A debatable topic... One that I am curious about. I am deciding if I'm going to add a small amount of handwriting time for my 5/6 class this fall. It seems that half do and half don't. I have two daughters... 14 and 10. Both loved their daily cursive lessons. Even now, they prefer to use cursive in school. Share your thoughts!
One of the 5th grade teachers at the school I student taught at said her students WANTED to learn cursive, so she made it an optional homework thing. I'm all for teaching cursive, but I was one of the kids that loved handwriting practice. If anything, it teaches proper letter formation in some way and I think that's always helpful because there are so many kids who don't really learn how to write letters at all and come up with bizarre ways to write them. I think teaching it is great, but maybe don't require everything to be written in cursive. Especially because there ARE things that do require cursive (like the end of the ACT) and it's helpful to learn how to write it so they can also read it (it hurts my heart to hear kids say, "I can't read cursive!")
I forgot to mention I'm in Canada, so no requirement to write in cursive. In my class, students can print or use cursive. My only requirement is that if they use cursive, it must be neat. I've had many use cursive on their spelling tests and I couldn't read the words! So, print or cursive, totally their choice. When I write on the whiteboard, I always print. However, I do put the date in both. So many can't read script. Computer fonts have script options which kids love to use. But, so many can't read it. Decisions!!!
I teach cursive in grade 3. Cursive is a delivery system for getting thoughts down on paper in a fluid and fluid manner ....
Grade 3 is when both of my girls learned cursive. Not all teachers teach it. I have been in Grade 6 classes where the kids didn't learn it. I will see how many of my students know how. I had them all when I subbed, so I know that a few can. And, the others are very capable. I could even do a couple short lessons a week. Ideally, I would like students to recognize the letters so they can read it. And, I would love for them to use script as they may really enjoy it. I find it quite soothing. It's definitely quicker than printing.
They don't teach cursive at my school. I had a few kids this year who couldn't read it, and they actually came from other schools, which tells me it's not very common around here. It was really strange to me that they couldn't even read it. As for an answer to your question, honestly, with all the other stuff I am trying to fit in on a daily basis and the amount of content we are expected to cover, I can't see making time for cursive instruction. I feel like that needs to be done in 3rd grade if at all. If I had kids who wanted to learn it, I would probably make it an optional homework thing like miss-m mentioned.
Good point! I am thinking some may already know how. If they really want to practice, I can give them a booklet.
None of my grade 7 and 8 students this year used cursive; last year, I had one or two who tried, but it was difficult to read. A couple of our grade 3 and 4 teachers incorporate some cursive practice, but there is not requirement that they use it.
At the very least, they should learn how to READ cursive. Can you imagine coming across a letter or other document from someone generations back and not being able to decipher it?
As others have said, I mostly see this being taught in 3rd. I also have seen a lot of students who wish they could read/write cursive. I would probably make it an extra time filler and just introduce the letters one at a time whenever you have a few minutes. Then when you have done that, let kids work on words/sentences any time.
We had to write everything in cursive my 5th grade year. Please teach kids cursive. I have students not w who not only can't sign their name (they print it instead) they also can't read cursive. While I will never write in cursive, I'm glad I know how to read it! (And how to sign my name!)
I have students who can't write cursive, but when push comes to shove, they can read cursive. Granted, the teachers who don't ever write in cursive are better for the ELLs in the classroom, but I seldom put anything up in cursive that isn't typed somewhere else, so I do use cursive on the board. I have also gone so far as to tell HS students that they must learn to sign their name, at the very least for things that require a signature, but the truth is that many of the things we are certain they need to write in cursive mostly just accept that the majority will print. The truth is that I won't bug them about it in HS, so if you want it to change, sooner is much better than later. If we accept that this is the age of the digital learner, and they are typing instead of writing by hand, then we should accept that they are used to being able to change fonts as easily as they change their clothes, and maybe focus on just being able to read cursive, since those fonts may/will show up on documents they may wish to read.
All excellent things to consider! I could do a review and offer booklets to students who are interested. Hmmm.... Decisions to be made! I will check with the school too as it is k-12. Maybe the high school teachers there want script writing. I am thinking that if students choose to do extra work they should get recognition for it.
My guess is that in high school, they will want most things typed. I may get flamed for this, but I truly believe typing is a MUCH more important skill than cursive. I do think students should be able to read in cursive. But I stand by what I said before, even if others feel cursive is important - I DO NOT HAVE TIME. That's really all it comes down to. In 5th grade, we have SO MUCH content. We can barely fit in all of math, science, and social studies. Handwriting just is not happening.
