Teaching Cursive in Schools

2011-07-13 12:01:26

#1

DesertFox-: The very model of a modern major general; +796|6924|United States of America

Indiana recently announced it would stop teaching cursive writing as a requirement in schools. I was reading an article about it on the BBC and noted in the comments how a lot of people seemed against the move. I stopped using cursive pretty much as soon as I got out of elementary school, and found the hardest part of the SAT was writing some paragraph in cursive. What do you think of this move? Should it still be taught in schools, or left to people to learn on their own time?

Being left-handed, my cursive was always a smudgy nightmare anyway. I use it exclusively for my signature these days, and have forgotten quite a few letters (can't make a capital G to save my life). I never found it to be a very fast way of writing, either. Nowadays, I take notes in class in print, but my handwriting is pretty much only readable to myself when I'm rushing. I don't think it's necessary for kids to learn it, but they can go ahead and check it out in their free time if they want to.

2011-07-13 12:03:18

#2

11 Bravo: Banned; +965|5477|Cleveland, Ohio

its useless to teach. there is no point to it.

Last edited by 11 Bravo (2011-07-13 12:03:29)

2011-07-13 12:07:05

#3

SEREMAKER: BABYMAKIN EXPERT √; +2,187|6808|Mountains of NC

the only cursive I use is in my signature and occasionally it slips in some words when I'm writing something out but now-a-days I rarely hand write

https://static.bf2s.com/files/user/17445/carhartt.jpg

2011-07-13 12:13:02

#4

Doctor Strangelove: Real Battlefield Veterinarian.; +1,758|6708

I remember back in grammar school all the teachers telling me over and over again how important handwriting was, and how good hand writing showed allot about how smart you are and other bullshit. Now that I'm in college all the professors have shitty hand writing, and people only write in cursive for signatures.

So yeah, the only thing you need to write in cursive is your name, otherwise its better to be more legible.

2011-07-13 12:41:56

#5

unnamednewbie13: Moderator; +2,053|7012|PNW

I still remember the ins and outs of cursive, but the only thing I write in it is (sometimes) my name...if you can call a random scribble "cursive." The emphasis on cursive is antiquated. Even today, neatly typing everything out can take more time than simply writing down a note, so being able to quickly write in legible print should be the focus.

Also, lefties suffered from ink-stained hands and smudgy paper and during gradeschool cursive, and were often accused of being merely sloppy.

2011-07-13 12:46:57

#6

Jenspm: penis; +1,716|6972|St. Andrews / Oslo

Some sort of hand-writing should be taught, imo. It just gets worse and worse because of the introduction of computers.

Which is kind of sad.

I don't know, I've always liked neat hand-writing, and been annoyed that my own isn't better. Neat hand-written letters are like, one of the best things ever.

https://static.bf2s.com/files/user/26774/flickricon.png

2011-07-13 12:52:11

#7

SEREMAKER: BABYMAKIN EXPERT √; +2,187|6808|Mountains of NC

calligraphy is nice but takes up alot of room

2011-07-13 12:55:17

#8

13rin: Member; +977|6719

Son learned to write cursive before print.

I stood in line for four hours. They better give me a Wal-Mart gift card, or something. - Rodney Booker, Job Fair attendee.

2011-07-13 13:00:06

#9

presidentsheep: Back to the Fuhrer; +208|6201|Places 'n such

Is it just me or is writing all joined up one of those things that accompanies basic maths and english? Takes me a shorter time to write like that than print every letter anyway, it seems to flow better.

I'd type my pc specs out all fancy again but teh mods would remove it. Again.

2011-07-13 13:04:59

#10

unnamednewbie13: Moderator; +2,053|7012|PNW

I don't think it shouldn't be taught, but the obsessive emphasis on it should be dropped like a rock. It's one of those skills that people often never use ever again to any extent anymore.

2011-07-13 13:10:24

#11

SEREMAKER: BABYMAKIN EXPERT √; +2,187|6808|Mountains of NC

Not that simple dude

2011-07-13 13:11:01

#12

presidentsheep: Back to the Fuhrer; +208|6201|Places 'n such

I'll agree with that, you reminded me of how much emphasis was put on it in yr6 sats. To the extent where I was given extra classes for handwriting during maths lessons at one point

I'd type my pc specs out all fancy again but teh mods would remove it. Again.

2011-07-13 13:16:23

#13

-Sh1fty-: plundering yee booty; +510|5713|Ventura, California

Where's that picture where the teacher tells the students they'll use cursive all their lives and they get to highschool and have to use print for their reports? It was a troll thing.

Anyway, I currently write in cursive and print, it depends on the situation.

And above your tomb, the stars will belong to us.

2011-07-13 14:17:06

#14

unnamednewbie13: Moderator; +2,053|7012|PNW

SEREMAKER wrote:
Not that simple dude

Because dropping cursive emphasis from schools is certainly as much of a bungling administrative chore as merging multiple military branches.

