Is cursive worth teaching and learning today?

My county just bought a new reading curriculum and there is a part that incorporates cursive handwriting for 4th graders. However, we haven't been encouraged to use it or make time withthat part of the program. My students cannot read cursive let alone write in cursive. After a discussion with some friends this weekend- a friend of mine said it was unneccessary to know how to read cursive because everyone types and texts when they communicate. What does the tech community think- should we spend time teaching how to write and read cursive or is it more valuable to teach typing skills?

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Permalink Reply by Kate Gladstone on July 23, 2012 at 7:09am

Reading cursive matters as long as anyone is likely to run into some cursive eventually ... My favorite way to teach cursive reading is to show them how each cursive letter (d)evolved from something more familiar and legible; I'll try to attach an example. About half an hour with this, and then giving the kid (or adult) some cursive to read for practice, works well enough that I do it with anyone aged six or older who can read non-cursive writing well. (Why wait for learning to write in cursive before you get to learn to read it?)

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Permalink Reply by Kate Gladstone on July 23, 2012 at 7:11am

An easy, quick way to teach cursive reading is to show the students how cursive letters (d)devolved from more familiar and legible forms. (My attachment didn't go through, but this link has one of the resources that I use ... http://www.exodusbooks.com/Samples/CEP/readloop_compare.pdf )