Schools are stopping cursive writing...thoughts?

[just play]

My oldest daughter and I are having a discussion on how schools are stopping the teaching of cursive writing.

What are your thoughts on this?

I have a few concerns, the biggest concern would be what about making a will? What if someone is worth some money, they make a will out, but now don't have to "sign" it. Wouldn't that bring up many forgeries? One child could be a money hungry dick willing to screw his/her sibling? As there would no longer be a "signature" on that particular document.

I guess I can't wrap my head around NOT having a signature on important documents. Wills, bank accounts, checks, receipts, etc...would you then just print your signature? Seems a little sketchy no? Easier to copy or replicate? Doesn't this seem like a win for scumbags to start scamming?

Am I missing something in this technology world? I tried to look it up on google, but only came up with thousands of articles on stopping the teaching, not what will happen to important documents.

 

[dionysus]

I don't use it, and I won't miss it.
I used to teach ... very quickly, typed assignments became mandatory - trying to work through 65 tests written in cursive, with all the variations and personal flair, became a nightmare. Even printing-style handwriting was bad enough.
As a component, sure, don't drop it all together. But as a focus? No. I can't even even think of 2 examples in the past month where I've had to write ANYthing, save for a 'scrawl' to indicate my signature on something, and even then, I think it was cash-back from the store. Besides, my personal signature is more authentic to me (and as hard to duplicate generally), than writing my name in cursive anyway.

 

[LaurieJim]

It is sad that our Grandchildren or great Grandchildren will never know how to go back and read old letters from our past generations without an expert or oldster to read it to them.

This will be a huge mistake for our public schools , even college students at the grocery store do not know how to count back and make correct change without help , that is a big red flag that something is missing in public education.

I have pity for todays generation , they are missing out on using their brains to work out and solve problems on thier own.

Does anyone else still send out Thank You notes in the mail , doesn't it feel so nice to get one in the post with a nice hand written thank you or even a Birthday Card, call me old fashioned , I guess.


Laurie

 

[dionysus]

It is sad that our Grandchildren or great Grandchildren will never know how to go back and read old letters from our past generations without an expert or oldster to read it to them.

This will be a huge mistake for our public schools , even college students at the grocery store do not know how to count back and make correct change without help , that is a big red flag that something is missing in public education.

I have pity for todays generation , they are missing out on using their brains to work out and solve problems on thier own.

Does anyone else still send out Thank You notes in the mail , doesn't it feel so nice to get one in the post with a nice hand written thank you or even a Birthday Card, call me old fashioned , I guess.


Laurie

I still write personal messages in birthday cards and RSVPS - but in printing, not cursive. I wouldn't subject anyone to trying to decipher my cursive

 

[just play]

I don't use it, and I won't miss it.
I used to teach ... very quickly, typed assignments became mandatory - trying to work through 65 tests written in cursive, with all the variations and personal flair, became a nightmare. Even printing-style handwriting was bad enough.
As a component, sure, don't drop it all together. But as a focus? No. I can't even even think of 2 examples in the past month where I've had to write ANYthing, save for a 'scrawl' to indicate my signature on something, and even then, I think it was cash-back from the store. Besides, my personal signature is more authentic to me (and as hard to duplicate generally), than writing my name in cursive anyway.

I agree with assignments and such being typed, easier to read, more neat, etc...

I write checks all the time, so I sign my name quite often. I was thinking even us gamblers, we have to send in documents with proof of ID which are signed, sometimes even a form that we have to sign, I guess I just don't get how this is going to become obsolete.

@Laurie... I agree with your post. It's sad to see, but I'm old fashioned as well, I didn't even own a cell phone until like 3 years ago, haha, I just had no need for it. I went my entire life without one, I only got one because my daughter worked at Radio Shack and she said we could text all the time, lol. I just got the new Blackberry, I can only imagine the things it can do, and I still only text and call people with it...hahahahha.


No cursive writing boggles my mind.

 

[diva2000]

Yes its true, very sad. Although modern technology dictates otherwise it should not be cut out altogether. I try to write whenever I can and even then, I find myself rushing...its like I have no patience to write anymore.

I make sure to buy B'cards etc and write them and have them mailed so that the receiver can have a more personal message. However, the last time i had to write something at length was during my school years. A long time ago!!!...

