Schools have less time for penmanship

Jolie77

Jolie77

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Schools have less time for penmanship
Technology, new standards crowd cursive lessons
By Meranda Watling
Posted: January 26, 2009

Third-graders in Michelle Webb's Burnett Creek Elementary classroom were practicing how to form a lowercase f in cursive on Friday.

Determined faces sprinkled the room as the children wrote again and again -- f, f, f -- perfecting the "loop the loop" on top and bottom. Student teacher Allison Touloukian demonstrated the correct slant and curve on screen for the class as students practiced forming words.
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Learning to write in script is a time-honored tradition. But in today's time-starved classrooms, some around the country are questioning whether, given everything else vying for space in the curriculum and the increasing use of technology, teaching these children cursive is even necessary.

Local teachers say, if nothing else, its emphasis has diminished in recent years.

"Historically, we teach less cursive now," said Webb, whose class works on handwriting for short periods two to three days each week. "It seems we have more and more standards we need to cover. The emphasis is on science and reading."
Shift to efficiency

Cursive is still widely taught in U.S. elementary schools, according to a 2007 nationwide study by Vanderbilt University on handwriting instruction. It surveyed a random sampling of about 200 teachers in grades one through three.

Ninety percent of teachers who responded said their schools required instruction in handwriting. Of those who taught it, half of second-grade teachers and 90 percent of third-grade teachers offered cursive instruction.

Also, the emphasis has shifted from the beauty of handwriting to writing efficiently, the study found.

Many schools in Lafayette dabble in cursive during the second half of second grade. Indiana standards don't require it until third and fourth grades. How much instruction varies by district, by school and even by classroom.

Lisa Jones, who teaches third grade at Edgelea Elementary, said she's noticed that consequence of the de-emphasis, not just by schools but by society: "The most difficult part for me is that now they can't read it, because they don't see it anywhere."

Like Webb, Jones said she isn't teaching as much cursive as in the past. Not emphasizing it as much at that grade, however, means by the time they hit fourth grade, they're not able to write as well.

"I don't think it will be used as much," Jones said. "When I was in junior high and high school, our final copies of work had to be handwritten in cursive. Now it's typed."
Pupils like cursive

This shift hasn't lessened the enthusiasm of kids to learn the pretty writing.

Burnett Creek third-grader Mikahla Combs said her mom introduced her to the script writing back in first grade. She really likes it, but she still prints everything for now.

"I love cursive," she said, "because it's so ... different."

Classmate Alicia Clayton said it's hard for her because the less frequent lessons mean she sometimes forgets how to write the letters. The Burnett Creek student still wants to be able to write in her journal in cursive.

"Once everyone learns it and we use it, it will be easier," Alicia said. "It does hurt your hand now, because you don't know it."
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Schools have less time for penmanship | IndyStar.com | The Indianapolis Star

Personally, I think it's kinda sad to see that kids are not emphasized on learning how to do cursive.
 
i agree, jolie. if a child can't write, how else are they supposed to function without technology? they won't even be able to write handwritten notes let alone a check or money order among other things. times sure have changed since i was a child back in the late 70s/early 80s.
 
I grew up when much attention was paid to penmanship. I never was able to do it well.

I love the modern technology. I feel like I look less intelligent if someone looks at my handwriting for what I say as it is imperfect.

With a keyboard I am on a level playing field.
 
I teach my kids to read in cursive but dont emphasize that they write everything in cursive. However, I do have them practice writing in cursive using their handwriting book once a week. It is not a daily thing like it was when I was a kid.
 
oh, good-in twenty years, old people will be able to write notes to each other in longhand, and the young'uns won't know what we're saying!

This makes me sad.
 
I haven't written in cursive since elementary school. :eek:
 
My school heavily emphasized cursive. In fact if we wrote in print, we would have to rewrite whatever we did (essay, homework assignment) again in cursive during a detention. We were only allowed to write in blue ballpoint pen, and if we made a mistake, we had to start over the entire assignment/essay. Not just the page, but the entire thing.

I went to a French school and cursive is highly valued in the French system. There is a whole system of lines. It's pretty complicated for something like writing, and very ingrained in French students. If you don't understand the following, that is because this system is extremely anal retentive. There is the main line that you write on. Then most letters are written up to the first line. Capital letters and some letters like T and D are written to the second line above the main line. Letters like L and K are written to the third line above the main line. And both letters like P and Q as well as letters like G and F are written two lines down from the main line.

Of course, I failed miserably at this.

I personally think that cursive should be taught, but care should be taken for students with vision or hand control problems. Print and typing should be alternatives for certain students with medical problems. For example, I know that cursive letters can be very hard to form for students with mild cerebral palsy, and cursive letters can be very hard for students with vision problems to see.
 
