Cursive writing - soon to be lost art?

[speedog]

So one of my sons mused in Facebook as to whether or not cursive (long hand) writing is going to become a lost art.

Personally, I think it's destined to be a lost art - I learned cursive writing in grade school in the sixties but will readily admit that I could not write the whole alphabet in both cases in cursive writing. Our family has a handful of relatives who still send actual letters or cards in cursive writing and while I can still read cursive writing with ease, it is not something I regularly practice myself.

That said, do they still teach cursive writing in schools - I've heard varying conflicting reports as to whether it's still taught or not. Should it still be taught? Better yet, I do know people that have difficulty writing the whole alphabet down in block letters - the extensive use of computing devices in our everyday lives is erasing the ability of some people being able to put something down on paper in a legible form.

The cursive alphabet...

http://missourieducationwatchdog.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/cursive.png

[sheik_yerbouti]

It depends on the teacher and school. If you're in the public or Catholic board, it depends on the teacher and culture of the school. If you're in a private or charter school, it depends on what is mandated. I know of a few charter schools which mandate cursive writing instruction, because they're 'back to the basics', and stuff like that.

I'm on the side of teaching cursive, I teach upper grades (7-12), and the kids complain like I'm skinning them alive when I make them write out notes. Every time I make them take notes at least one kid takes a picture of them with their phone, and figures they've done their work. This of course leads to a discussion on how writing down things improve learning and recall of them. I wish they knew cursive because it would make their lives easier in this respect.

And while technology has replaced the need for handwriting, I've become more and more jaded with technology in the classroom. I was pretty enthusiastic about it earlier in my career, and I found some really good uses for it. Now, I'm seeing it increasingly as a distraction. I'm in a school with laptops, tablets, workstations, and other toys, and I'm pretty skilled with using them, but I don't think they're paying off for the kids. I'm not completely against technology in schools, I think it's important to teach students how to touch type (which most don't), to learn proper research techniques, and explicitly teach the technology and applications. But when you have a class full of 13 year old kids "taking notes" on their tablets, I guarantee you that half of the boys are playing Madden.

I guess I went on a bit of a rant there, but to summarize it; cursive good, and technology overused.

[dirtsniffer]

I still hand write in my logbook every day, legibly as well.

I think it's important for kids to learn to write and spell, maybe I'm old fashioned. lol

[flipstah]

I can still write cursive but minimal writing has butchered it.

It was mandatory in grade schools I went to in Asia. Couldn't leave class until the letters were right.

Fuck yeah, it should be taught. Helps you forge signatures for report cards.

[AndyL]

Cursive sucks! Fast for notes but terrible to interpret.

I do block letters as taught in drafting 10/20/30 :) and all uppercase too - maybe that's my problem - I think I'm yelling at myself constantly :D

[HHURICANE1]

Years of filling out forms at work has robbed me of my admittedly poor ability to write cursive in any legible form. I keep thinking that I should practice it again but there are so few times I need it it keeps slipping my mind and it gets put on the back burner. That said, everyone should learn it.

[Recca168]

I remember learning it in grade school. Always thought it took too long with write in cursive text especially if it needed to be legible. Working software now so I type basically everything

[msommers]

Rirruto?

[D'z Nutz]

Originally posted by msommers
Rirruto?

Those are Z's

[theken]

I use cursive everyday, not very legible, but when I write it is generally handwritten

[speedog]

Originally posted by theken
I use cursive everyday, not very legible, but when I write it is generally handwritten
Isn't cursive always handwritten?

[firebane]

I learned cursive all through elementary school and I still retain most of it today. There are some letters like the letter z that I apparently forgot LOL but how often is that letter used?

Also I find that cursive is a slower form of writing and is more deemed for sending letters to loved ones etc.

But cursive writing is like a lot of stuff taught and is become forgotten. Soon most kids won't even know how to properly do math because of calculators and phones.

[jwslam]

Originally posted by flipstah
I can still write cursive but minimal writing has butchered it.

Fuck yeah, it should be taught. Helps you forge signatures for report cards.
I had the same thought. How do kids sign for stuff nowadays? I guess PIN's, fingerprints, and retina scans.
I also remember enrolling myself in a cursive calligraphy class during lunch hours in third grade; my dad decked me out with a fancy fountain pen set when everyone else had some crappy grand-and-toy pen.

Originally posted by AndyL
Cursive sucks! Fast for notes but terrible to interpret.
I wanna know what font they're teaching General Practitioners...

