Slow Death of Cursive article

contributed by Iris Hatfield:
http://www.rferl.org/content/slow-death-of-cursive-writing-penmanship-disappearing/24709800.html

Some news from a Michigan school

http://blog.mlive.com/bradosphere/2012/09/column_exploring_the_decline_a.html

Build a Better Brain

The October 2012 Reader’s Digest has an interesting article, Build A Better Brain.  On the last page it lists 6 ways to get instantly smarter.  Number 4 is “Write by Hand,” which states:

“Remember what that feels like? Brain scans show that handwriting engages more sections of the brain than typing.  Bonus brain boost: it’s easier to remember something once you’ve written it down on paper.”

Best Writing Curriculum for Elementary Schools

At this point in time we do not recommend any specific handwriting curriculum.  Our current effort is being placed on simply having cursive handwriting reinstated in the elementary curriculum since it has been omitted in the Common Core Curriculum.  

Ideally, children would focus on writing readiness in kindergarten by engaging in activities that would help develop both the gross and fine motor muscles and learn to hold a writing instrument using a proper grip. Beginning in first grade, children would learn to write using printed/manuscript  lettering. Emphasis would be placed on correct direction formation of these letters and legibility.  

Far too many educators today have no idea of proper writing posture: sitting at a desk, straight back, feet on the floor, paper slanted appropriately for a left- or right-handed writer. Instruction would be given in proper letter formations using standard acceptable directionality. Historically the most effective teaching method was the see it (teacher demonstrates proper letter formation), say it (simple words accompany the letter formation process), do it (the child writes the letter following the method demonstrated by the teacher).  

This method employs the three main methods of learning: visual, auditory and kinesthetic. Enough time/practice should be given so that the writing process becomes automatic and the child then can focus on what is being written. Towards the end of the first grade most children will be proficient enough in printing that they can move on to cursive writing being taught during Grade Two.  

Following the teaching of cursive writing, children should be required to continue writing mainly in cursive and some printing for the remainder of the elementary school years. Emphasis would move towards continued legibility and increased speed in writing. By the end of eighth grade most children should have achieved competency in both manuscript printing and cursive writing.  During the high school years students would be permitted to choose to write either in cursive or printing.  Some handwriting should be required in high school as well,  possibly in both English and Math classes.

Edda Manley 

Response to a Campaign for Cursive letter

Thank you for contacting the California Department of Education (CDE) regarding penmanship. I appreciate that you have taken the time to share your perspective on this issue.

California’s standards were designed to encourage the highest achievement of every student by defining the knowledge, concepts, and skills that students should acquire at each grade level. The English-Language Arts Content Standards for California Public Schools: Kindergarten Through Grade Twelve were adopted by the California State Board of Education on November 14, 1997. You will find the standards on the CDE Content Standards Web page at http://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/.

At every grade level, the English-Language Arts standards cover reading, writing, written and oral English language conventions, and listening and speaking. Grade by grade, the standards create a vision of a balanced and comprehensive language arts program, and penmanship is no exception. In particular, the content standards include penmanship as part of Writing Strategies. Emphasizing legible print and cursive writing, penmanship begins in kindergarten and extends through high school. In this way, penmanship is a well-defined thread that is woven throughout the document.

The following are just a few examples of English-Language Arts content standards that focus on penmanship skills throughout a California student's school career:

· Kindergarten Writing Strategies, Penmanship, 1.4: [Students] write uppercase and lowercase letters of the alphabet independently, attending to the form and proper spacing of the letters.

· Grade 4 Writing Strategies, Penmanship, 1.4: [Students] write fluidly and legibly in cursive or joined italic.

· Grades 9 and 10 Written and Oral English Language Conventions, Manuscript Form, 1.4: [Students] produce legible work that shows accurate spelling and correct use of the conventions of punctuation and capitalization.

If you have any additional questions, please contact the Literacy, History, and Arts Leadership Office by phone at 916-323-6269.

Again, thank you for contacting the CDE.

Sincerely,

Tom Torlakson
State Superintendent of Public Instruction

Handwriting Skill takes time to develop

We are hardwired to learn how to speak.  Babies discover that they can make a sound and begin to consciously make more sounds beginning around five months. They then continue on to form individual words such as Mama or Dada, then put two words together, then more words are put together and finally around the age of three years old full sentences are being spoken. We  accept that oral language takes time to develop.  Not acquiring verbal language in a reasonably appropriate time can be an indicator of further developmental delays.

