Stop Teaching Cursive Writing in the Classroom

http://www.spectacle.org/298/auren.html ^

[Crispy]

The only thing cursive is good for is your signature. I have not used cursive since elementary school. Big waste of time.

[dasboot]

Correct about the applications; but the skills developed in cursive are transferrable to printing. Correct grip, for example, is necessary for all renderings by the hand.

Additionally, I review many job applications. These particular ones do not indicate the preferred method of filling it out, and many are in cursive. An applicant that renders in the hand of a grammar-school student--whether cursive or print-- is under suspicion. It's like having stinky armpits at an interview.

[riley1992]

I use both but I still write in cursive quite a lot.

[Rodney King]

OK. Well, its not like I am an anti-cursive activist. I never even thought about it until this thread. Nor have I ever filled out a job-application form, as I have always just emailed a resume and a cover letter. The fact is though, that I have never used cursive since school.

I also rarely get letters in cursive, and when I do I often find them hard to read. Not because I can't read cursive, but because cursive is so different from one person to the next.

[SuziQ]

Our robot descendants will scratch their plastic domes wondering what we had in mind with the ridiculous cursive version of "Q".

The only "D" I ever made in my life was in 5th grade Penmanship class at Sacred Heart School. When I brought home the report card my Daddy LAUGHED! Mom got real mad at him for making light of it, but he said just look at HIS handwriting! Actually mine looks a lot like his did. Mom has lovely handwriting because her generation worked a lot harder at it. And she stayed in school til the 11th grade, Dad dropped out in the 8th grade (thought both completed their GEDs when they were in their 50s which impressed us kids!)

I eventually developed a writing style that uses Block printed capital letters then go from there with cursive. That way I avoid the ridiculous Qs and other curlicue letters. But if I write in a hurry, it is still barely legible; my kids can't read it at all!

[wingnuts'nbolts]

I agree. I've never once given any thought to whether or not to teach cursive or not! I didn't think there was an option. Everyone I know writes in cursive, except my husband who writes like the architect in block letters. My mother's cursive was mind boggling and once during WWII (during meat rationing) she sent me ((9yrs old) to the A&P (grocery store for you youngsters), with a list upon which was written "21 lbs of plig". After consultations with the clerks, butcher and other customers I returned home without the Plig to be told plig was an abbreviation for 2 spools of white thread. Unfortunately our cursive hand writing is very similar, my poor husband suffers.

[dasboot]

Well, I taught my students to be fluent in as many disciplines as possible because there are avenues of employ that would be otherwise closed to them if particular skill were lackng. I wanted to allow them the opportunity to walk through any door that was opened to them.

I work in a large municipal police department where dispatchers must be able to type and write quickly, and under intense pressure, when taking emergency calls-for-service. If one cannot write effectively, even that job is closed to the him. (/her....PC filter)

[phillibuck]

If you are left handed and went to Catholic school (in the 50s with nuns) you almost always will have bad handwriting. The nuns did not believe anybody could or should be left handed. I have to print my checks to make sure the right amount is clear.

Are you saying that even if you were already inclined to write with your left hand and could already do so, they still made you try to write with your right hand?

(I would never have guessed this thread would generate so much response and here I am contributing to it...)

[calypgin]

"cursive", handwriting was much easier and faster to write. He was wrong.

The author obviously never mastered "cursive" handwriting! Printing (I just tested it to make sure!) takes twice as long, and, in an effort to do it quickly, is much less legible.

Every day I use cursive handwriting, and life is too short for me to waste time "printing": task outlines, making notes from books/essays, post-it reminders to myself, writing checks, making shopping/errand lists, writing down "get to" instructions/directions, etc...

As far as I'm concerned, cursive handwriting is one of the most heavily-used basic skills I obtained in school, right up there with reading, spelling, basic math and typing.

[Brookhaven]

Shorthand is without a doubt faster than cursive.

Couldn't every argument about teaching cursive becuase of its speed be applied to shorthand? Why not teach shorthand instead of cursive?

[Geezerette]

This is kinda embarrassing. It has been so long since I have been in school, and never having had children, I am wondering what "cursive" writing is.

When I went to school (in the 1940's), the words I heard defining the handwriting that we were taught was "The Palmer Method". We had to practice with a rolling motion to make the round letters. There was no controversy about what it was called. "I am learning to write!" was what we said. Printing was another matter. When I hand-write something, I usually end up half-writing and half-printing it so it can be easily read by me ;-) as well as others who may have a visiual problem.

What have I been missing all these years?!

P.S. Where can I go to see a comparison of the different kinds, say, Palmer and cursive?

Thanks!

g

[Right_Wing_Mole_In_Seattle]

After I joined the navy 20 years ago, they taught me how to print in big block letters.

LOL!!! The Army killed all traces of cursive that I had used in my handwriting. Whenever I write my name, it's still in all capital, block letters.

[goodnesswins]

The PURPOSE of EDUCATION is to EXERCISE YOUR BRAIN. Cursive is another form of brain exercising. Dropping it would be just accepting more medocrity in our education system. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THEM TEACH KIDS TO PRINT also, since they don't seem to do that any longer either. Ever been in a first grade public school class? It's a disgrace! The teacher's don't correct children's printing style or help them much in learning HOW to write and HOLD a pencil. And, cursive is the best for taking notes.

[NonZeroSum]

A signature doesn't have to be legible--it just has to be unique and recognizable. There is no way to tell what my name is from my signature, but it is my signature, nonetheless.

[NYCVirago]

Are you saying that even if you were already inclined to write with your left hand and could already do so, they still made you try to write with your right hand?

My mother is left-handed, and when she was in elementary school, the teachers would whack her left hand with a ruler if she ever tried to write with it.

[oil]

I totally agree!! I quit trying to use cursive (we didn't even call it that - it was "printing" or "writing") in the 10th grade because I just could not write. I print very neatly - in fact was hired at my current job 24+ years ago because of my printing.

I have a friend whose 5 year old daughter is in a montesorri school and they only teach cursive!! I have read comments here that people think cursive is more "personal" - baloney - if you can't read it, it's not "personal" - it's more of an insult - as in "they don't care enough to make this legible."

[rdb3]

Yes, script is a beautiful means of writing.

[constans]

I think the key question is, "when was the last time any of us used cursive?" except for our signatures. Honestly, I use it for writing personal letters and cards, and that's it. Of course, at the same time, I make sure my printing is extremely neat, so it serves its purpose for any other written notes I make.

I wouldn't go so far as to say, "don't teach cursive", but in the end I only use cursive for a few personal reasons, and it just doesn't appear in my writing in the workplace or other parts of day-to-day life. I totally appreciate the original author's sentiment. Of course, I'm sure most people hardly ever use long division, too, but you don't see articles about eliminating that.

[Psalm 73]

"Summation: stop teaching cursive writing in the classroom..."

Boy, if this is the extent of your gripe with public education - you haven't been paying much attention.
BTW - I use cursive when I want a letter to be either more formal or more intimate. I use standard printing when I'm just sending a quick note or something strictly informational.

[Emily RN]

From the investigating I've been doing into my son's learning problems there seems to be a growing indication that dyslexic problems may result from poor cursive writing skills and that people with LDs can be helped by learning cursive writing correctly. Are LDs on the rise? Could this be a contributing factor?