. D'Nealian messed up my handwriting a lot. Cursive is faster than manuscript, and despite technology, there are times you will need to write.

 

There are more academic reasons too. Cursive is a fine motor skill. It helps in art as it uses similar muscles. There are also many neurological studies and other research that support many developmental reasons to teach cursive. SWB has referenced some in the past on her blog/facebook. The act of cursive writing integrates knowledge in the brain as the act of writing causes you to commit things to memory in a way that typing never would. In fact, in college, those who are typing away in taking notes are not truly processing the information the same way as someone who absorbs and synthesizes the knowledge into the most important points and writes them. The written notes are always better notes and internalized more. Our hand and brain are trained differently in writing than typing.

 

Cursive writing, in particular, keeps your brain more engaged in what you are writing because of the connectedness of the letters. You have to think about the next letter as you are writing to know how to connect it. Cursive writing keeps your mind sharp, especially in old age. It also creates better self esteem and academic success as a student develops a style that is all their own with beauty.

 

There are many other studies I have read on it that offer other reasons, but it is a skill I think is important. I don't think typing replaces the need for this skill.

[momacacia]

Because 6yo complains about it a LOT, and when she puts her mind and hand to it has rather nice cursive--so now it's a character issue. And I will win. ;)

[Tsuga]

Because 6yo complains about it a LOT, and when she puts her mind and hand to it has rather nice cursive--so now it's a character issue. And I will win. ;)

 

Haha, oh man, my kids have learned many skills for that reason!

[Mrs. B]

Just thought of another reason. To not have to pay someone to address your wedding invitations.

[OneStepAtATime]

Just thought of another reason. To not have to pay someone to address your wedding invitations.

Oh, oh, oh yes!!!!

 

I did my own...even my own mother was rather unhappy at the results! Sooo wish my cursive was prettier. My hybrid version isn't bad but I didn't think it would be appropriate for the invitations. And I didn't want to pay anyone else. :) Oh well. If they cared and were able, they came.