[wildflower]

I will be teaching in a Catholic school in Ohio. Here students learn cursive in Grade 2. For those of you who teach in a district where cursive is introduced in Grade 2, when do you reuire your third graders to use cursive all the time? I don't think they'd be comfortable right away, but maybe after first quarter? Thanks for your input!!!!

[MrsM79]

Our district in MA also has the second graders start to learn cursive...they don't do a lot with it in second, just start practicing the letters, so I agree with you, they won't be comfortable right away. I think that after the first quarter/closer to Christmas it would be reasonable to expect them to be using cursive more. I'm not going to require them to write in cursive all the time however, because I have found, in my district at least, that the older grades don't seem to really have them use it as much if at all, so why stress them out if I don't have to right??

[jockel]

but just are not really good after 2nd grade. I review all of the letters concentrating on joining the letters correctly. We used to have a cursive club. Once the students become good (spacing, sizing, formation and neatness) at writing in cursive they have the honor of getting to write in cursive whenever they want. Students take great pride in joining the club and they really want to write in cursive. I never make it requirement. However, I will have the students "practice" with spelling words and journaling.

[Miller]

2nd grade here does not teach them cursive but many try to write in cursive. I let them do it with spelling. Two in regular manuscript and one in cursive. Anything I grade MUST be in print. In December we start Cursive

[grade3teacher]

I mostly integrate it with spelling during the week, but I won't let them do it on the test. At the end of the spelling test I will let them do five words in cursive to get a handwriting grade.
Second semester we will do their good copy in cursive.

[1956BD]

We do not teach cursive until third. It takes about six weeks to learn all the letters and how to connect them. In the past we let them choose cursive or print for most of their assignments after the six week learning period. The only time we required cursive was in their weekly spelling assignments. However, we have decided that is not enough practice and are going to require everything that will be turned in be done in cursive this next year. The fifth grade teachers say the students need more practice so they can take notes more quickly during history lectures.

[litprof]

I teach in a Catholic school where cursive is taught in Grade 2. I have taught Grades 1-6.

In Grade 3, start from the very beginning. Sometimes, you will get new students who did not have cursive in Grade 2. Students forget over the summer. Start from scratch. Students have difficult times with many of the connectives: br, os, mn, etc. 3rd graders are great in writing one syllable words. . .they need practice in writing longer words and sentences. Take your time with practice. Have them "picture frame" their best letters in each row of practice. Have them write in the air, on their "palm pilots" (on the palms of hands), on desktops to get the feel of the letters and their connectives. For practice papers, make models with orange markers to that the kids can trace them. At times, let them do their practice in marker. . .the markers pen glide easily over paper since cursive letters glide and flow together.

Zaner-Bloser handwriting research coupled with research by Richard Gentry (one of the top spelling researchers) states that students should not do spelling and dictation tests in cursive. . .work should be printed. If students write in cursive, their brains have to do two translations: one in how to spell the word and one in how to write the word in cursive. Many spelling mistakes are actually handwriting mistakes.

Please know that in Grade 3 many students have not truly mastered manuscript. Also do a lot of practice, modeling, guidance in mastering this.

Is it really necessary for students in Grade 3 to do a lot of work in cursive? When are times that they may choose? If you choose to have them do a lot of work in cursive, I would wait until at least 2nd semester with a gradual slide into it.

Something that I have found in my experience, too, is that many students have a very dificult time reading cursive. . .read any books written in cursive lately? When I write on the board, I write in manuscript no matter what the grade level. . .I do not want the information on the board to be misread or not read. When I write in cursive, I do so sparingly. Once in awhile, I will write a morning message in cursive.

Take your time with cursive. It will pay off.

[sgover]

In my school cursive is taught in second grade. Therefore the first quarter I review cursive and the students can either print or write in cursive. The second quarter their name and spelling words must be in cursive. When the third quarter comes, everything needs to be in cursive.

[TeacherDave]

Here is California, cursive is taught beginning in 3rd grade. By the end of the year, the students write their final drafts in cursive.

I teach 4th grade and am much more harsh with the cursive than my fellow teachers. They must write in cursive for everything except print for rough drafts and things like posters. The children really panic about it at the beginning of the year, but it's nice to see how they progress throughout the year.

What I hate is that in 5th, they let the children do whatever they want. It kills me to see a child I made do quality cursive all year go back to sloppy print in 5th grade.

I tell the children good handwriting will be taken as a sign of intelligence when they grow up.

[kkim4]

I'm starting in a school that uses Handwriting without Tears. I've only heard good things. Cursive starts in 3rd but it is so close to second grade writing that I'm told, cursive is an easy transition.

[mart1]

Be sure to read aloud Muggie Maggie by Bev. Cleary. A great read aloud for kids learning to write in cursive.

[grade3teacher]

what style do you teach and how were you taught?
I am required to teach the Peterson method, but was taught the Palmer method by the nuns!