Is cursive writing a dead art?

[zippy_do46]

I helped my daughter file some papers of her 4th grade students. I could barely read the names to file them.

What do you think? Is cursive writing a dead art?

I was really surprized because we practice writing when we did our spelling. We had to write the words five times each. Ok, yes I am older the Pam.

[Backroads]

As a former teacher... I think it is. Many people are wondering why we're still bothering to teach kids how to write when typing is clearly the way of the future. Which is quite sad. Cursive is beautiful and professional even now.

[Dravin]

I print exclusively (baring my signature). When I was in school they taught us cursive in I think it was 3rd or 4th grade. Told us we'd be using it the rest of our life. After that year cursive was never addressed again.

I think it is worthwhile to address because it is probably for the best that one knows how to read cursive (the best method may be to take the time to teach them how to write it but not necessarily so), but I'm not sure how important it is that one know how to write. Most cases if something needs to look nice and neat one types it up and nothing precludes print from looking nice and neat (I've been told I have nice handwriting even though it technically isn't writing).

Edited January 31, 2011 by Dravin

[HiJolly]

As a former teacher... I think it is. Many people are wondering why we're still bothering to teach kids how to write when typing is clearly the way of the future. Which is quite sad. Cursive is beautiful and professional even now.

My Grandpa had exceptional handwriting that he was very proud of. He used to work (when he was in his late teens) for the telegraph company. His dad, my Great-grandpa used to win State fair penmanship awards, the stories are told. I dunno, I've never seen proof.

Anyone know if there used to be penmanship competition at the State fair?

HiJolly

[Bini]

If not dead, it certainly is dying.

I've been told that I have beautiful cursive penmanship. Hubby especially likes it when I hand write letters or love notes to him. It just doesn't have the same effect when it's printed out in block letters. I guess for me, when I see cursive handwriting, I get the sense that the individual is somehow more prestigious than someone writing in cutesy print (you know the kind you see on highschool banners that read: GO TEAM!!!).

[NeuroTypical]

We homeschool, and are having more luck with cursive than we did with regular printing.

(Yes, they're learning to type as well.)

[Backroads]

The goal for many educational facilities is to go "paperless". Even printing is considered less and less important.

[dahlia]

I can write in cursive, but it is so bad looking, I avoid it. One reason I use PowerPoint is that my handwriting is so poor. There's no way I could write on the board and have students read it. It isn't just me, but most people that I know who use computers constantly.

In addition, I hear from professors who teach undergrads that these kids didn't learn cursive in school. I'm afraid it's going the way of the dodo. I don't think I care if students write in cursive (all of mine hand their papers in electronically, anyway), but people need to be able to read cursive as many of our historical documents are in cursive - and I'm including documents from the 1960's and '70's in that group.

[Wingnut]

I don't use cursive. I don't think I have since sixth grade. It's counter intuitive to my brain, and it makes my hand cramp. It also slows me down. I much prefer printing, except for my signature, as someone else said.

From this month's New Era:

(In case you can't read it, it says "I'm supposed to write my homework in cursive. Which font is that?")

[pam]

It probably is dying. Even my own kids while in school had to turn in typed reports instead of hand written whether printed or in cursive. It's just the way of today and in the future.

I used to think I wrote very well in cursive. As I've gotten older..it's gotten worse. So I print everything except for signature as others have mentioned.

[pam]

I don't use cursive. I don't think I have since sixth grade. It's counter intuitive to my brain, and it makes my hand cramp. It also slows me down. I much prefer printing, except for my signature, as someone else said.

From this month's New Era:

(In case you can't read it, it says "I'm supposed to write my homework in cursive. Which font is that?")

haha thanks for typing out what it said. I couldn't read it. :)

[Dravin]

(In case you can't read it, it says "I'm supposed to write my homework in cursive. Which font is that?")

Freestyle Script isn’t a bad one for that purpose.

Though Lucidia Handwriting is another possibility.

Don’t forget Minstral either.

[pam]

Could you speak English please? Oh wait...it's in cursive..I get it now.

[lizzy16]

Most teachers ask for typed only. If I write neatly in pen my history and english 11 teacher is with hand written. I came to Ny schools in 5th grade and in my old school we hadn't learned cursive yet.

My homework the first day of 5th grade: Write an essay about yourself in cursive. I had my dad hand write out his cursive letters and i hand wrote looking every few seconds trying to connect the worlds.

My handwriting is a mix now but they all kind of swoopy connect. I don't do my r's correctly or my m and n's.

My hand writings messy even my print. It looks like a guys

[lizzy16]

The goal for many educational facilities is to go "paperless". Even printing is considered less and less important.

Some teachers like when we email essays and assignments.

Once my english class did a 5 week online only during class thing so we could practice taking online classes.

I learned I hated online classes! I am great with technology but I don't see the result or the teacher or student actions. Like I don't see the teacher nodding when we all turn our homework in..sounds childish I know! I like physical contact more.

