If you're worried about teaching/not teaching cursive...

[Diana in OR]

This morning I administered the SAT to a group of mostly ps high school seniors. There was a one-sentence statement on the answer sheet (something about not telling anyone what is on the test, etc.) that the students were asked to re-copy and it specified cursive-no print.

 

There was a collective gasp from the group and several of them asked what they should do b/c they don't remember how to write in cursive.

 

Whatever your opinion is about teaching cursive, I thought this was interesting. When I hs, one of my boys had the hardest time with writing, and cursive was just unbearable for him so we finally dropped it. I was sure he'd be behind the ps students in that subject. Apparently, it just doesn't get used much anymore.

[Beth in SW WA]

This morning I administered the SAT to a group of mostly ps high school seniors. There was a one-sentence statement on the answer sheet (something about not telling anyone what is on the test, etc.) that the students were asked to re-copy and it specified cursive-no print.

 

There was a collective gasp from the group and several of them asked what they should do b/c they don't remember how to write in cursive.

 

Whatever your opinion is about teaching cursive, I thought this was interesting. When I hs, one of my boys had the hardest time with writing, and cursive was just unbearable for him so we finally dropped it. I was sure he'd be behind the ps students in that subject. Apparently, it just doesn't get used much anymore.

 

Interesting!

[joannqn]

Any idea why the SAT would require something to be written in cursive? Seems like an odd requirement.

[LaxMom]

Any idea why the SAT would require something to be written in cursive? Seems like an odd requirement.

That does seem like an odd requirement. I wonder what the point is.

 

I use cursive every day. Of course, I may be some kind of freak, so...

[Jumping In Puddles]

Those that don't teach cursive, do you just teach your children how to sign their name?

 

I don't know what the point on the SAT is either. Weird. I, for one, am glad that I learned cursive and I write it and read it quite frequently.

[Karen sn]

Answer:

To satisfy the curiosity of the test makers.

(Someone placed a bet that kids today can't write cursive).

 

FWIW - I think it's important.

Should they one day find an old letter in a chest in an attic, they can read it.

It's a lost art. And my dd has BEAUTIFUL penmanship.

[Mrs Darcy]

Cursive, or Copperplate, as my Nan would call it, is beautiful.

 

My ds is left handed and I've tried cursive with him, but it is so tricky and frustrating for him. Is there a "Cursive for Leftys" book out there.

[joannqn]

I do teach cursive, but not until 4th grade, and then I don't worry about getting them to do it as neatly as I did in school. I figured that if I could read their writing, that was good enough. I'm rethinking my stance on handwriting now.

 

I was curious enough to try googling for some information on this and found a few reasons why students should learn cursive. Some of the articles I read talked about a 25 minute essay question and how the inability to handwrite well made it difficult to complete the essay. Cursive is also quicker than printing.

 

Here's an interesting Newsweek article.

[Pamela H in Texas]

70% of people don't use exclusive print OR cursive. MOST people use a hybrid.

[camibami]

I was extremely surprised to find out that one of DD's friends, who is in one of the top-rated school districts in the country, doesn't use cursive. She is in 6th grade, and was working on an essay at our house (she gets out early one day a week and comes here before gymnastics with my girls). Anyway, it had to be in cursive, and she said the never did stuff in cursive, but this time the teacher wanted it.

 

She had forgotten how to make some of the letters, so we had a quick cursive refresher, LOL. She liked my "use print capitals and cursive lower case" method, but since the teacher said cursive we went with cursive capitals, too. I was sure my oldest would just always be hopelessly behind in cursive that it really boosted my spirits to hear that.

 

Personally, I am glad handwriting is a lost art, LOL. I know I'll get slammed for that, but really- in todays world, fast typing skills and knowing your way around a computer are so much more important than beautiful John Hancock-esque writing. Its a nice skill to have, like painting or woodworking, but not particularly useful in todays world for day to day living.

