Schools not teaching children to write in cursive?

There's a lot to be said for having "the three R's" as we call them in the UK - reading, 'riting and 'rithmetic (i.e. reading, writing and arithmetic/basic maths). While it's true that reading is still vital, the other two are no longer even needed with computers around to do everything for us. However, I'm a traditionalist in that I believe they're still vital. Having the basic basics before you learn the modern basics (reading, typing and using a calculator) means you're NEVER at a loss, no matter where you are. In my opinion, removing writing or basic maths from any curriculum would dumb down the population one step too far. And cursive script is part of that - it's also an expression of personality, since we all do it differently (whereas capitals are far more similar across the board).

Hello jen, How come what I wanted to focus on you do before hand? lol This is a serious problem in our country specially in those schools where English is taught as a second language. Just to mention I am the president of a Govt. lower primary School Management Committee. The teachers, let alone English are not even not proficient in their own language. When they teach English they stick only to the printed Capital and printed small letters. One day I made a sudden visit and I asked the lady teacher to write the ABC in cursive capital for the student of third standard. She started sweating and fumbling. She ran up to the head teacher for help but he too could not satisfy. After that event she learned the cursive letters and somehow manages to look the letters cursive like. Horrible.

I believe that the schools here have already stopped teaching cursive. The reason that educators here give is that with the computers being used so much, the children do not need cursive. I think that it is a sad thing and since I home school my child, she will learn cursive. She struggles forming letters, but she has learned her name and some of the other words that are used a lot in cursive and next year we will work at it alot.

I am a primary school teacher and at the moment I don't have to teach cursive writing. Though a number of years ago the head teacher said we had to teach cursive writing beginning with the four year olds. The children aged five to seven that I taught then found it challenging. I think that cursive writing could be developed at the start of secondary school at age eleven. My writing is cursive but I adapt my writing depending on who I am writing for: myself, another adult or children that I am teaching.

I didn't grow up with computers but now a days everyone uses them and the actual need to write seems archaic. Of course I learned cursive but now on the rare occasion I do write something I use a combination of print and cursive because that's just what I picked up over the years. I've been out of school for decades now so I don't even think of these things. I guess that's progress. Just like we don't speak or write in Old English anymore things change and we lose some stuff along the way.

I don't think it's really needed. The only time I really use it is when I am signing my name. They say that the point of cursive is that it is faster than print, but now computers are so commonplace we can just type.

WOw not heard this as my grandson 3rd grade is just starting to learn cursive and my grand daughter 6 has picked it up and looks really good for her first time. Nope I think they should keep on teaching it not all the hard to teACH

No, I am not surprised. It isn't on the test.I think the schools Would love to Only teach the best students Only the subjects on the test. They would love to be able to reduce class sizes by throwing out Any child with a learning, personality , and Hue problem.So I am not surprised one bit!

It still amazes me that the things that were "always done", just don't seem necessary anymore. I wonder what will become of someone's signature if they no longer teach children to write in cursive?? Printing is ok, but I do think that cursive writing gives people more individuality. How many do you know who write the same? I do understand that some struggle with it, but they do with math and reading, as well. I think that it is a bad idea and most homes will NOT teach it. I just don't understand it!

WELL, Jen, it had been so long since I had heard/read the word cursive...I had to use "search the web"...LOL! I am so thoroughly happy, that the basic tools of life, "reading, writing and arithmetic"...were part of my basic education, and have found ALL fully applicable in my lifestyle! Printing, Kindergarden to Grade 3..."McClean Method" of handwriting from Gr.4 forward! Printing is slower & more monotonous...but handwriting gave the writer, speed and creativity! Handwriting is/has been a useful tool in analyzing character traits...and a VERY supportive tool (LOL) when only pen )pencil) and paper abound! Handwriting never sabotaged any of my lessons, I just produced them in writing, rather than printing! To answer your question.....a resounding "NO!" A tremendously versatile "tool of life!" By the way....this is NOT new here, my son...did not learn "handwriting" nor were their standards in printing...there are times I find it almost impossible to decipher his "pen/pencil" to paper musings! Learning only typing, printers....ties them to electricity/cyber world like an unsevered umbilical cord! Rainbows.......to you, princess!

Good morning Jen, I don't agree w/that at all. In fact i think it's ridiculous. I don't agree w/alot of the teaching methods they have nowadays. when my youngest was in grade school they told them they could use a calculator to do their math. I was outraged at that. It's the teacher's job to teach them to write, do math etc. I think it's jusrt an easy way out for the teachers when they do this. Teachers are not like they were when i was in school.

To me it is a sign of the times. Now days you don't have to write. You sign your name one time in your bank account and never need it again. They even use a thumb print in some places now days. It is alittle scarey to lose this 'art' that has been such a part of our lives. I am a writing and I remember writing my manuscripts long hand. Now I wouldn't think of doing that! I'm against it. But then I am against any big change!

That sure is surprising, I didn't know that. Maybe with evolving technology, most people no longer consider cursive writing to be important. It's easier to type on the computer than to write. In our school, we were taught cursive writing on the 2nd grade. We were required to use cursive writing from then on until high school. In college, I felt free because we can write the way we wish. Although I feel too that children should be taught cursive, I do prefer to write not in cursive.

How can we expect our children to learn something that they are unsure of if we are not willing to teach it to them. We can't expect them to just know what it ia all about. theree is more to the language of writing than just being able to print it.

The world is really changing isn't it? However, it is true that we rarely write in cursive anymore.

Really? i am still writing in cursive and here in our place, they are still teaching it since my daughter who is in first grade is learning how to. I saw hear writing the alphabet each letter at a time in cursive and she was even asking me how to write her name in cursive because her teacher in school is already teaching them how to. I hope they will still continue to write and teach in cursive.

In my daughters' school which is a private, they have a separate cursive writing book which they have to complete before the school ends. They do this from Grade 2 until Grade 6. But my daughters has still a bad writing until now. Maybe because everything was written in a workbook and that they have their own reference books for each subject. During my time, I studied in public school and we only have 5-10 pieces of each kind of books in our room so we have to endured the long hours of writing our lectures in our notebook. The same thing with quizzes and other short exams, the teachers do not photocopy materials before so we have to copy everything. I have a very good writing skills, whether cursive or not, even though I don't have workbooks during my school age. Maybe because I have written more than my kids now. I don't think that writing in cursive should be taught, it should be practised in school and at home.

How then will people write their signatures? Does this mean that--as you get more-and-more practice printing letters--your signature will become less-and-less unique? What about the capital-J? I pride myself on my capital-J, but you're telling me it will be reduced to a 'slanted-Q'? Oh! What-a-world, what-a-world

I don't know what is so important for them to fit into the curriculum when they teach everything wrong anyway. Cursive should be the least of their worries of time wasting. At least it's fun! They should worry about teaching children the wrong history about Thanksgiving, that would be first on my list.

I know right? I learned cursive in, I believe, 4th grade? And now teachers say "Oh well, it'll be useless in 10 years."