Cursive - Teach It Or Don't?

[Greed and Death]

Why does it even exist?

To write letters to woo women in high school. Chicken scratch is not romantic.

[Tasuirin]

I was terrible at cursive in my youth. Now I can kind of write in cursive, but not to the degree of people like my parents.

Honestly, I think teaching people how to write individual letters is redundant. If someone can understand what you're writing, that should be enough. And in fact, scripts like Russian cursive in many cases actively hinder understanding in my opinion, so I think it's not something that should be mandated. Teach it as a method of writing, by all means, but don't do what my teachers did and drill it into us as the way you have to write, and mark essays and homework down if it's not in cursive.

[Hansdeltania]

I graduated high school earlier last year and cursive is my standard form of written text. Sometimes I print, usually when it's an acronym I'm writing.

[Sovaal]

Why does it even exist?

Because it's an easier and faster way of writing, which was nice before the widespread adoption of typed print.

[Mexar]

Even signing my name, half the time someone shoves a tablet at me and has me sign with a finger, and there's no resemblance to my name whether it's cursive or otherwise. I might as well use an "X".

[Kaggeceria]

Why does it even exist?

Because it's an easier and faster way of writing, which was nice before the widespread adoption of typed print.

It was an easier and faster way of writing back when people used fountain pens. Now it's just unnecessary.

[Sefy the Great]

I had an entire class about cursive in primary, which I failed multiple times because no one could read my writing. I could tell them it's an improvised lyrical base to Beethoven's 10th symphony, and they'd fail me on the basis that they couldn't understand it.

people still can't read my writing to this very day.

[Idzequitch]

I had cursive writing classes throughout Grades 1-6. I then proceeded to not need it for anything else ever. I still retain the ability to write in cursive, though I do it so seldom that I'm actually much swifter using print letters.

So all in all, it wouldn't be the most terrible skill to lose as a whole. We probably should still teach students how to read it, so they aren't hopelessly lost if they encounter it. Otherwise, make it an optional class for those who are interested in learning that skill.

[The Free Joy State]

I was officially taught cursive in primary school, but still left with appalling handwriting. In high school, I practised until I had a fairly good cursive script (partly because my teachers couldn't read my writing, and because I was slightly envious of some of my posher classmates' perfect handwriting).

It was useful for exams to be able to write quickly and legibly. And being able to write legibly can matter if you ever work in an office and have to scribble notes on scraps of paper (that someone else -- or you -- has to later read) for so-and-so to call whoever back.

I don't think that formal cursive has to necessarily be taught. But I do think that children should learn how to write clearly enough (in any style) to be understood.

As an aside, I hardly ever write longhand anymore, so my handwriting -- while legible -- is no longer as neat as it was.

[Geneviev]

I had cursive writing classes throughout Grades 1-6. I then proceeded to not need it for anything else ever. I still retain the ability to write in cursive, though I do it so seldom that I'm actually much swifter using print letters.

So all in all, it wouldn't be the most terrible skill to lose as a whole. We probably should still teach students how to read it, so they aren't hopelessly lost if they encounter it. Otherwise, make it an optional class for those who are interested in learning that skill.

Making it optional has the problem of them possibly needing it later. If I could have chosen seven years ago, I would not have learned cursive but that's the only way I can write now. Cursive is a complicated way of making more rules for writing and it's hard to learn but it is important.

[Kombinita Socialisma Demokratio]

When I was taught to read and write, I was taught to write in cursive, and never taught how to print. My printing is basically copying the image of each character of a font, and so has a large level of variation. I had to write in all cursive for all of primary school. The seventh year of schooling I was no longer forced to write in cursive, but I always had and so could do it much quicker. I do not have my own print writing, but instead basically copy a font. I might upload an old photo of my handwriting (from an essay I did in 90 minutes for a class) later.

I selfishly want it to continue to be taught enough so that literate people can read it, because I do not want to write in print. I can write about one line a minute print, 80 wpm typing, or three and a half lines a minute cursive.

[A Cornstar]

Teach print exclusively; for the artistically gifted teach calligraphy as well.

[Andeana]

I don't even remember how to write in cursive. I say burn it.

[Igueranel]

I learned cursive and used it for years when I was young. While I do sometimes have handwritten stuff my professors grade, it's always print now because the skill of writing and reading cursive just isn't something you can expect people to have anymore. When writing just for myself though, I have a hybrid system that uses print when it suits me and is mostly cursive because it flows better. That's how I write my signature. I always hated cursive 'r's, they look nothing like an r. So I use print ones instead. As a result, it looks at first like I just have sloppy handwriting, but there's a pattern to it, a method to my madness.

I personally think people should learn it because I'm a writer and enjoy it, but I know we don't use it anymore. I guess I'm just old fashioned.

...typed the fool into his tablet.lol.

I enjoy typing everything on a laptop, but good handwriting is a really important skill to have. And personally I would prefer if that included cursive.