[homeschoolmomtutu]

Huh?...since when is cursive a requirement on the SAT's ?...it wasn't back in my day (I must be gettin' old) or at least I don't remeber that "sentence"...It is strange that this is a topic because I had a conversation about cursive and following age appropriateness vs having to relearn it later at brunch today with another mother...it is quite a debate I guess....

Edited January 25, 2009 by homeschoolmomtutu
fixin' "sentance" ;o)

[Sparkle]

Interesting - I do think it's much quicker than printing, although I use a hybrid myself. I've taught my boys cursive, but they never use it voluntarily :)

[Nicole M]

Answer:

To satisfy the curiosity of the test makers.

(Someone placed a bet that kids today can't write cursive).

 

FWIW - I think it's important.

Should they one day find an old letter in a chest in an attic, they can read it.

It's a lost art. And my dd has BEAUTIFUL penmanship.

 

Ding, ding! I'm putting my money on this answer.

 

After they first required the essay portion of the test, there was an article in (I think?) the NYTimes about how 80% of the essays were written in block letters. So I wonder....

[Kareni]

My ds is left handed and I've tried cursive with him, but it is so tricky and frustrating for him. Is there a "Cursive for Leftys" book out there?

 

Yes.

 

I've no personal experience with it, but I've heard good things about Cursive Writing Skills for Left-Handed Students by Diana Hanbury King.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Suzanne in ABQ]

Handwriting Without Tears is very good for Lefties. It has special tips to help them. Plus, the pages are laid out in a way that makes it easier for left handed learners to use it. There is a model letter to the right of every practice space, so the student doesn't cover the model with his hand while he's trying to copy it. The cursive style itself looks kind of funny, because there is no slant -- the letters are vertical. But, this is easier for lefties, too, because they don't have to *push* the pencil so much. http://www.hwtears.com

[SherryTX]

Yes - typing is more common now, so I don't worry too much about my kids learning it. However I DO want them to learn it. I think it is a good thing to know how to do, but not something I would push in a way that would jeopardize other studies if the kids have a hard time.

 

I don't think I have ever seen my husband write anything in cursive - only when he writes out checks. I don't use it very often unless I am taking notes on paper or writing a grocery list. I have horrible handwriting so will print if I am writing a letter (like to someone that is bad about email hahah).

 

It is almost a lost art - like calligraphy is an art. But, I think if the kids can learn how to write cursive properly, it could be good for their motor skills.

 

But I don't lose sleep about it. As long as I can read my kids' handwriting - print or cursive - I will live hahah.

[PollyOR]

I've not been consistent about cursive handwriting with my girls (13 & 10). It has become a problem, because they can't read cursive either. Both of their grandmothers send them letters written in cursive and the girls haven't been able to read the letters. That is the main reason that we've restarted daily cursive handwriting practice. I know that they'll resort to printing when they are writing but at least they'll be able to decipher cursive writing.

[PollyOR]

About being a lefty...my 10 yodd is left handed but has nice handwriting. I dont think it's anything that Ive taught her. I've noticed that she doesn't hook her wrist like most lefties do. We use HWT's, but I think she would do well with other handwriting programs too.

[msjones]

Interesting thread...

 

My husband was an engineer prior to being a math teacher and now he can only write in 'engineering block letters.' Whenever he has a day off and joins me in teaching our kids, he has to really concentrate to write correctly.

 

When I taught ps 2nd/3rd grade, the thing I liked most about cursive instruction was the enthusiasm of the kids. Most of them were thrilled to be learning cursive and so the lessons went well. I did require cursive (for most kids -- not all--it was torture for a few kids each year) for all final copies of written work.

[Halftime Hope]

than printing, once students become fluent in it. I wish I could interest ds in it, his printing looks like that of a second grader. My eldest's isn't that great either but he prints legibly and reasonably fluently for a kid diasgnosed with dysgraphia at one point. Fortunately in this day and age there is typing.

 

Someone else asked if we worked on signatures--yes, we really did!

 

hth

[lllll]

I know that they'll resort to printing when they are writing but at least they'll be able to decipher cursive writing.

