Comments on: Cursive vs. Printing: Is One Better Than the Other?

By: Lori Bourne

Lori Bourne — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 20:06:11 +0000

Hi, Arguedas! If you read other posts on this blog, you will see that I discuss in detail the reasons for the breakdown of the American educational system. It’s not what you think – and it’s not because teachers are lazy. They are very hard workers but the system is set up so that children do not learn to think for themselves.

This video does an awesome job of explaining it: http://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity.html

By: Arguedas

Arguedas — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 19:38:59 +0000

I was taught to write in cursive in first grade, but I went to a private school, public schools don’t usually teach cursive right away.

I won’t write important documents in print, even tho even printing is unique to each individual, it is far easier to duplicate than cursive.

Perhaps teachers are becoming lazy or the entire school system even. When you compare the quality of education from one hundred years ago to now, you are left wondering how we still have doctors and engineers (whom were probably very smart children to begin with)

By: Yang

Yang — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 04:52:28 +0000

I’d say it’s a matter of preference at this point.

I prefer cursive and it actually takes effort for me to write in print; so i don’t revert to cursive the next moment!

I chose to pick up cursive as a matter of personal interest, because of my mother whose writing seemed so ‘pro’ back then compared to what we have. I started learning how to write in cursive when I was around 15. It took years for me to write properly.

Where I live, cursive is not taught anywhere at all. The last batch of students who were required to learn cursive as part of their curriculum were my father’s generation. To put things in perspective, I’m already in my mid 20s now.

That said, cursive handwriting is something I prefer by choice. I see it as a practice that ought to be preserved, despite it being slowly phased out. Even amongst my peers there’s only one out of the manywho writes in cursive.

I’m not too bothered, since handwriting is more of a hobby than an actual communicating skills (unless I want to go back to writing letters), I’ll keep writing in cursive even if it means no one else in the world could read what I am writing, and if I want to have something written in print, I’ll always have my computer and a printer to do just that.

I’m sorry to necro such an old thread though.

By: Mida

Mida — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 22:23:15 +0000

I would like help knowing when printing was put in schools. I remember I read that before 1930 or so children in school did not print. I think we start a lot of things to early. If I could rewrite curriculum I would teach arts music and movement until eight or nine years old. I would get rid of the two years of liberal arts ever so expensive college classes. If schools did a good job there would be no need for this. Students who are allowed to play early in many fields who are able to learn without judgement and fear of failure develope into great learners and know where they want to go. Schools are so far out of touch with who children really are. My grandson walked into his brothers fourth grade class and looked at the cursive alphabet, ” look mom its all wrong”. He has now learned that he can not trust education to teach it right. He has also learned to judge. Great for a six year old who could be inquirering rather then judging.

By: Maria

Maria — Sun, 30 Jan 2011 15:51:58 +0000

I’ve ben a Montessori elementary teacher for 28 years. I worked on both cursive and print first writing. Also, I wrote cursive since I was in Kinder and first grade in a traditional Catholic school in Puerto Rico. The sisters were from Philadelphia. I started print writing when I had to work on a Montessori first-script school! That was when I was 30!
For reading, I’ve seen children reading just the same: both printers and cursivers read at the same level. The writing does not affect the reading that much. There are more factors involved, such as eye motor readiness, matureness, motivation, family habits, etc.

I’m a piano teacher and I stress hand and body position for a relaxed hand. For writing, cursive is far better because it asks for natural round movements. I’ve seen less tension on finger, hand and even arms in cursive than in print writing.
Cursive also promotes a better grip which is the basic motor skill for developing writing.
Teachers don’t teach to print after children write cursive. They are all self-learners on print writing and they succeed the first day they try!

By: Lori Bourne

Lori Bourne — Fri, 26 Nov 2010 17:01:43 +0000

Hi, Lisa! Thank you so much for sharing your experiences. A lot of it depends on how old the child is when they start cursive (the earlier the better, if it’s going to be the first way they learn to write). If they miss their sensitive period for it (about age 3-5), then I find it’s better to start printing first and then go to cursive.

I’m sorry your son had that experience – generally it isn’t too hard for children to learn cursive, but it can be for some. Hopefully you were able to help him at home so that he could catch up.

By: Lisa

Lisa — Fri, 26 Nov 2010 13:55:31 +0000

Our children go to a school in England which teaches cursive script from reception. My second, a summer-born boy, has found it particularly difficult and his confidence took a real knock through his entire first year. He was being taught that letters looked one way printed, another way as cursive and then a third way as capitals. Each cursive letter is far, far more complicated to learn than its printed version. I went to talk to the literacy coordinator, but she was adamant that the Dyslexia Society says that this is the easiest way to learn writing. Meanwhile, our son was struggling with the basics and as a result found school to be a really negative experience. I recently spoke to a classroom assistant who confided that none of the helpers liked it as they saw that it was just too difficult for too many of the children. It is very frustrating when it is your own child suffering due to a questionable policy of the school.

By: dana

dana — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 21:21:51 +0000

I personally prefer d’nealian fonts. The ones I use come from http://www.fonts4teachers.com/D_Nealian_Font_Set_p/dnealianstylefont.htm

They are awesome and my students love them!

By: Lori Bourne

Lori Bourne — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 01:08:45 +0000

As I mentioned in the article, it really varies by school. Perhaps you could talk to her about taking a different approach with your son. Or, you can work with him on printing at home.

By: Michelle

Michelle — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 20:40:43 +0000

Thanks, I think his teacher feels that teaching him in cursive is the “true to montessori” thing to do.