We are not hardwired to write by hand. This is a skill that needs to be acquired, that is, taught by someone who has mastered the skill and learned by the student. For thousands of years young children have been able to acquire this skill. One factor remains a constant: it takes practice.

Cursive writing was quietly eliminated in a very gradual process. The subject remained in the official curriculum. Once it was taught for a short period of time, schools did not give any attention to the practice component. In other words, they were not required/expected to write in cursive after they were taught how to form the letters. This was a fundamental step in the decline of cursive. Teaching cursive only requires part of one year's curriculum, after that it's simply a matter of getting enough practice for the writing to become automatic. Speed of writing also increases through practice.

One educator told me that he was requested to type all tests and homework assignments because the students who were having difficulty with writing cursive would not be able to read the tests and this would put them at a disadvantage.

Educators today will tell parents that children will be fine if they are able to print. Many teachers are led to believe that cursive handwriting is simply too difficult for children to master nowadays. Today's children are able to master cursive writing, private schools, tutoring centres and most home schooled children prove that they are still able to write in cursive.

More children's activities:

Take a medium size wicker bread basket and put 20 or so large buttons or large tubular pasta in the basket.  Another child (or adult) hits the bottom of the basket firmly so the items in the basket "jump up".  The child must see how many of the items he/she can gather before they drop down into the basket again.  This activity encourages reflex development as well as grasping skills.

Blow bubbles outside at an easy to reach height for the child and then see how many bubbles the child can burst using one hand and then the other hand.

Edda Manley  

canadahandwritingservices@cogeco.ca

The Wall St. Journal published an article about a scientific breakthrough that will allow disabled people to “write” with their eyes. Notice, he has them writing in cursive, not print. I’m guessing because it’s easier to keep the flow going.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390444840104577550921487178132.html

Can't write - Can't Read

An interesting thing many people don't know is that if you don't learn to write in cursive, you also are unable to read cursive writing. I only learned about this a few years ago when a Grandmother told me how her Granddaughter was unable to read what she wrote in her birthday card.  True enough, when I checked further many young people today are unable to read anything written in cursive.  Even many of the younger teachers today cannot read cursive writing.

Recently I read about countries in Europe who never adopted teaching printing at school. In Scotland in the early 1900's the teachers also quickly discovered that if children were not taught to write in cursive they would be unable to read anything written in cursive. In those days education was much less regulated and many students would leave formal schooling by the age of 11 or 12 years old to help their families financially.  Girls would often stay home to help their mothers care for the younger children in the family, or they might work for other households to help earn money for the family. Boys could start to learn skills helping their fathers or in factory jobs. It was important that the students get as much education as possible before that age. Reading, writing and basic arithmetic was taught beginning in grade one and most students had enough knowledge in these subjects to function in their day-today lives. Teachers believed that not being able to read and write in cursive meant the student was handicapped for the rest of  his/her life. Since schooling in those days was purely for the purpose of educating students, teachers knew what worked well and stuck with the tried and true methods.

It's also interesting to me that the reverse is not true. If a child is not taught to print, rather is taught cursive writing beginning in grade one, he/she is still able to read printed text in books as well as on signs and even hand printed information. For some reason the brain doesn't recognize connected cursive letters in the same way it does printed letters. 

So here we are 100 years later and the education leaders have a completely different attitude towards cursive - eliminate it from the education system altogether.

More children's activities:

Cut up a few different coloured drinking straws into different sized pieces.  Thread a large darning needle with thin yarn or kitchen string and make a large knot oat one end.  Have your child string the straw pieces onto the yarn and then make this into a necklace.

Search for 4-leaf clovers in the grass or make a pretty wildflower bouquet.  Older children can try to identify the names of the picked flowers.  

Make a whistle using long blades of grass held between the outer edges of both thumbs.  Blow on the grass blade to make a whistling sound.

Edda Manley

Fantastic News!!!

States are allowed to amend up to 15% of the document and the state of Georgia did just that. The Georgia Department of Education added cursive writing in the curriculum.

Cursive Writing Removed from School Curriculum

Iris Hatfield, Handwriting Coach

Author, New American Cursive

Penmanship Program

www.NewAmericanCursive.com

iris@huvista.com
502-253-1954

Short video presentation

Here's a video of the short presentation Sheila Lowe recently gave on the decline of cursive writing and what you can do to help http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lbwru-IEiA