slo’s MONDAY 10/20 poll - Printing vs Cursive Writing ✏️

[Magical2017]

I use both. I taught my kids cursive but they never really used it in school, except third grade, so don't use it now.

 

[Diznygrl]

After I was done with grade school where full cursive was always required, I developed my own writing style which ended up being a hybrid of cursive and print.

It's crazy to me that cursive isn't being taught anymore, but I guess it's just a sign of the times. How are these kids writing their signatures? Are all signatures going to be just blocky print letters now?

 

[tvguy]

68 year old man. I have horrible cursive handwriting so i have always printed anything except when writing checks. And being a 68 year old man I still write checks. This year even more as I had $70,000 in work done over 5 projects and the contractors all considered checks the same as cash and gave a cash discount.

 

[ClaraOswald]

Mid 40s here. I use print only. I sort of use cursive for my signature, but honestly, it's just a lazy scribble these days on the rare occasion I need to sign something.

I never really understood the outrage people have towards kids not learning cursive anymore. I really don't see how it's a necessary skill. Though I can see how some kids may actually find it easier than using print so in those cases, I understand wanting to learn.

But, in general, it's just something that isn't used much in modern society. I'm more concerned about kids being able to type. And read. And comprehend written word. And have critical thinking skills.

 

[Turn the Page]

I print everything except for my signature.And when writing checks. I still write a fair number of checks so I use it occasionally.

I also wondered how people would write their signatures if they didn't know how to write cursive, and someone pointed out to me that eventually, we will just go to thumbprints, which made sense. I saw a youtube video once that talked about japan and apparently people carry rubber stamps with their family name character on it.So if they ever have to sign anything, they just stamp it. Honestly, a thumbprint seems more secure than that.And harder to lose.

ETA: actually, now that I think of it, when I write a check the payee line is print and the written dollar amount line and my signature are both cursive. What sense that makes i have no idea.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Mid-50s gal, and I write in either print or cursive, depending on my mood.

My DS was in one of the last classes to really learn cursive in school here, but then they weren't required to keep using it... so I occasionally leave notes around the house in cursive, to force him to at least practice reading it.

I never really understood the outrage people have towards kids not learning cursive anymore. I really don't see how it's a necessary skill... I'm more concerned about kids being able to type. And read. And comprehend written word. And have critical thinking skills.

It does actually have some benefits in critical thinking, as it activates different areas and forces you to use both sides of your brain at the same time.

A short video:

And a little bit longer read:
Psychology Today article

It's always a tough call to determine what to cut when we need to bring to bring new things into the curriculum. So many things should be included, but of course time is limited.

 

[monsterkitty]

I have a hybrid of cursive and print. When I would sign passes for students my scribble, I mean signature, looked like 18 so the students started calling me "18."

I use both. Many schools no longer teach cursive, which I think is crazy. My grandson-in-law is 23 years old, cannot write in cursive, not even his signature. I was a volunteer in Kindergarten for several years and taught many children how to print. I am amazed that folks don't even know how to properly print all of the letters in the alphabet.

At some point when No Child Left Behind began cursive was removed from the National Standards and states followed suit and removed it from state standards. Because it was no longer in the standards it was no longer taught. One of my colleagues required her 7th graders use cursive for their spelling vocab. However, parents complained that because it wasn't in the state standards she could no longer require cursive. It went all the way to the school board, and my teacher lost the battle. She began a cursive club during our advisory period (basically homeroom/extra help period) and it was so popular that other teachers also started teaching cursive again.

After I was done with grade school where full cursive was always required, I developed my own writing style which ended up being a hybrid of cursive and print.

It's crazy to me that cursive isn't being taught anymore, but I guess it's just a sign of the times. How are these kids writing their signatures? Are all signatures going to be just blocky print letters now?

Your signature is anyway you sign your name. It doesn't have to be cursive. Before we educated everyone in the US, those who couldn't read or write just signed an "x" as their signature.

 

[monsterkitty]

Funny story - my youngest niece is a third-grade teacher who is part of the population when cursive was no longer taught. It's now back in the state standards for third grade so she's having to learn cursive along with her students!

 

[kdonnel]

How are these kids writing their signatures? Are all signatures going to be just blocky print letters now?

How many people’s signatures are actual cursive letters?

Perhaps some could recognize the K and D in my signature, but everything else is just squiggly lines.

Edited to add:
How often are people needing to write their signature in today's world?

E signature is where it's at.

 

[Lumpy1106]

The only thing I write in cursive is my signature and good luck reading it. I switched from cursive to all caps print writing while taking notes in college because I had a class where the professor would collect and grade our notes (an Engineering class no less). I always carried a straight edge and continued to only take notes in print after that.

 

[AppleDumpling]

Woman, early 60’s. I mostly still use cursive writing, although I refer to it as script, which is what it was called when I was in school. I will print sometimes, for things like filling out forms by hand or addressing an envelope (I still send cards.)