/facepalm

2011-07-13 14:20:02

#15

SEREMAKER: BABYMAKIN EXPERT √; +2,187|6808|Mountains of NC

unnamednewbie13 wrote:
SEREMAKER wrote:
Not that simple dude
Because dropping cursive emphasis from schools is certainly as much of a bungling administrative chore as merging multiple military branches.

/facepalm

I just don't see how it would be a good idea. By the time the brass got done ripping one another's throats, the writing would reconfigured, budgeting was reworked out and all the nightmarish red tape that would go along with merging the writing style, you might as well not have done it at all. So no, I don't think that's worth doing. There are plenty of other ways to streamline writing styles.

2011-07-13 14:31:13

#16

unnamednewbie13: Moderator; +2,053|7012|PNW

Now you're pushing silly.

2011-07-13 14:41:43

#17

Roger Lesboules: Ah ben tabarnak!; +316|6817|Abitibi-Temiscamingue. Québec!

-Sh1fty- wrote:
Anyway, I currently write in cursive and print, it depends on the situation.

This!

2011-07-13 14:59:32

#18

Cheeky_Ninja06: Member; +52|6972|Cambridge, England

Cursive just means "joined up" ?? Seriously? How is that a chore? There is no way I would like to resit A level history if I had to write in print. You would never ever write an essay quick enough.

Im actually shocked that Americans cant deal with learning how to write

2011-07-13 15:10:38

#19

unnamednewbie13: Moderator; +2,053|7012|PNW

It's not that we can't deal with it. It's just that once schools teach it, they don't use it again. If you turn in an assignment, high chances are they're going to ask for it in print or (even more likely) typed.

2011-07-13 15:15:30

#20

Jay: Bork! Bork! Bork!; +2,006|5598|London, England

My handwriting is a mix of both, usually whichever is quickest to write legibly ends up being used. I don't remember most of the upper case script letters aside from J and S

Last edited by Jay (2011-07-13 15:16:41)

"Ah, you miserable creatures! You who think that you are so great! You who judge humanity to be so small! You who wish to reform everything! Why don't you reform yourselves? That task would be sufficient enough."
-Frederick Bastiat

2011-07-13 15:23:49

#21

DesertFox-: The very model of a modern major general; +796|6924|United States of America

I think we learned cursive in 2nd or 3rd grade, but I know they didn't teach us typing until 6th grade at my school (circa 2001). If someone else needs to read what I'm writing (as in an essay test), I'll try to print more legibly, but I also don't see how cursive is much better when you have a hard enough time reading other peoples printing. I suggest finding what works for you if speed is an issue with your writing, but have something legible so others can read your chickenscratch.

2011-07-13 15:37:17

#22

Jay: Bork! Bork! Bork!; +2,006|5598|London, England

DesertFox- wrote:
I think we learned cursive in 2nd or 3rd grade, but I know they didn't teach us typing until 6th grade at my school (circa 2001). If someone else needs to read what I'm writing (as in an essay test), I'll try to print more legibly, but I also don't see how cursive is much better when you have a hard enough time reading other peoples printing. I suggest finding what works for you if speed is an issue with your writing, but have something legible so others can read your chickenscratch.

https://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb139/winterkiss42/IMAG0237.jpg

"Ah, you miserable creatures! You who think that you are so great! You who judge humanity to be so small! You who wish to reform everything! Why don't you reform yourselves? That task would be sufficient enough."
-Frederick Bastiat

2011-07-13 15:45:15

#23

DesertFox-: The very model of a modern major general; +796|6924|United States of America

Seems like a run-on sentence.

2011-07-13 15:49:48

#24

Jay: Bork! Bork! Bork!; +2,006|5598|London, England

DesertFox- wrote:
Seems like a run-on sentence.

I copied it out of a book a while ago. First thing I saw that wasn't math formulas.

"Ah, you miserable creatures! You who think that you are so great! You who judge humanity to be so small! You who wish to reform everything! Why don't you reform yourselves? That task would be sufficient enough."
-Frederick Bastiat

2011-07-13 16:01:08

#25

-Sh1fty-: plundering yee booty; +510|5713|Ventura, California

I think people should continue to teach/learn cursive. Whenever I write a thank-you card, or a get-well card, heck, any card; I want it to look nicely written. If I'm writing notes down I use cursive because I can write much quicker.

I only use print to fill out forms or official documents.

Cursive is just really sloppy sometimes, that's the only downside I see to it.

edit: I have my own version of cursive, as many capital letters don't have connections, they slow me down, so I just invent a way to connect them. Good examples are the capital P and Q.

Last edited by -Sh1fty- (2011-07-13 16:03:11)

And above your tomb, the stars will belong to us.

BF2S Forums Teaching Cursive in Schools

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unnamednewbie13 wrote:

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-Sh1fty- wrote:

DesertFox- wrote:

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