I think it is very important that students learn to read in cursive so that way they can read anything in any form of print. However, I do encourage them to learn to write in cursive but dont make it mandatory as a grade. Besides, it is not a part of the curriculm but I still add it anyway cuz of my beliefs. Many of the other teachers at my work dont bother with it which I dont agree with.
 
I think that is pretty balanced to have cursive taught alongside print. The more options, the better.
 
Hear Again said:
i agree, jolie. if a child can't write, how else are they supposed to function without technology? they won't even be able to write handwritten notes let alone a check or money order among other things. times sure have changed since i was a child back in the late 70s/early 80s.
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Yes, Time has changed since the advancing technology has came in the trend. I still think that by teaching our children to write is still very important. The point is - It makes me sad to see that children out there are not emphasized with using the cursive because if they are not able to read the cursive, How would they be able to rely on the information if it were to be written in cursive?

shel90 said:
I think it is very important that students learn to read in cursive so that way they can read anything in any form of print. However, I do encourage them to learn to write in cursive but dont make it mandatory as a grade. Besides, it is not a part of the curriculm but I still add it anyway cuz of my beliefs. Many of the other teachers at my work dont bother with it which I dont agree with.
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I agree, I do think it is important as well.

I am curious - Since you're a teacher and you believe that it should be emphasized but why is it that it is not enforced? Is it because time is changing along with the technology? Or is it because it is time consuming to teach children how to do cursive? Or is it because the writing of prints are considered to be "good enough"?
 
Jolie77 said:
Yes, Time has changed since the advancing technology has came in the trend. I still think that by teaching our children to write is still very important. The point is - It makes me sad to see that children out there are not emphasized with using the cursive because if they are not able to read the cursive, How would they be able to rely on the information if it were to be written in cursive?



I agree, I do think it is important as well.

I am curious - Since you're a teacher and you believe that it should be emphasized but why is it that it is not enforced? Is it because time is changing along with the technology? Or is it because it is time consuming to teach children how to do cursive? Or is it because the writing of prints are considered to be "good enough"?
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Because of the use of the keyboard more frequently these days. As long as they can write their names and read in cursive, that seems good enough. I have a long list of other objectives that I must teach and so little time to teach them too but with NCLB, there is more pressure to teach and cover the objectives on the curriculm.
 
It troubles me to see the decline in the education and practice of cursive. Its difficult to completely understand the balance of educating cursive vs. newer communicative trends IE typing/computer skills. Its impossible to extend a school day to teach all the alternatives where youth can obtain the appropriate skill levels in past, fading, current or future trends. I wished I could have better solution, but part of it is advocation of parents to offer alternative and enhanced learning opportunities for their children at home. Way to go Shel for providing your children with continuing and advanced practice from home!
 
hohDougRN said:
It troubles me to see the decline in the education and practice of cursive. Its difficult to completely understand the balance of educating cursive vs. newer communicative trends IE typing/computer skills. Its impossible to extend a school day to teach all the alternatives where youth can obtain the appropriate skill levels in past, fading, current or future trends. I wished I could have better solution, but part of it is advocation of parents to offer alternative and enhanced learning opportunities for their children at home. Way to go Shel for providing your children with continuing and advanced practice from home!
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I was referring to my students at work..
 
As long as they can write their names and read in cursive, that seems good enough.
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Yes exactly. In addition to being hoh, I also have mild low muscle tone. That in turn makes it hard for me to do fine motor skill things. It's a lot easier for me to print or type. That way I can concentrate on CONTENT rather then how a letter looks.
 
hohDougRN said:
OK TY for the clarification, good job anyways. I will always love all educators. They are very special place for me.
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Awwww! :ty:

Maybe I should ask my daughter if she can write in cursive and take one of the handwriting books from my work for her if she doesnt know how. LOL!
 
VamPyroX said:
I haven't written in cursive since elementary school. :eek:
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:laugh2:

Anyway I have hard time writing in print even though it's legible. I prefer cursive as that was what I was taught growing up.

My grandmother used that ruler for cursive penmanship! :lol:
 
Jolie77 said:
Schools have less time for penmanship | IndyStar.com | The Indianapolis Star

Personally, I think it's kinda sad to see that kids are not emphasized on learning how to do cursive.
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my kids will be required to write in styling cursive by 8 years old :mad2: I love to write in cursive. I just wrote out a big fat check to lend some $$$ for my good friend because of her hefty legal fee + fines. it's beautiful cursive writing but not as beautiful to see my bank account taking a little dive :mad2:

one time I was pretty bored. I literally filled the Composition Book in one day with a fountain pen (and 2 refills)
 
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