Cursive writing- what grade

Maddie got a letter from her teacher today in the mail and in it she states that they will be learning cursive handwriting. I couldn't believe it! Regular handwriting is still not perfect but they are progressing to cursive?

Does this sound right for 2nd grade?? I know when I was in school we learned cursive at the end of 3rd/ beginning of 4th grades.

 

Whe I was in school it was 3rd grade and here it's 3rd, my son just came home today and told me they were starting it and my 6th grader started in 3rd too so...However, I don't necssarily think it's too early so long as they are able to continue mastering print.

 

I think it was the end of 3rd and all through 4th grade for my oldest. I think 2nd grade is early...

 

Where I taught it was mid year (after mid winter break) 3rd grade. Then the last quarter of 3rd grade it is required to be used (unless stated in an IEP/504). Our 4th grade teachers allowed the use of either print or cursive.

They did printing in K- then D'Nelian style printing in 1/2nd. D'Nelian tends to be more 'flow-y' and makes the transition to cursive easier.

I am surprised they would start in 2nd!! Many kids are still fine-tuning fine motor skills/stamina--- they also need some practice reading cursive before they can write it.

Wow- that is early.

 

It was 3rd when I was in school. Isabel is just going into 2nd, so we'll see what the year has in store. I think they are still really fine-tuning their printing at this point though.

 

Mine ds started at the end of his 2nd grade - just the letter formations and such. 3rd grade he'll be expected to write sentences in cursive, but we haven't heard if its by Dec or the last half of the school year. I hope it's the last half!

 

I'm glad to know that I'm not the only one who thought that 2nd seems early. Both of my two have horrible print handwriting so I can't imagine that cursive would be better. :laughing:

 

I taught cursive in 2nd and 3rd grade when I was teaching and sometimes many kids write better in cursive than they do in print. :good:




In our county they start learning it after Christmas in 2nd grade. :good: They learn all the letters through the end of the year. Then at the beginning of 3rd grade they review it and by the middle of 3rd grade they are expected to be writing in cursive for certain assignments.

 

It was 3rd grade at our school when I was a kid BUT the schools have changed standards. I was just reading a newspaper article about TN parents freaking out because their kid entering 3rd grade this year was expected to learn things their older siblings learned in 4th. It's created a learning gap with kids who were on-track having to play catch-up and kids who were struggling are looking at repeating. The great news is that they quit the stupid D'Nealian handwriting (my kids will not be plagued by monkey tails) and they will likely leave everything alone now for a decade or 3.

 

We had a conversation with Brianne's teacher about this at open house. The twins are in second grade and will be learning this year. The teacher said that a lot of the kids write in cursive better than print. I hope so because Hayley's printing is horrible. LOL

My cousin's daughter is in the eighth grade and they have never learned cursive writing. She is in a different state than us.

 

Our state requires it in 3rd grade although some teachers will do a basic lesson about it in 2nd grade. Our school has actually stopped teachig it altogether despite the state requirement. They say there is too many other things they need to teach and it's not as important now with technology etc.

 

We started in 2nd Grade, but regular print is still allowed in 3rd Grade--although I have a feeling that it will come to a stop within the next quarter.

 

Very common nowadays! I'd just be thankful they were learning it at all. Personally, I think it is one of those things that you might not have a direct need for, but can impact a child's general learning.

 

I've heard that in some countries they start learning cursive before learning printing. Here's a website about a program advocating that, in fact.

 

Most kids in Cincinnati are taught cursive writing in second grade, too.

 

The boys started learning it last year in 2nd, and will really work on it this year in 3rd. I hate that some schools are not teaching it, because being able to write is still and important skill.

 

Thanks everyone for the input. Who knows, maybe it will be better than their manuscript writing. LOL

 

My girls learned cursive in 2nd grade. They are required to write in cursive 90 percent of the time in 3rd grade. They didn't have any trouble picking it up.

 

My dd is going into 6th grade and still prints everything as do all the kids in her class. It is very frustrating that our school only does a brief lesson on it then never expects to see it out of our kids again.

 

Our schools are no longer teaching it here.

 

I was in second grade when I learned. Don't know about my kids school, though. They are both parochial, so likely the same, but it's also been nearly 25 years since I was in 2nd grade (yikes).

 

When I was in school, I learned cursive in 2nd grade. This fact stands out like no other because the letter 'S' is the ONLY letter I got an ok grade on.

 

My girls started it in 2nd grade too. Their cursive was WAY neater than their regular print. I heard it is quite common for that to happen that way.

 

My boys learned it in 3rd grade, they are reviewing it now in 4th, but will be expected to write 100% in cursive strting in the second quarter.

 

Dielle, thanks for sharing that article.
Here in Mexico I was shocked when they girls started learning it along side print in Kindergarten. Right now (in 1st grade) it's mostly aimed at reading it rather than reporducing it well. I personally learned in 4th grade, my DH here in Mexico never learned, which was common in his generation. When I first started teaching university here 12 years ago, none of my students could read it so I had to learn to only print on the board. Now t most of the students in my classes can read it, but only about 20% ever turn in assignments in cursive.

 

Well, at least some schools still teach cursive handwriting! I have many middle school students who can not read cursive because it was never taught to them....do not understand that one at all!!

 

3rd grade here. And then they never have to use it again.