Do you prefer to print or write in cursive?

[MiniGirl]

There is a thread on the family board about cursive writing. In one post, someone mentioned that she can write in cursive but chooses to print as do all of her adult friends. I was a little surprised because most people write in cursive in my circles.

So, I'm just simply curious. Do you prefer to print or write in cursive? Before someone posts and asks why do I care? What difference does it make to me? Etc. Let me say that it makes no difference to me at all. I am simply curious.

Personally, I write in what I call "broken cursive." Some of my letters are connected to the ones next to it but not all.

What about your children? Do they write in cursive?

 

[Ceila]

My day-to-day handwriting is mostly print with some cursive thrown in.

I was surprised to find out how little emphasis there is on cursive in my children's school. They get an introduction in third grade and then that's about it. They are expected to write their names in cursive in 4th and 5th but their assignments can all be printed. While I don't have a problem with this in terms of whether they can write in cursive, I do worry that we're going to have a generation of people who can't easily read cursive, since they're not getting practice. I do have my kids work on it at home, just like they work on their math facts, since that's doesn't get worked on at school much, either.

 

[MushyMushy]

Cursive! My printing is bad but my cursive is easy on the eye and I can write so much faster.

Kids really don't learn cursive anymore. It seems to be a dying art.

 

[skuttle]

My day-to-day handwriting is mostly print with some cursive thrown in.

This is how mine is, too. I think DH's chicken scratch is the same as well.

Just the other day DS, who just finished 1st grade, was trying to read a birthday card that my grandma sent him, but she wrote in all cursive and he couldn't read it. I was wondering when they would start learning cursive.

 

[ctinct]

Well, if I wrote in cursive no one would be able to read it, so I print. Takes longer, though. I learned cursive in the fourth grade. The fifth grade year was for perfecting cursive, but I went straight to sixth grade. The emphasis there was on developing speed. Not a pretty sight, I'm afraid.

I think the previous poster hit on something, though. There will be far less instruction on cursive in the future, primarily because so much stuff is now done by computer.

 

[minniebeth]

For me, it kind of depends on the purpose of the writing. For more formal letters, thank you notes, cards, etc. (yes, I still write hand written letters!) I use cursive. For everyday writing, I too find myself writing in kind of a mixture of printing and cursive.
For quick, fast jotting like grocery lists, etc. I print.

My children's elementary school is old school and still teaches and emphasizes cursive. I'm sad that schools are getting away from it, really and as an educator, I know the importance of moving forward with technology, but feel that cursive and hand written papers, letters, etc., the "traditional" ways of writing should be kept alive and well in addition.

 

[bicker]

I prefer to type.

 

[nmmom95]

I use a self-invented combination of the two. Letters that I never liked to write in cursive, like Q or Z (among others), I print.

My sons' school still emphasizes cursive. Penmanship in K & 1st is manuscript. They learn cursive in 2nd grade. However, it didn't help my (almost) 7th grader. His handwriting looks like he used his feet!

 

[luvmy3]

I write in a print-cursive hybrid.

 

[minniebeth]

His handwriting looks like he used his feet!

Sounds familiar!
My DS is with bicker, he prefers to type. I'm ok with it, or else no one would be able to decipher what he is writing!

 

[NMAmy]

My printing looks much prettier than my cursive so I print.

 

[paintnolish]

I use somewhat connected printing. Ds always writes in very neat cursive, but dd still prefers to print most of the time. She can write in cursive, of course, but they aren't made to do their assignments in cursive at all.

 

[MM27]

I have my own little style of cursive/print mixed together. I have to be careful when I write on the board for my students because I don't want to confuse them into thinking that's what cursive looks like.

I posted on that cursive thread that my district doesn't teach cursive. My first year I wrote something on the board in cursive and one of the kids raised his hand and said, "Can you write that in English?" because he couldn't read the cursive.

 

[bettymae1121]

I also generally write in broken cursive, my handwriting looks best that way. I only use 100% cursive if I'm being formal, like writing a birthday card (unless it's to my nephews, then I print!). I wish my penmanship in cursive was better though, it's very inconsitant and my hand gets tired easily. DH claims he cannot write in cursive, though I think he can still read it (he reads his Mom's b-day cards to him with no trouble at any rate).

When I was in school we started learning cursive in 3rd grade, by the end of 3rd all assignments had to be turned in in cursive.

 

[Arenita]

Interesting post...

Hadn't heard the term broken cursive, but that describes my everyday writing. I print more at work and use formal cursive for notes, checks, cards.

My nieces and nephews, ages 29 to 9, all print. The 9yo still uses cursive sometimes, but it is an effort and you can tell she never "drilled" the letters like we did back in the day. Penmanship, in general, is so last century.

 

[Carly_Roach]

I write in a print-cursive hybrid.

Me too! When I need to write quickly, I use cursive. When I need to write something that people really need to be able to read (directions, a recipe, etc) I use printing.

Interesting post...

Hadn't heard the term broken cursive, but that describes my everyday writing. I print more at work and use formal cursive for notes, checks, cards.

My nieces and nephews, ages 29 to 9, all print. The 9yo still uses cursive sometimes, but it is an effort and you can tell she never "drilled" the letters like we did back in the day. Penmanship, in general, is so last century.

Look at it this way: In about 20 years we'll be able to send each other "code" that only we can translate! It'll drive the youngsters CRAZY!!

 

[boyob13]

I prefer to type too, but my handwriting is a hybrid of cursive and print. My e's and o's are usually connected to the letter before and I always connect my t's.

 

[Sorsha]

I almost never hand-write anything... I even type and print out my grocery lists for pete's sake.

When I do write, though, I use a *******ized (can I say that on the Dis? ETA apparently I cannot) form of printing/italics/cursive. Mostly printing, but sort of slanting, letters mostly connected, but formed like printing letters, but sort of formed like italics letters... what can I say? My handwriting was atrocious when I was forced to write cursive, so as soon as I was able I went back to printing. Then, throughout high school, I developed my own style, and this is what it turned out to be. Now it is very readable, very neat, and I receive many compliments on it.... "Oh I like your handwriting"... "Your handwriting is so neat!" The only exception is my signature, which is still mostly cursive, because it was drummed into my head from a young age that your signature was supposed to be cursive and if you didn't write it a certain way it wasn't legal.

Mostly though, I just type. Anytime I have to write a lot anymore the muscles in my hand are so un-used to it, I get writer's cramp.

ETA I love our censoring program. *rolls eyes*. Love how its takes a perfectly accepted term and whacks it right out.

 

[AustinTink]

My son goes to a very traditional Catholic school that stresses cursive handwriting from 1st grade on. When I volunteer in the classroom I'm always shocked about beautiful the kid's penmanship is. To me it's a lost art. And this is coming from a person with some serious chicken scratch. My husband says my handwriting would be bad even for a dude.

 

[cybrkitn]

Cursive. It's smoother writing than printing. However, after learning how to type, I prefer that whenever possible.