Originally posted by firebane
Soon most kids won't even know how to properly do math because of calculators and phones.
I've lost count of how many times I've stood at the cashier watching them figure out what coins to pick up for $0.83 in change. Or when that number comes up and I scrounge up $0.15 and they're even more confused now. Reminds me why I should always pay with Credit Card.

[flipstah]

Originally posted by firebane
I learned cursive all through elementary school and I still retain most of it today. There are some letters like the letter z that I apparently forgot LOL but how often is that letter used?

Also I find that cursive is a slower form of writing and is more deemed for sending letters to loved ones etc.

But cursive writing is like a lot of stuff taught and is become forgotten. Soon most kids won't even know how to properly do math because of calculators and phones.

Unfortunately, the love letter will be replaced by dick pics.

Nice knowing you, civilization.

[jwslam]

Originally posted by flipstah
Unfortunately, the love letter will be replaced by dick pics.

Nice knowing you, civilization.
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/6e/52/e6/6e52e6fff3b4fa5c4cc90551b7840046.jpg

[Feruk]

How often do most people hand write in cursive at work? Never? So why do we bother teaching it? The collective knowledge of our civilization is doubling every 30 years, so I question if the time to teach a "skill" that most people never use afterwards could be better spent. I suspect cursive is headed the way of the slide rule, and I'm not complaining one bit. The block letters are good enough.

[HiTempguy1]

The only time I write anything by hand is when it is absolutely necessary. Mainly protests/inquiries at rally races or... um... that's about it. :dunno:

Everything goes onto a phone/email nowadays. I always find paper makes such a huge f'in mess and just ends up collecting dust somewhere but you don't want to throw it out because "it is important". :banghead:

I think cursive should still be taught though. Writing notes is important for recollection, and it probably is a great way to develop hand eye coordination.

[codetrap]

.

[flipstah]

Rusty and I'd fail class.

[taemo]

cursive writing and imo writing in general should still be taught, it's a great learning tool as writing thigns down helps with memory too.

I work in IT and prefer writing things down on a piece of paper over notepad although my writing sucks and sometimes illegible :rofl:
I also write in a hybrid cursive/print mode, basically whichever makes my writing faster

[dirtsniffer]

I don't think cursive is a technology that can go outdated. It is a writing style. Also to quote some dude on reddit as to why use cursive "It's like encryption against millennials." lol

And it apparently makes you smarter.

http://www.businessinsider.com/reasons-to-learn-cursive-2013-10
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/memory-medic/201303/why-writing-hand-could-make-you-smarter

I'll play..
http://i59.tinypic.com/2a8krqb.jpg

[codetrap]

.

[flipstah]

I've determined through the slide rule/cursive posts that speedog must be late 50 early-60's.

And I'm old as fuck knowing what they are.


Originally posted by codetrap
Cursive is the joined letter writing.. vs standard printing of letters... I don't see how one particular handwriting style vs another will make you smarter. http://www.yousephtanha.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/handwriting.jpg

Cursive is an elitist thing. QED.

[flipstah]

Just for shits, do that story I wrote and then go to this page:

http://www.businessballs.com/graphologyhandwritinganalysis.htm

See if it's full of shit or not.

I actually had to think of a story that covered most of these traits.

EDIT: This is a better article,

http://www.handwritinginsights.com/terms.html

[theken]

Handwriting was the "term" I was using for cursive. That's what we always called it, printing or handwriting. Sorry for the confusion, when I write it is cursive. Better?

[flipstah]

Originally posted by dirtsniffer


I'll play..
http://i59.tinypic.com/2a8krqb.jpg

I analyzed your writing and I'm no expert, but I concluded that you're the reincarnation of Lenin.

[tirebob]

I have terrible handwriting, whether cursive or printed, but I think more people can read my printing better than my cursive.

That said, to this day I half print and half write cursive, even in the same words and sentences. I can easily write full cursive but I have sort of adapted to the quickest way for me to lay out the letters...

[speedog]

Originally posted by theken
Handwriting was the "term" I was using for cursive. That's what we always called it, printing or handwriting. Sorry for the confusion, when I write it is cursive. Better?
No problem, I just found your previous post a bit confusing.

[jwslam]

I'm playing devil, because now it looks like a teenage girl's diary entry
(whether you care or not about the content)

edit: sorry giant picture.