I think it’s still taught in some schools, depending on the state and district, and in some places is being brought back. DS is late 20’s and he learned it.

 

[CynBeth]

I mostly print but if I'm signing my name for something I'm really signing most of the time and not just an X or basic scribble.

Same here.

 

[AppleDumpling]

Your signature is anyway you sign your name. It doesn't have to be cursive. Before we educated everyone in the US, those who couldn't read or write just signed an "x" as their signature.

How many people’s signatures are actual cursive letters?

Perhaps some could recognize the K and D in my signature, but everything else is just squiggly lines.

Edited to add:
How often are people needing to write their signature in today's world?

E signature is where it's at.

I sign my name when I write a check, which is rare, or endorse a check to be deposited in the bank. You also have to sign for legal documents, eg. a will, medical authorization, real estate transactions, and other types of contracts. Sometimes I sign for credit cards; sometimes it’s required (at some restaurants/stores), sometimes it’s not (most grocery stores, gas stations, etc.). It used be when you made a purchase with a credit card, the business was supposed to compare your signature to the one on the card to make sure it matched. No one does that anymore. And often you sign on an iPad type of device, sometimes using your finger, so usually just a squiggly line or maybe an X. (Then what is even the point?)

In my state, when you go to vote, you sign under your name in a big register book (on paper) and they compare to previous signatures. (No other ID required, which is controversial.) However in recent years, with early voting (where you can vote at many different locations), it’s now done electronically.

 

[easyas123]

How often are people needing to write their signature in today's world?

E signature is where it's at.

Can't E-Signature for everything. I sign for a vehicle about 1 or 2 times per month and Ford wants my live signature, nothing less. I sign A LOT of things for work. A lot, and that's not counting the two check runs per month accounting runs. And no, not every company has ACH or whatever it's called so we are still printing and mailing a lot of checks each month. And there are many, many other small businesses of varying sizes that sign a lot of things so it happens a lot. All of our bonds, contracts & qualification forms all require live signatures. All of our payroll is DD, but things like reimbursements , milage and per diem are all checks. Things like electric bills and internet or water charges in many of locations are payable by check - believe me it would be easier if some of these entities would allow us to do otherwise. Oh - they are getting there but it's not all at a breakneck pace!

 

[kdonnel]

Can't E-Signature for everything. I sign for a vehicle about 1 or 2 times per month and Ford wants my live signature, nothing less. I sign A LOT of things for work. A lot, and that's not counting the two check runs per month accounting runs. And no, not every company has ACH or whatever it's called so we are still printing and mailing a lot of checks each month. And there are many, many other small businesses of varying sizes that sign a lot of things so it happens a lot. All of our bonds, contracts & qualification forms all require live signatures. All of our payroll is DD, but things like reimbursements , milage and per diem are all checks. Things like electric bills and internet or water charges in many of locations are payable by check - believe me it would be easier if some of these entities would allow us to do otherwise. Oh - they are getting there but it's not all at a breakneck pace!

Sounds like an opportunity to embrace the 21st century and go electronic.

 

[easyas123]

Sounds like an opportunity to embrace the 21st century and go electronic.

Indeed. But how exactly does one make a utility, a city, a State, a Government Contractor or nationally know food companies go electronic? Cause that’s who we are writing checks to. How does one tell Ford, or the USDA, States, or others that they shouldn’t require live signatures?

 

[disneychrista]

.

It's crazy to me that cursive isn't being taught anymore, but I guess it's just a sign of the times. How are these kids writing their signatures? Are all signatures going to be just blocky print letters now?

My coworker was taught to sign their name but nothing else. Trouble is if one changes their name after marriage they now have to figure out how to sign their new name.

 

[kdonnel]

Indeed. But how exactly does one make a utility, a city, a State, a Government Contractor or nationally know food companies go electronic? Cause that’s who we are writing checks to. How does one tell Ford, or the USDA, States, or others that they shouldn’t require live signatures?

Keep in mind I never said everything can be done electronically nor that you could change all of your processes to be electronic.....

But......

You could use online bill pay for the utilities. While a check might still be generated, you are not the one doing the work or signing.

My neighbor was hired as the CFO a year ago by a company that wanted help modernizing their payment systems. The owner recognized that his company was stuck doing things the same way they had been doing them since 1980 when the company was started. Their antiquated manual payment processes was costing them money.

It has been a slow process but the company is modernizing.

That is what I was suggesting for

I sign A LOT of things for work. A lot, and that's not counting the two check runs per month accounting runs. And no, not every company has ACH or whatever it's called so we are still printing and mailing a lot of checks each month. And there are many, many other small businesses of varying sizes that sign a lot of things so it happens a lot.

 

[georgina]

I almost always print, except when signing my name on a check or official document (rarely!). I'm 63

I am not at all bothered by the fact that kids are not taught cursive. Let it die!