 

Yep, that's the way it works here, too. Our 25yos discovered several years ago that he couldn't read something in cursive (forgot exactly what, but it was important), and decided to learn it. Now, he writes almost exclusively in cursive. Says it helps him remember it better. So I know it's possible to learn it as an adult.

 

It just never occurred to me that they'd have to read cursive one day. :blink: So I never pushed it. Then, all of them had to go back and at least learn how to read the cursive, even if they always used print.

 

In hindsight, I would have been more diligent in teaching cursive.

 

FWIW.

[coffeefreak]

I'm too lazy to find it right now, but there have been studies done that cursive is a necessary developmental skill. I don't even remember why:lol: except that it has to do with brain connections. Dianne Craft - www.diannecraft.org has talked about this in her lectures, but I don't know if she has the info on her website. My husband only prints and people question his signature. He also NEVER took notes in college because he couldn't keep up. He tended to remember things though (very right brained). I think that might be what they're looking for - did you learn cursive at all.

 

Also, they might have included that to see if the student can/will follow directions. I think exercises like that tell a lot about a person. Are you willing to follow the test's mundane, seemingly stupid directions to get into college, or are you just there because your parents made you take the test and you're going to blow college like you've blown high school?

 

FWIW I did WAYYYY better on the ACT than the SAT, but most colleges will take the ACT so I don't see why students even bother with the SAT anymore.:bigear:

[chiguirre]

My take on why they ask them to write the sentence in cursive is as an identity check. They ask for photo ID, but there have been instances of kids being paid to take the test for someone else. If there's a suspicion later, they can compare hwing samples.

 

I plan to teach the kids Italic cursive. My dad learned this and he has the nicest hwing of anyone I know. It's so much prettier than my mom's perfect Palmer script (and she really does write perfect cursive, capitals and all).

[Murphy101]

I insist on cursive for reasons coffeefreak and others gave...

 

but honestly?

 

the #1 reason is because I have seen people suffer for it in the work place.

 

job applications that can't be read being the most obvious

 

an inabilty to write legible or fast notes in training/college

 

the obvious reliance on spell check (My dh and I have seen grown people whose writing looks like an illiterate because of spelling alone, combined with horrid writing and it really looks like an uneducated or incompetent person wrote it.)

 

the total disfunction and lost attitude when the computer crashes (and they all do at some point) dh has had people actually insist that they can't work until the computer is fixed because they don't know how to file/write up the work manually.

 

ETA I don't care how pretty their cursive is, as long as it's consistantly readable.

And my oldest struggles terribly with it, but HWT was a great help, esp as he's a lefty.

[Tracey in TX]

SAT wasted valuable time and space on cursive handwriting? No wonder our country's educational system is in the dumpster. It's completely, utterly unimportant to write in any specific manner. It's far more important to type 60 wpm than write "The cow jumped over the moon.". <sigh>

[Colleen]

Do you think they were being asked to re-write the sentence in cursive for verification purposes or what? Very odd. My guys do learn cursive via Getty-Dubay and they all (so far) have very nice writing. My older two are required to do their spelling tests and dictation in cursive. I certainly wouldn't belabor the subject, though; I myself use a "hybrid" more often than not.

[abbeyej]

Some people seem to think this is a "new" requirement. It was certainly required when I was taking the SAT -- more recently than some, I suppose, but still rather a while ago. I think maybe many of us just didn't notice it because cursive was more standard then.

 

I'm an old fuddy-duddy who absolutely requires good handwriting (print and cursive) from my children.

[Tracey in TX]

Some people seem to think this is a "new" requirement. It was certainly required when I was taking the SAT -- more recently than some, I suppose, but still rather a while ago. I think maybe many of us just didn't notice it because cursive was more standard then.

 

I'm an old fuddy-duddy who absolutely requires good handwriting (print and cursive) from my children.

I printed for ACT, SAT, Texas state educator's test, etc. I print b/c I dislike reading cursive. Just don't understand WHY anyone would view it as important. Spelling, yes. Legible work, yes. Preferred style of communication, not so much. Not a very follow-directions gal, I suppose.