In my country, all examinations are still done in cursive writing and students are thought to practice before sitting for an exam as they are not used to writing at length anymore and therefore timing will be against them. Imagine all that studying only to not make it through coz you didn't have enough time to write it all down???!!!

when it comes to legal documents, I strongly believe that it should be signed on black and white. For security reasons, it is a must!

Regards,
Rebecca.

 

[vinylweatherman]

Yes its true, very sad. Although modern technology dictates otherwise it should not be cut out altogether. I try to write whenever I can and even then, I find myself rushing...its like I have no patience to write anymore.

I make sure to buy B'cards etc and write them and have them mailed so that the receiver can have a more personal message. However, the last time i had to write something at length was during my school years. A long time ago!!!...

In my country, all examinations are still done in cursive writing and students are thought to practice before sitting for an exam as they are not used to writing at length anymore and therefore timing will be against them. Imagine all that studying only to not make it through coz you didn't have enough time to write it all down???!!!

when it comes to legal documents, I strongly believe that it should be signed on black and white. For security reasons, it is a must!

Regards,
Rebecca.

We never had any of this technology when I was at school, however my writing was never neat, and it was always a struggle to mark my work. Similarly, at university the lecturer's scrawled notes on the overhead projector slides was so hard to decipher that it distracted from the lecture. If we wanted anything typed up, it had to be done with a proper ribbon typewriter, which in many industries was done in their "typing pool".

Being able to type an essay on a PC or similar device and present it in an easily read form is a great advance, however the old skills still have a place. There is still a need to teach children how to deal with those circumstances, such as legal documents, where only hand written content is deemed acceptable.

There is also the matter of catching criminals, particularly fraudsters. Hand written items are a great way to forensically investigate who is connected to whom, and is often used in investigating benefit frauds here in the UK. I am sure online casinos make use of similar handwriting analyses when trying to detect players having too many accounts, and if this is no longer taught in schools, it will mean that EVERYTHING will end up being typed, with the loss of a useful forensic tool.

I don't know what the current situation is in UK schools, but I have a small panel of teenagers I can ask

 

[just play]

Yes its true, very sad. Although modern technology dictates otherwise it should not be cut out altogether. I try to write whenever I can and even then, I find myself rushing...its like I have no patience to write anymore.

I make sure to buy B'cards etc and write them and have them mailed so that the receiver can have a more personal message. However, the last time i had to write something at length was during my school years. A long time ago!!!...

In my country, all examinations are still done in cursive writing and students are thought to practice before sitting for an exam as they are not used to writing at length anymore and therefore timing will be against them. Imagine all that studying only to not make it through coz you didn't have enough time to write it all down???!!!

when it comes to legal documents, I strongly believe that it should be signed on black and white. For security reasons, it is a must!

Regards,
Rebecca.

Yes Rebecca...I agree that legal documents should be signed as well. What's going to happen in 20 or so years when the children that grew up don't know how to "sign"?

I asked my 11 year old who is in 6th grade (who did learn cursive) if she has to write cursive for classes she said no. She can if she wants but it's not mandatory.

VWM

There is also the matter of catching criminals, particularly fraudsters. Hand written items are a great way to forensically investigate who is connected to whom, and is often used in investigating benefit frauds here in the UK. I am sure online casinos make use of similar handwriting analyses when trying to detect players having too many accounts, and if this is no longer taught in schools, it will mean that EVERYTHING will end up being typed, with the loss of a useful forensic tool.

That was my worry. What's going to happen in the coming years with forgeries and such?

 

[vinylweatherman]

Yes Rebecca...I agree that legal documents should be signed as well. What's going to happen in 20 or so years when the children that grew up don't know how to "sign"?

I asked my 11 year old who is in 6th grade (who did learn cursive) if she has to write cursive for classes she said no. She can if she wants but it's not mandatory.






That was my worry. What's going to happen in the coming years with forgeries and such?

There is a bright side. Skilled forgers will be harder to find, as most security features are designed to be impossible to produce using stuff like MS Word or Photoshop. A skilled scribe is needed to copy some ornate text from an original accurately enough to fool most people.

However, technology may even overcome this, better scanners and printers may be able to directly copy an original such that it is virtually impossible to tell them apart. Currently, "special paper" is used for banknotes, and it's supply is tightly controlled such that fake banknotes are not on exactly the right paper, enabling various tests to tell them apart.

