Cursive writing is an elegant form of handwriting that our parents and grandparents valued. In the past, it was an important writing skill that all students should master.
But as technology became more popular, students are no longer focusing on improving their handwriting or learning cursive writing. Nevertheless, some schools teach it even if the teachers know that students are unlikely to use it.
While it’s still taught, many parents wonder, actually what grade do you learn cursive writing?
What Grade Do You Learn Cursive Writing?
Most schools start teaching cursive writing in the third grade or when students are 8 years old. By that time, kids are old enough to focus on the motion of the pencil and have the needed motor skills that enable them to make the loops while writing different letters.
However, some schools and parents might start a bit earlier. Students can learn cursive handwriting when they are in the first grade, as experts believe that printing can be more difficult for younger children starting from the age of four.
Some letters look very close to each other and the kids have to pause and adjust the movement of the pencil every time they want to start a new letter. They believe that from the perspective of motor skills, printing can be more challenging.
Nevertheless, learning cursive doesn’t mean mastering it for life. If you don’t practice often, you’ll lose the ability to write as smoothly as you wish. Students are always advised to use cursive often to make sure that they will never forget how to do it right.
Do all Students Learn How to Write in Cursive?
The answer is No.
Some schools, teachers, and parents believe that cursive handwriting is a dying art. Others are weighing the pros and cons. Nowadays, everyone is using computers and smart devices to write academic assignments, notes, and letters. Students should learn how to use these tools efficiently. Teaching keyboard skills is becoming more popular, but this doesn’t mean ignoring handwriting altogether.
As a matter of fact, some kids and teens choose to learn cursive on their own or with the help of a tutor or a parent. It’s an elegant art of handwriting that has lots of benefits. Here are some reasons why kids should learn cursive at a young age.
- Cursive writing activates different parts of the brain than regular handwriting or printing. It also strengthens the muscles of the hands and improves motor skills that last a lifetime.
- Students are able to understand the different forms of letters so they can read various texts, regardless of the shape of the alphabets.
- Dyslexic kids find cursive easier to understand because letters don’t look similar, unlike print letters. Students who suffer from mirroring the “d” and the “b” or the “p” and “q” will benefit when they write in cursive.
- Handwriting becomes better because the spacing between words is properly controlled.
- When kids grow up, cursive handwriting is required to process legal documents and write checks.
Cursive handwriting shouldn’t be treated like a soon-to-be-lost art. Teaching cursive is living proof that learning shouldn’t be only done to pass a test.