[Idzequitch]

I had cursive writing classes throughout Grades 1-6. I then proceeded to not need it for anything else ever. I still retain the ability to write in cursive, though I do it so seldom that I'm actually much swifter using print letters.

So all in all, it wouldn't be the most terrible skill to lose as a whole. We probably should still teach students how to read it, so they aren't hopelessly lost if they encounter it. Otherwise, make it an optional class for those who are interested in learning that skill.

Making it optional has the problem of them possibly needing it later. If I could have chosen seven years ago, I would not have learned cursive but that's the only way I can write now. Cursive is a complicated way of making more rules for writing and it's hard to learn but it is important.

Well, obviously if we stopped requiring it be learned, we would also stop requiring its use in classes and whatnot. I figure it will be much simpler to learn in say, middle or high school, when a student might have a better idea of whether they want to learn it or not. I fail to see cursive's great importance.

[Geneviev]

Making it optional has the problem of them possibly needing it later. If I could have chosen seven years ago, I would not have learned cursive but that's the only way I can write now. Cursive is a complicated way of making more rules for writing and it's hard to learn but it is important.

Well, obviously if we stopped requiring it be learned, we would also stop requiring its use in classes and whatnot. I figure it will be much simpler to learn in say, middle or high school, when a student might have a better idea of whether they want to learn it or not. I fail to see cursive's great importance.

It is one of the most difficult and useless things to learn in school but it is important to be able to read cursive, meaning you should be able to write it. It would be much harder to learn in middle school or high school, too.

[Idzequitch]

Well, obviously if we stopped requiring it be learned, we would also stop requiring its use in classes and whatnot. I figure it will be much simpler to learn in say, middle or high school, when a student might have a better idea of whether they want to learn it or not. I fail to see cursive's great importance.

It is one of the most difficult and useless things to learn in school but it is important to be able to read cursive, meaning you should be able to write it. It would be much harder to learn in middle school or high school, too.

13 year olds are far more coordinated than 6 year olds. My 1st grade cursive looked awful. My 6th grade cursive was passable. And not because of practice either. I have to disagree with you here.

[Rostavykhan]

Only learned cursive for a total of maybe two months in third grade, ain't used it since. Fuck that shit.

I'd rather just print or type.

[Geneviev]

It is one of the most difficult and useless things to learn in school but it is important to be able to read cursive, meaning you should be able to write it. It would be much harder to learn in middle school or high school, too.

13 year olds are far more coordinated than 6 year olds. My 1st grade cursive looked awful. My 6th grade cursive was passable. And not because of practice either. I have to disagree with you here.

It's sort of like learning an instrument. It's easier when you start earlier.

[Vistulange]

It is one of the most difficult and useless things to learn in school but it is important to be able to read cursive, meaning you should be able to write it. It would be much harder to learn in middle school or high school, too.

13 year olds are far more coordinated than 6 year olds. My 1st grade cursive looked awful. My 6th grade cursive was passable. And not because of practice either. I have to disagree with you here.

It's a bit about getting "settled in". As you use it, with proper guidance, your script becomes legible and you create your own style.

Speaking for all handwriting, not just cursive, by the way.

[Sefy the Great]

13 year olds are far more coordinated than 6 year olds. My 1st grade cursive looked awful. My 6th grade cursive was passable. And not because of practice either. I have to disagree with you here.

It's a bit about getting "settled in". As you use it, with proper guidance, your script becomes legible and you create your own style.

Speaking for all handwriting, not just cursive, by the way.

ah yes, after a horridly large amount of writing I've developed my style, I call it
"a horrifying atomic abomination of chicken scratch, print and cursive, where you can't tell the e's from the c's, and any misused letter is just written over, making more chicken scratch."
EDIT: tf how did i not notice "righting" instead of "writing".

[Ghost Land]

Even signing my name, half the time someone shoves a tablet at me and has me sign with a finger, and there's no resemblance to my name whether it's cursive or otherwise. I might as well use an "X".

That's because it's tricky to sign your name on a screen anyway, hence why my signature on my driver's license goes in all directions. It's especially bad when the screen isn't calibrated properly and you then try to compensate, and you end up with two or more discernible "lines" of text.

[Avado]

It should be taught in younger classes, yes. I've been writing cursive since 2nd grade, but that's just my personal preference. Currently I know not a single person who also uses cursive, which is both good - since I have a unique handwriting - and disappointing - since nobody else uses it.

[An Alan Smithee Nation]

Everybody learned cursive script, using fountain pens, when I was at school. Lots of smudges because I was left handed, but I can't say it stuck out as something difficult or unpleasant. Not sure it has much use anymore, apart from the odd letter, most things I had to read or write in my working life were printed or electronic. It will become a skill just used for peacocking.

[Sanhei]

It isn't necessary to teach it, but letting know it exist is enough.