Do you think cursive is important for your kids to learn?

I went to a catholic school, where I learned how to write the alphabet in cursive before I learned how to write in print. I am forever grateful for that even if I hated every other aspect of being there lol, I definitely plan to teach my child how to read & write cursive.

I’m a middle school teacher and this is mostly taught in elementary (at least that’s where I learned) but I will say it’s WILD to see kids sign their name in print 😳

I think most adults would be able to read documents in script! The letters aren’t too far from their print versions. Of course there are a few exceptions but it should be easy enough to fill in those gaps. I wouldn’t really expect a child to read script. Even if a child could read script it’d be incredibly difficult to read something like the US Constitution due to the outdated language. I’d honestly be surprised if a modern day adult could read it with complete comprehension. And the Magna Carta is written in Latin, so it is already inaccessible to most people. With all of that said I’m not too worried about my kids learning script! Written language evolves all the time 

I think it's a skill worth teaching. It's a good lesson in fine motor control. Kids tend to have an easier time with letters that flow naturally, rather than picking up the pen and stopping constantly, and it's said to reduce letter reversal (for example, b and d look quite similar, but in cursive script the child never has to lift their pen and remember which side the circle goes on. I've read that it improves reading comprehension in general.

For me I think the biggest benefit is that it's an activity that engages multiple areas of the brain - not just the analytical side, but the artistic areas as well. Anything that engages multiple areas in the brain, to me, is beneficial. But also the retention you get from actually writing things down, vs. typing them digitally, is amplified when you write in cursive. There are a lot of benefits really.

My girl is almost 4 and reading cursive if I write it for her.

I fully intend on teaching her to read and write cursive, I was taught that way and personally love writing.

I’m not sure if it’s still used but I would want them to know. I remember being in the fourth grade and all our assignments had to be done in cursive. I hardly ever use it now but it’s nice to know how to write it and read it.

Wait schools don’t teach it anymore?! When I was in primary school it was the ONLY way we were taught to write, and every single thing had to be written in cursive

Only when we went to comprehensive school aged 11 we could choose whether we wanted to write cursive or not

They stopped teaching cursive in most schools 20yrs ago, I heavily suggest teaching your kids cursive at home if it’s not available at their school. If you can’t read cursive you can’t read the Constitution or the Declaration of Independence as well as many other important historical documents.

I’m not sure if they will teach cursive or not. Our oldest (4) only just started school in September. And in JK they won’t. But maybe in later years. I hope they do. If they don’t, we will. I can read cursive. I hate writing in cursive, because it doesn’t turn out as neat as I want. But I can read it.

Aside from reading cursive the brain development it provides is so necessary. Putting kids on screens to learn and not working on that neutral pathway to develop those skills is literally dumbing them down.

I know most schools arent teaching it anymore... They stopped when I was still in school. I only learned cursive in elementary school but it was a short lesson so I don't remember most of it. I can read it a bit but I struggle sometimes. And I have to look up some letters when I do it cause I don't remember, it's been so long since I've had to do cursive that isn't just my signature lol I definitely want my kids to learn, but I'm gonna have to relearn myself 😅