Bring Cursive Back

Common Core has taken cursive handwriting out of the standards. However many states have realized the benefits of cursive handwriting and have brought it back. Cursive can benefit students in ways you may not have realized! 

Studies suggest that students with disabilities may benefit significantly from using cursive handwriting instead of print.  There are fewer reversals with cursive.  It is an art form and uses a creative component in which students with disabilities often excel.  It is a better representation of the spoken word since there are no breaks between sounds, only between words. 

Here are some tips when teaching cursive:

• Use the “House Paper” to teach cursive writing. You can easily put a cursive letter inside the house. Use the screen and green crayon as usual.
• Purchase the Writing Wizard Cursive App. This is a great way to introduce writing each letter. Students love it!
• Use cursive to practice writing green words in the sand.
• Use cursive on the Word and Sentence Dictation pages. When encoding, students can write a cursive letter or letters on each phoneme line. Then when they rewrite the word, connect the letters together.

If your students are struggling with reversals, sloppy handwriting, and letter formation…try teaching cursive handwriting.  It may make all the difference in the world!