[Guest DeborahC]

Perhaps. I recently found an announcement card in my grandmother's hand.. just gorgeous!

[Iggy]

If you can't write in cursive, you probably can't read it, and you will have trouble if you ever get interested in Genealogy and want to do extraction, or even read your ancestors journals and/or letters.

For fives years I worked for an independant insurance agent. I hand wrote a bit more than I typed. We printed, then scanned EVERYTHING! It took her four years to finally figure out that if it was scanned then it could get shredded. The only thing we absolutely had to keep was the "wet" signatures of the clients. Kept at least one clear and legible copy. Of course that was scanned.

I have a couple of friends that I still send snail mail letters/cards to. The cards I hand write. The letters I do on Word, and print out. I do, however, "wet" sign it. Generally in a different color ink than it is printed in.

My father had beautiful penmenship, so did my mother. My cursive is prettier when done in ink than in pencil. I think it is because the ink flows easier and without much pressure. I also prefer gel ink or my old refillable Papermate Pen. Was given to me when I graduated from 6th grade into the 7th grade - 1964-1965!

If they aren't teaching your children this in school, why don't you teach it in the home. Your missionary son/daughter will have to HANDWRITE everything - so best to teach them at home. Same as teaching them to cook, wash dishes, do their own laundry, make and follow a budget, etc.

[Dravin]

If they aren't teaching your children this in school, why don't you teach it in the home. Your missionary son/daughter will have to HANDWRITE everything - so best to teach them at home. Same as teaching them to cook, wash dishes, do their own laundry, make and follow a budget, etc.

Depends where they go. Lots of missionaries can email home these days, and one of my apartments had a typewriter (which was kinda fun to use after I got it working).

[pam]

If they aren't teaching your children this in school, why don't you teach it in the home. Your missionary son/daughter will have to HANDWRITE everything - so best to teach them at home

More than ever before, many missionaries have access to email once a week. Many are allowed to keep blog sites of their mission. Even handwriting a letter home doesn't require cursive.

[Wingnut]

haha thanks for typing out what it said. I couldn't read it. :)

That happens when you get old.

[Iggy]

More than ever before, many missionaries have access to email once a week. Many are allowed to keep blog sites of their mission. Even handwriting a letter home doesn't require cursive.

Pam, not one of the missionaries I know, or have met at my ward & here at the branch were allowed near a computer that was connected to the internet.

My youngest nephew got home from England last week, the older nephew returned from Switzerland 3 or 4 years ago.

In RS at the AZ ward, the Mission President requested that the sisters make up letter/envelope/stamps for the missionaries so that they could write home.

That is also what my nephews requested of family. I sent address labels in my writing packet to them. Not just with my address, but their mothers sent me a list of who they wanted to write to, and I made up the labels.

Also, both nephews requested journals to write in. I found a great deal on some and purchased a dozen. Sent both of them 6 each.

The nephew that just returned, only emailed his mom and dad (parents are divorced), and only once a month. To everyone else, he sent snail mail.

Guess it depends on the Mission President.

[Backroads]

My worry is what will happen during the zombie apocalypse when all technology is destroyed. How will we write if we can't write cursive?

I actually use cursive when I"m trying to write fast. Journaling, story writing on paper... it's all in cursive. I was trained to teach young kids how to print, so that's just time consuming.

[Bini]

Wanted to share this link which may be of some interest: How cursive writing affects brain development

“There's some pretty powerful evidence of changes in the brain that occur as the result of learning to overcome a motor challenge," says Rand Nelson of Peterson Directed Handwriting. The act of physically gripping a pen or pencil and practicing the swirls, curls and connections of cursive handwriting activates parts of the brain that lead increase language fluency.

I'm sure there are other articles but this one seemed to explain things just fine. I guess it's a bit of a pity that cursive handwriting is on the verge of disappearing only because there does seem to be advantages of utilizing it. I know that when I worked in low-functioning Autism Units, it was important we encouraged and pushed children to pickup a pencil and write. Obviously, it wasn't necessarily cursive but it was a motor skill activity we did consistently in occupational therapy.

[Blackmarch]

I helped my daughter file some papers of her 4th grade students. I could barely read the names to file them.

What do you think? Is cursive writing a dead art?

I was really surprized because we practice writing when we did our spelling. We had to write the words five times each. Ok, yes I am older the Pam.

It's going the way of latin.

Without complex safeguards language tends move towards the simple, short and easy.

Edited February 1, 2011 by Blackmarch

[Guest LDS_Guy_1986]

I helped my daughter file some papers of her 4th grade students. I could barely read the names to file them.

What do you think? Is cursive writing a dead art?

I was really surprized because we practice writing when we did our spelling. We had to write the words five times each. Ok, yes I am older the Pam.

Yes, cursive writing is a dead as a door nail. As an indexer of Family Search.org I am glad cause cursive is hard to read and sloppy cursive is near impossible to read!