Why Aren't Kids Being Taught Cursive writing in School Anymore?

@amadeo (111938)
United States
November 16, 2016 3:07pm CST
A while back I ask here if anyone still write letters. Then I totally forgot that many school do not use Cursive writing any more. How long has this been going on.Out of touch. My own children did not learn this.They mostly print and now writing. Why did they take this away.Cursive writing is wonderful and there is something about the language in it self. I love cursive writing and this was my best subject in school. Photo public domaine.
31 people like this
36 responses
• Valdosta, Georgia
16 Nov 16
I don't know how long this has been happening but I do teach mine cursive since I Home School them. =)
7 people like this
• Valdosta, Georgia
16 Nov 16
@Marilynda1225 Oh yes. I don't understand why schools don't teach it anymore.
1 person likes this
@amadeo (111938)
• United States
16 Nov 16
@LovingMyBabies are you teaching your children in t his?
1 person likes this
• United States
16 Nov 16
It's so nice to hear that you include cursive writing in your homeschooling curriculum
3 people like this
• United States
16 Nov 16
I have no idea why schools stopped teaching cursive writing. Back in my day we took pride in our penmanship. All my grandkids print everything & it seems weird for teenagers to still be printing everything. I wonder as they get older how they will be able to sign important documents later in life
5 people like this
@amadeo (111938)
• United States
16 Nov 16
@Marilynda1225 not sure about that.I loved penmanship.
2 people like this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
17 Nov 16
I wonder this exact thing, won't they need to know how to sign their signatures?
2 people like this
@marlina (154131)
• Canada
16 Nov 16
We learned how to do cursive writing in grade 1 when i was a kid.
1 person likes this
@marlina (154131)
• Canada
17 Nov 16
@amadeo I went to school in the province of Quebec and that is what we did.
@amadeo (111938)
• United States
17 Nov 16
@marlina I do not recall in this first grade?
1 person likes this
@DianneN (247186)
• United States
16 Nov 16
They are, but only in third grade. They are taught how to make each letter. If they want to learn, they have to practice at home. Most writing is now done on computers and iPads. Cursive writing lessons take up too much time in an already loaded curriculum.
2 people like this
@amadeo (111938)
• United States
17 Nov 16
@DianneN how about short hand.LOL
1 person likes this
@DianneN (247186)
• United States
17 Nov 16
@fishtiger58 They can learn that at home, too. Most kids love to practice their name in cursive in school and at home!
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
17 Nov 16
What about signatures don't the young need to learn at least their signatures?
2 people like this
@AutumnSnow (4583)
16 Nov 16
Since I started home schooling my kids this is something that we've been working on. I was very upset when I found out that my two older girls did not know how to even read cursive let alone write. This is the first thing we started working on.
3 people like this
@amadeo (111938)
• United States
16 Nov 16
@AutumnSnow Good for you.Keep us update on this.I love to hear more
1 person likes this
@responsiveme (22926)
• India
17 Nov 16
The kids type on the computers:(
2 people like this
@amadeo (111938)
• United States
17 Nov 16
@jstory07 right.They will soon find out
1 person likes this
@amadeo (111938)
• United States
17 Nov 16
@responsiveme that is correct there.
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
16 Nov 16
thats sad if they have taklen cursive writing ou t of trhe schools I liked it but m y wiring not so good any more
1 person likes this
@amadeo (111938)
• United States
16 Nov 16
@Hatley I understand.But in your earlier years.You must have been great.
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
16 Nov 16
@amadeo yesI did do well I remember that
1 person likes this
@dodo19 (47317)
• Beaconsfield, Quebec
17 Nov 16
I learned how to write cursive. Not sure how long it's been happening, but I'm pretty sure it started happening after my sister and I were in school. I think it's something that should be taught.
@dodo19 (47317)
• Beaconsfield, Quebec
17 Nov 16
@amadeo Honestly, I don't know. I may just ask my sister-in-law, as her girls are 9 and 11, and in school. So, I'm curious about it.
@amadeo (111938)
• United States
17 Nov 16
@dodo19 yes,is should be.Are they teaching it now
1 person likes this
@maezee (41988)
• United States
16 Nov 16
I dont know. It seems to be being phased out though for sure. I learned it in elemnatry school but I hear that now kids are not!
1 person likes this
@amadeo (111938)
• United States
16 Nov 16
@maezee no most school are not.Some schools are slowly in returning.
@akalinus (43209)
• United States
16 Nov 16
I think it is part of the dumbing down of America. Knowledge is power. People without knowledge are easy to control. That is just my theory. I might be wrong.