The vast majority of "original" documents, such as utility bills, come on standard issue A4 printer paper, and often come from industrial grade fast (laser) printers. These are not really that hard to fake, it's the background information that is, and which often catches out the fraudsters.

 

[Andy Walker]

My oldest daughter and I are having a discussion on how schools are stopping the teaching of cursive writing.

What are your thoughts on this?

I have a few concerns, the biggest concern would be what about making a will? What if someone is worth some money, they make a will out, but now don't have to "sign" it. Wouldn't that bring up many forgeries? One child could be a money hungry dick willing to screw his/her sibling? As there would no longer be a "signature" on that particular document.

I guess I can't wrap my head around NOT having a signature on important documents. Wills, bank accounts, checks, receipts, etc...would you then just print your signature? Seems a little sketchy no? Easier to copy or replicate? Doesn't this seem like a win for scumbags to start scamming?

Am I missing something in this technology world? I tried to look it up on google, but only came up with thousands of articles on stopping the teaching, not what will happen to important documents.

Cursive or something I had to explain to an English Teacher at one point as when they said what is that? I gently said "you know joining up letters" is like "First Aid" something you need to know but will rarely if ever have any use for.

Cursive is not really that far removed from "CAPTCHA" used to prevent automated computer programs from swamping sites with spam. Sometimes it can't be read.

 

[tilly]

cursive - tillys thoughts

hi everyone - newish member here, just want to say cursive has important part to play in spelling and reading skills. have been teacher for 30 years and whilst i also embrace technology for essays, reports etc i think it detrimental in so many ways to lose this skill.
re signing wills etc - probably be able to fingerprint docs - sadly.

we may have reached for the stars but our feet have not left the ground!

 

[Andy Walker]

Cursive writing or joined upped writing is something I very rarely use because there are little to no situations where it is necessary.

It is akin to telegrams and fax versus email, fax is still used in extreme circumstances where a legal point of debate (lawyers) needs communication as the transfer is considered protected from editing unlike email. I consider it like First Aid something you need to know but will rarely use if ever.

 

[diva2000]

I fear that our young ones will grow up and look at a pen and say ' Mama..whats that'...lol

My 17 month old already knows that by moving a mouse something will change on the pc but you give her a pen and she will either throw it away or attempt to bite on it... that never happened with the mouse yet. LOL

 

[vinylweatherman]

Checking with my panel of teens at the weekend, the skill is very much alive at age 14.

Her first reaction on hearing that this was not being taught in some schools was "how do they write a cheque?". I then had a page of cursive writing thrust under my nose as proof They still teach English Literature too, it was an essay on poem analysis

I would say forget cheques, wouldn't a loss of this skill cause a shortage of doctors

My great niece (age 4), is starting to form printed letters at pre school, and in a few years I will be able to see if this skill is still being taught at this level. I recall learning "grown up writing" in about the third year of school, around the age of 7/8.

 

[skiny]

Checking with my panel of teens at the weekend, the skill is very much alive at age 14.

Her first reaction on hearing that this was not being taught in some schools was "how do they write a cheque?". I then had a page of cursive writing thrust under my nose as proof They still teach English Literature too, it was an essay on poem analysis

I would say forget cheques, wouldn't a loss of this skill cause a shortage of doctors

My great niece (age 4), is starting to form printed letters at pre school, and in a few years I will be able to see if this skill is still being taught at this level. I recall learning "grown up writing" in about the third year of school, around the age of 7/8.

I don't know what the doctors are like over there but here they don't use cursive writing. They use cursed writing. I think there must be a course that pharmacists must take just to read it. One time I had doctor write me a prescription for anti-inflammatories for my elbows. I was afraid to fill it because from what I could tell it said something about a nail and my testicles.

 

[dionysus]

Checking with my panel of teens at the weekend, the skill is very much alive at age 14.

Her first reaction on hearing that this was not being taught in some schools was "how do they write a cheque?". I then had a page of cursive writing thrust under my nose as proof They still teach English Literature too, it was an essay on poem analysis

I would say forget cheques, wouldn't a loss of this skill cause a shortage of doctors

My great niece (age 4), is starting to form printed letters at pre school, and in a few years I will be able to see if this skill is still being taught at this level. I recall learning "grown up writing" in about the third year of school, around the age of 7/8.

people still write cheques? lol. I can't think of a single thing I've written a cheque for in years and years. TBH, I don't even know why I have a chequing acct. Heck, but for the very rarest of occasions, I don't even use the bank as a physical place.