[flipstah]

Analyzing my own writing sucked. :(

[botox]

I used to have really nice handwriting because when I was in grade 12 we just started to use computers and you were allowed to choose to do your final exam on the computer or hand written and most of us choose hand written because we weren't very fast on the computer. Now my writing either cursive or printed is terrible, people can barely read my notes and I have to try really hard to write nice for when I need to.

[ZenOps]

I used to do calligraphy using an iridium tipped pen.

[BigDL]

My cursive is way faster and easier for me to read than normal printed writing. The only time I have to write on paper is my monday meetings and even then most of the time I dont have to write any notes for myself.

[Khyron]

My writing used to be flawless. I'd rewrite a page if there was a mistake in the first 1/4 or so. Ah well.

[jwslam]

I'm bored.

See how different the last line is because I tried to write skinny.

(I'm ashamed you can see blatant mistakes)

[CompletelyNumb]

When I write things out with a pen and paper (rarely), I print. Usually block letters. And I interchange capitals and lowercase without realising. :confused:

And I'm 30. Learned hand writing and printing until maybe grade 5, all computers since. :nut:

[sexualbanana]

Some of you have very girlish handwriting.

[flipstah]

Originally posted by sexualbanana
Some of you have very girlish handwriting.

If I print, I write like KANYE AND IT'S HORRIBLE.

I picked the lesser of two evils.

[JRSC00LUDE]

I am actually embarrassed at how difficult it is for me to write that......

[Mitsu3000gt]

I couldn't write legibly in cursive to save my life. I hate it so much, and printing is so much faster (for me). It's also WAY harder to read than even messy printing. I'm glad it's so rarely used. The most printing I ever have to do any given day is on a sticky note, so I don't care.

I somehow learned to type ~100 WPM with 2 fingers though (never learned the 'proper' way), so I have been typing everything that I possibly can for years now.

[flipstah]

Originally posted by Mitsu3000gt
I couldn't write legibly in cursive to save my life. I hate it so much, and printing is so much faster (for me). It's also WAY harder to read than even messy printing. I'm glad it's so rarely used. The most printing I ever have to do any given day is on a sticky note, so I don't care.

I somehow learned to type ~100 WPM with 2 fingers though (never learned the 'proper' way), so I have been typing everything that I possibly can for years now.

You chickenpeck? C'mon.

[jwslam]

Originally posted by sexualbanana
Some of you have very girlish handwriting.
I got pissed off at not being able to read my own notes sometime during high school so this resulted. If I'm writing fast it still looks messy.

Plus being able to write like a girl makes secret santa fun because they never guess me :D

[eglove]

I kept reading getting nobbed by lesbians :love:

[ercchry]

Jez-F7v_CYc

[Mitsu3000gt]

Originally posted by flipstah


You chickenpeck? C'mon.

Sort of. I hold my hands the proper way, but only use my index fingers to type. I can type WAY faster that way than I ever could the proper way with all fingers. I also can only type that fast on a natural/wavy keyboard, the type everyone else seems to hate haha.

I remember back in the day in school, I would ask if I could type things, and the teachers would say no! It used to take me forever to write reports, stories, etc. Now all anyone wants is typed stuff :rofl:

[sexualbanana]

Originally posted by Mitsu3000gt


Sort of. I hold my hands the proper way, but only use my index fingers to type. I can type WAY faster that way than I ever could the proper way with all fingers. I also can only type that fast on a natural/wavy keyboard, the type everyone else seems to hate haha.

I remember back in the day in school, I would ask if I could type things, and the teachers would say no! It used to take me forever to write reports, stories, etc. Now all anyone wants is typed stuff :rofl:

I remember back in the day in word processing class I learned figured out a way to be able to copy and paste into the timing test. That resulted in a hilarious one-day spike in my progression chart that measured my typing at like 10,000 words a minutes with 0 errors.

Alas, that has nothing to do with this thread. I thought I posted up a picture of my handwriting, but it didn't attach. I'll have to try again when I get home. I hand write a lot, but it's a mix of cursive and print. My speed cursive is hilariously terrible.

[ZenOps]

If you want to be cool, print up a resume using the "ransom note generator".

Once again, the machine proves that anything that man can do, machine can do better and faster. The only way to tell that something isn't done by a bot, is because its flawed and imprefect.

[l/l/rX]

I think cursive writing should still be taught. As you grow older you find your own writing style. Mine is currently mixed cursive and print. It kind of gives you your own sense of identity in a weird way ie) creating your signature. Yes some peoples sigs are just big gigantic loops, but mine for instance is a mix of cursive and print.

[sexualbanana]

Pretty impressive.
KvSyQDu49pI