1 person likes this
@amadeo (111938)
• United States
16 Nov 16
@akalinus maybe why not
1 person likes this
@Poppylicious (11133)
16 Nov 16
We don't write in cursive over here. We learn joined up handwriting instead. When I could show how good I was at joined up handwriting I was given the gift of a fountain pen from the school. It was a most magical moment for a seven year old me. I don't know if they're still taught it - and given rewards - but the students at work have appalling handwriting for the most part. It's all that silly technology. I love cursive ... it's so quintessentially American!
@amadeo (111938)
• United States
17 Nov 16
this was my best school subject Mr.Toomey always gave me an A+
1 person likes this
17 Nov 16
@paigea They don't look the same. American cursive shapes its letters differently. If we think of cursive here, we just think of American handwriting, not joined up handwriting as we know it. It's actually really interesting that handwriting styles are different according to country and place of origin. I like the French and Polish styles. They look so pretty to me.
1 person likes this
@paigea (36317)
• Canada
17 Nov 16
@Poppylicious what is the difference between cursive and joined up handwriting?
@paigea (36317)
• Canada
17 Nov 16
Some cursive is still taught here. Years ago I started saying, - they keep adding and adding to what they expect us to do at school. Something had to go to make time for all that gets added and added. So, cursive is one of the things getting pushed out. Some people will learn, just because they like to. I remember learning cursive in grade 3 with a fountain pen! I remember all the practicing and practicing. I never got good at it, and I never learned to print neatly either. I embraced word processing as soon as it became available!!!
@amadeo (111938)
• United States
17 Nov 16
@paigea and we had the old fashioned ink well.LOL
@paigea (36317)
• Canada
17 Nov 16
@amadeo my desk had a hole for the ink well, but cartridge fountain pens were what we used. My parents had the ink bottles at home
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
17 Nov 16
I think they need to teach it. I mean what about their signatures, any one can easily forge printing. Hmmm a strange development.
@amadeo (111938)
• United States
17 Nov 16
@fishtiger58 yes,hopefully they know about this.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
18 Nov 16
@amadeo no kidding
• Trinidad And Tobago
17 Nov 16
The price of technology and computers. Cursive writing is a lost or dying art form. We use to have such great sense of pride in our penmanship. Now, it's sip out your phone and punch or touch in letters that has abbreviated the English language until it has become mangled. Hah! Progress we say!
@amadeo (111938)
• United States
17 Nov 16
@Gita17112016 sadly to say it is
• Trinidad And Tobago
17 Nov 16
@amadeo Isn't it?
@kumbarn14 (735)
• Pakistan
17 Nov 16
We had a period for Cursive writing in the convent and we were supposed to do our school work in this writing if not our writing books would be returned for rewriting. Time to come there will be no paper only machines will be carried by students. No hand writing whatsoever. Already children don't have to use their brains instead of which IT will guide them. It is going to become a disaster for the human brains and skills.
@amadeo (111938)
• United States
17 Nov 16
@kumbarn14 you are so right there.Sad to hear this.
@carebear29 (31968)
• Wausau, Wisconsin
16 Nov 16
I remember having to learn it and now they don't even do it.
@carebear29 (31968)
• Wausau, Wisconsin
16 Nov 16
@amadeo Better than nothing
@amadeo (111938)
• United States
16 Nov 16
@carebear29 yes,it is very sad.All they do is print or scribble.
1 person likes this
@nanette64 (20364)
• Fairfield, Texas
17 Nov 16
We're lucky schools even bother to teach kids how to spell or add 1 +1 anymore @amadeo .
@amadeo (111938)
• United States
17 Nov 16
@nanette64 I guess.This is happening all over
1 person likes this
@neersha (248)
• Delhi, India
17 Nov 16
No in India children are taught cursive writing since kg class and then its continuous up to second class in school. it makes a child write efficiently and fast with good handwriting
@amadeo (111938)
• United States
17 Nov 16
@neeersha do they still have penmanship there?
• Plymouth, England
17 Nov 16
Time have changed so much so that I have a nephew 3 years old and boy he is ever so good playing games on tablet, cell, computers. But his mum also makes sure he has crayons to draw etc. I also have a nephew 17 and spends so much time on computers. So my answer that cursive could be going out.....hope I am wrong.
@amadeo (111938)
• United States
17 Nov 16
@kevinhomealone looks that way there
17 Nov 16
Many fail to recognize the value of cursive. In a student's life its important. Cursive not only has a creative front but also technically improves a child's performance. Cursive has the added benefit of being both artistic and highly personal. When students write confidently and legibly, their academics as a whole seem to improve. Cursive writing should definitely continue to be a part of school curricular. :)
@amadeo (111938)
• United States
17 Nov 16
@beebibi agreed t here