 

[Andy Walker]

people still write cheques? lol. I can't think of a single thing I've written a cheque for in years and years. TBH, I don't even know why I have a chequing acct. Heck, but for the very rarest of occasions, I don't even use the bank as a physical place.

The old cursive writing reminds me of the handwriting recognition system employed by the “Pocket PC’s” pushed out by Microsoft nearly a decade ago. There were two ways to translate the scribbles from a pen to text, the first was a very slow one letter at a time interface and then secondly the cursive style which if you was neat was much quicker.

It had its foibles wherein it would flatly refuse words that are correct in British English but differ in US English, an example being “recognise” needed a new “go at it” with the spelling “recognize.”

I really need to get hold of an “Apple Newton” manufactured a decade before that to see if my moans were really justified.

Possibly worse than the demise of “real writing” is the acceptance of extreme forms of abbreviation. Used now in written correspondences on forums, and chats and SMS (yes short messaging service).

Sorry if I seem like an “astronaut's wife” :lolsign:

 

[vinylweatherman]

people still write cheques? lol. I can't think of a single thing I've written a cheque for in years and years. TBH, I don't even know why I have a chequing acct. Heck, but for the very rarest of occasions, I don't even use the bank as a physical place.

It's often when sending money to individuals through the post, the alternative would be posting cash, not a good idea. Cheques are dying out, but there are still a few things where there is no alternative. My annual boiler service is coming up, and they don't take cards, so it's a cheque, probably the second one I have had to write this year.

The banks were planning to discontinue cheques completely by 2018, but the plan had to be scrapped because they could not come up with a viable alternative for sending payments through the post to some small traders, individuals, and some charities. The problem with card payments is that below a certain organisation size, it isn't economically viable. My local convenience store will not accept a card for sales under £5, it has to be cash. It's the cost of accepting a card that becomes disproportionate for such small transactions that has lead to this.

 

[vinylweatherman]

I don't know what the doctors are like over there but here they don't use cursive writing. They use cursed writing. I think there must be a course that pharmacists must take just to read it. One time I had doctor write me a prescription for anti-inflammatories for my elbows. I was afraid to fill it because from what I could tell it said something about a nail and my testicles.

Maybe I should have been a doctor, only an experienced pharmacist would have been able to read my scribble, something my teachers always complained about. Instead, I became a weatherman, and sometimes it's best forgotten what one wrote yesterday

Today will be sunny.


Sorry, it was my bad writing, it didn't say "sunny" it was a badly scribbled "cloudy" that you must have misread

 

[Andy Walker]

My annual boiler service is coming up, and they don't take cards, so it's a cheque, probably the second one I have had to write this year.

In the UK a boiler can be described as a woman you have lived with for an extended time that keeps you warm at night so long as you give her a good poke every now and again! :lolsign:

 

[skiny]

Maybe I should have been a doctor, only an experienced pharmacist would have been able to read my scribble, something my teachers always complained about. Instead, I became a weatherman, and sometimes it's best forgotten what one wrote yesterday

Today will be sunny.


Sorry, it was my bad writing, it didn't say "sunny" it was a badly scribbled "cloudy" that you must have misread

Get a fountain pen and practice calligraphy. That'll impress'em down at the DMV. when you're renewing your driver's license.

 

[Andy Walker]

Maybe I should have been a doctor, only an experienced pharmacist would have been able to read my scribble, something my teachers always complained about. Instead, I became a weatherman, and sometimes it's best forgotten what one wrote yesterday

Today will be sunny.


Sorry, it was my bad writing, it didn't say "sunny" it was a badly scribbled "cloudy" that you must have misread

I would imagine a member from “down under” would awake to that post and slowly stretch their arms out and say “here we go again.”

I do love the richness of imagination in this forum and do declare myself guilty at times if only to wash away the stench of reality which can become tedious.

 

[just play]

Checking with my panel of teens at the weekend, the skill is very much alive at age 14.

