Cursive is a form of penmanship where the letters in a word are connected together using italicized or looped handwriting style. Nowadays writing by hand is no longer a common practice due to the popularity of word processors and keypad or touchpad input devices such as tablets, cellphones, and any other device. Instead, what has become a common practice is typed word communication rather than handwritten communication. Some schools have already focused on developing typing skills and printing for students and are slowly phasing out teaching cursive writing skills.
However, handwritten compositions are still useful when you need to make personal notes, invitations and postcard messages. Cursive handwriting was once considered penmanship of sophistication and romance. Historical documents such as the United States Constitution were written in an early form of cursive, and understanding cursive can help us appreciate important historical documents. So how do we write proper cursive?
What is needed for learning to write cursive?
Learning how to write in cursive will need the right tools. The tools make half of the necessary things needed for an effective learning of cursive. It is essential to prepare the right tools or equipment.
Pencil and eraser
You may think that a pencil is too “elementary” if you are going to start writing in cursive. Actually, a pencil is a good writing material for beginners because it can be easily erased and corrected. Writing in cursive for the first time can have many missed strokes and you can’t expect yourself to learn everything in one sitting. An eraser is a handy correction item to have if you are writing with a pencil. You can still fix incorrectly written letters and overdone strokes. Just erase the mistakes and start over.
Chair and table
For a good writing experience, you need to sit straight and ergonomically on a comfortable chair. Your feet should be flat on the floor and the table or desk should be a few inches above your thighs. Writing over a desk or table that is too low or too high will not be ideal for learning because you’ll be crouching or straining to write something.
Canvas
The lined paper is the preferred canvas for writing in cursive. The letters should mirror one another in size and shape. A writing paper with a red line or broken line in between two solid lines can guide you on how to correctly write uppercase and lowercase letters.
However, the lined paper can be done away with if you feel the lined paper is very limiting. Plain paper can be used as well, but you may have a problem with making the letters uniform. Nevertheless, plain paper can give freedom to write in free-flowing and relaxed movements.
Techniques
Facilitating an effective session for learning can be done with easy-to-follow instructions and techniques. There are several tips and procedures for easily mastering cursive handwriting. However, you just need to choose which one fits you best.
Warmup
Just like any activity involving muscles and fine motor skills, a warmup is necessary for making your hands flexible and comfortable when writing. Practice writing basic strokes related to cursive letters. Practice writing curves and loops such as the infinity symbol, sea waves and springs.
Paper and Pen Positioning
The 45-degree angle is an essential thing to remember when writing in cursive. Because the letters should slant to the right by 35 degrees, adjust the paper in an angle so that the letters are slanted while your perspective is still writing in a strain line. For right-handed writers, ensure that the top right and bottom left corners should line up straight with your nose. Do the opposite for left-hand writers. The pen should be positioned to incline on the space between the thumb and index finger. It should be loosely gripped and the writing tip should be guided by the middle finger. The thumb and index finger serve as support and hold the pen in place. Do not tighten your grip to avoid discomfort and difficulties with loops and curves.
Lower Case Letters
Start writing lower case letters that use an upward stroke (b, f, h, i, j, k, l, m, n, p, r, s, t, u, w, x, y). The easiest among these is the letter u. Master the stroke of letter U, and you can comfortably proceed to other lowercase letters. The letters b, f, and k can be tricky to write because of their intricate shapes. It is up to you where to place your practice in writing these letters – either the last or middle.
Upper Case Letters
Once you have mastered the lowercase letters from a to z and are comfortable writing them, it’s time to proceed with the upper case letters. Start with letters C, E, G, L first as these are relatively easy to follow. You can then proceed with the letters R and other complex letters B, D, F, I, J, P, and T. To have an idea on how to follow the stroke directions, use worksheets that show direction arrows for effective guidance.
Practice makes perfect whenever to try out a new endeavor. Mastering cursive writing can be done with constant practice. You’ll find that your strokes will improve the more you write in cursive. What are the perks of mastering this art? Aside from writing beautifully, it also helps children improve their fine motor skills, improve their brain activity, and better performance in reading and writing. Cursive should not be forgotten, but rather retained as manual writing will never be totally dissolved as an important life skill.