I'm 36. I learned cursive, but never used it outside of school. I can sign my name.

Just transcribed letters written in the 19th century. I have a difficult time with the script used then. My kids will never be able to read it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it is because when you send someone a handwritten note, like a "Thank You" card or something, it looks nicer if your writing in cursive and your cursive is pretty.

+1 and "yes" to both of OP's questions. Are there people who really don't know how to read or write cursive??? I'm 42 & write all my notes in cursive. It's much quicker (& prettier) than printing.

+1 if my kids don't learn it at school, then they will learn it at home.

Anonymous wrote:Curious- do you all really print in block letters? I mean, cursive is just connecting the letters together. I have a hard time believing your letters don't touch and you print out each discretely.

Cursive isn't just connecting the letters together. I connect the letters together when I print; that means I write connected print, not cursive.

I think it's important to know how to read cursive, because there is still a lot of writing in cursive. It's not hard to learn how to read cursive, though. (And it would be a lot easier if there weren't all of those stupid letters in modern American cursive that look nothing like the printed letters.)

I still write in cursive, but it helps that mine is neat...

It's like saying knowing math facts by rote memory isn't important because of calculators. Think of a check, think of sll the "signature" versus "printed name" blocks on an annual basis (applications, tax returns, parental waivers, etc.)

Yes.

Oh yeah!

http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2013/04/30/should-schools-require-children-to-learn-cursive/the-benefits-of-cursive-go-beyond-writing

I teach Montessori preschool, and we teach cursive before printing because the flow of the letters is supposedly easier for the children to write. I am a huge Montessori fan but this is the only thing I disagree with. However, I do think that cursive should be taught to older children because it is a beautiful but dying art form.

Ask a speech and language pathologist. There is a direct connection with the fluid motion of cursive and articulation disorders.

Anonymous wrote:I think it is because when you send someone a handwritten note, like a "Thank You" card or something, it looks nicer if your writing in cursive and your cursive is pretty.

+1 and "yes" to both of OP's questions. Are there people who really don't know how to read or write cursive??? I'm 42 & write all my notes in cursive. It's much quicker (& prettier) than printing.

I rarely write, block letters or cursive, anything on paper with a pen. I type.

I think it is because when you send someone a handwritten note, like a "Thank You" card or something, it looks nicer if your writing in cursive and your cursive is pretty.

Curious- do you all really print in block letters? I mean, cursive is just connecting the letters together. I have a hard time believing your letters don't touch and you print out each discretely.

Anonymous wrote:Yes and yes. I think there's something important in having a connection between our hand and our brain and the ability to write fluidly (and beautifully) is still important. As handwriting has gone downhill, so has the quality of people's writing. It's like cooking: you could get frozen meals and takeout and convenience foods (email, texting) but it's nice to be able to actually cook, too.

I'm a great cook, but I can't think of the last time I followed a recipe that was actually written in cursive.