Her first reaction on hearing that this was not being taught in some schools was "how do they write a cheque?". I then had a page of cursive writing thrust under my nose as proof They still teach English Literature too, it was an essay on poem analysis

I should have said schools in the USA are stopping cursive writing. Like I said earlier my 11 year old can print or write, her choice. Cursive is not mandatory like it was when I was younger. She had a sort of book report thingy due (I forget what they call it now) and she typed it.

Dionysus

people still write cheques? lol. I can't think of a single thing I've written a cheque for in years and years. TBH, I don't even know why I have a chequing acct. Heck, but for the very rarest of occasions, I don't even use the bank as a physical place.

I write checks all the time, lol. At our local drug store we just have to hand them the check (like literally tear it out and give it to them blank) and they run it through a machine, next day or 2 funds are taken out. I only do one payment online (taken directly out of my checking account) and the rest we pay with checks or cash.

hahahaha my spell check tried correcting your spelling of "cheques" (I don't even know when I got spell check, musta hit a wrong button or something...lmao sooooo computer illiterate.

 

[skiny]

I should have said schools in the USA are stopping cursive writing. Like I said earlier my 11 year old can print or write, her choice. Cursive is not mandatory like it was when I was younger. She had a sort of book report thingy due (I forget what they call it now) and she typed it.





I write checks all the time, lol. At our local drug store we just have to hand them the check (like literally tear it out and give it to them blank) and they run it through a machine, next day or 2 funds are taken out. I only do one payment online (taken directly out of my checking account) and the rest we pay with checks or cash.

hahahaha my spell check tried correcting your spelling of "cheques" (I don't even know when I got spell check, musta hit a wrong button or something...lmao sooooo computer illiterate.

It's spell cheque dammit.

 

[vinylweatherman]

I should have said schools in the USA are stopping cursive writing. Like I said earlier my 11 year old can print or write, her choice. Cursive is not mandatory like it was when I was younger. She had a sort of book report thingy due (I forget what they call it now) and she typed it.





I write checks all the time, lol. At our local drug store we just have to hand them the check (like literally tear it out and give it to them blank) and they run it through a machine, next day or 2 funds are taken out. I only do one payment online (taken directly out of my checking account) and the rest we pay with checks or cash.

hahahaha my spell check tried correcting your spelling of "cheques" (I don't even know when I got spell check, musta hit a wrong button or something...lmao sooooo computer illiterate.

By stopping it, the children will have no choice but to print the letters or type things out. If they have no teaching in writing, they will have even more trouble READING the cursive writing of others than those who at least know what it is, and how it is done. This could be a problem if they want to look at "old stuff", like Grandma's diary, or pre internet "blogs", which were hand written journals of life experiences.

Come 2050, there will be an underground teen movement where instead of text speak that would by then be understood by Grandma, let alone the parents, they will resort to the dark art of "cursive writing", taught by "gurus" in the same way that "hacking" is taught now, knowing that anyone who started their education after 2010 probably has little chance of deciphering this weird long hand code. They would then meet in clandestine places called "outdoors", and communicate via "talking", knowing that no matter how much monitoring the FBI and NSA have in cyberspace, their communications will be 100% confidential.

 

[Andy Walker]

By stopping it, the children will have no choice but to print the letters or type things out. If they have no teaching in writing, they will have even more trouble READING the cursive writing of others than those who at least know what it is, and how it is done. This could be a problem if they want to look at "old stuff", like Grandma's diary, or pre internet "blogs", which were hand written journals of life experiences.

Come 2050, there will be an underground teen movement where instead of text speak that would by then be understood by Grandma, let alone the parents, they will resort to the dark art of "cursive writing", taught by "gurus" in the same way that "hacking" is taught now, knowing that anyone who started their education after 2010 probably has little chance of deciphering this weird long hand code. They would then meet in clandestine places called "outdoors", and communicate via "talking", knowing that no matter how much monitoring the FBI and NSA have in cyberspace, their communications will be 100% confidential.

I suspect they would use an old technology by then called "CAPTCHA" that would defeat even the best of us

 

[GrandMaster]

We were taught joined-up writing from the very beginning. Print writing first, then joined-up writing seems to be something peculiar to English speaking countries. I have American friends who use print writing out of personal preference and of course, they write more slowly than I do.

If you want to write anything other than plain English text, e.g., text containing mathematical or scientific symbols or in a language that has diacritical marks or uses a different alphabet, then typing is an utter pain and very slow. I cannot imagine taking notes at a scientific talk typing on a keyboard.