Phonics International

[pdwroe]

Just wondered if anyone had any comments about the subject of teaching cursive handwriting to children. I have had a query from a parent whose 5 year old is struggling with cursive handwriting. Her school have just adopted this as a new policy. can anyone give me an idea of the arguments for and against?

[GweNDoLyNNe]

that was a very big question on my side too..

but after a minute of searching i find this one ..

http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2009-01-23-cursive-handwriting_N.htm

don't know if it answers your question but just wanted to share it..


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[debbie]

Thank you very much for sharing the article.

It would seem that it is quite a lottery as to whether pupils are taught cursive handwriting at all, or well enough - and teachers clearly have different views of the value of time spent on handwriting practice.

This begs the question as to whether good penmanship should be a matter 'of chance' according to the whims of schools or writers of the school curriculum.

My view, for what it's worth, is that all pupils should be taught at first in 'print' (separate letters) followed by being taught joined 'cursive' handwriting around the end of Year One or the beginning of Year Two (age approximately six!).

My experience, for what it's worth, is that the vast majority of pupils of this age can be taught how to write very well indeed in just one term of focused practice. Whilst they are learning the handwriting style, they continue to write in print (although some pupils are so able that it is a matter of days or a few weeks before they are joining words for themselves).

Then, the teacher picks a day when she has taught all the discrete letter shapes, the two joins of the diagonal 'to half height' and the 'washing line' join (and the funny dip you need when joining on to letter e), and from that day forwards the pupils are required to join their words for chunks of text.

For some people this may seem ambitious - but, sadly, many people seem to have the idea that teaching joined handwriting is hard, that some pupils just cannot do it, and that it takes a long time requiring lots of modelling and practice. This need not be the case.

I have been intending to provide a video clip of my suggestions for teaching joined handwriting, and your welcome contribution may well be just the prod I need!
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Debbie Hepplewhite