Improve Cursive Handwriting - Resource

[hankas]

I think there is something distinctive about cursive handwriting that sets it apart from today's typed letters.

 

As for the loop and tails website, it is a nice and helpful website indeed. The only thing I would comment is that the capital letter F and J look awfully similar, especially when written fast. There is not enough distinction between them.

[Newjelan]

This looks great thanks. I've bookmarked it and will try it out on the weekend. Thanks

[distancerunner]

I'm not going to get into the italic versus cursive debate. Besides, this is a false distinction since italic can be cursive. (Or is it vice versa?) However, there are some important factual errors in the web site's "articles." A couple examples:

 

1) From what we know about motor and language development, "the earlier the better" for teaching handwriting is nonsense. There is an ideal time in each child's development to put together the motor and multi-sensory connections necessary for emergence of written language.

 

2) Beautiful handwriting was never "the skill of a gentleman." Historically, going back to classical Rome, the upper classes hired professional scribes and, later, secretaries to do their writing for them. As late as the early 20th century, those promoting good penmanship had to give reasoned arguments to convince elites that it was not declassé for their children to have beautiful handwriting. See, for example, Edward Johnston in the preface to "Writing & Illuminating & Lettering," pg. xii where he wrote in 1906 about "the old fashioned notion that a legible hand is a mark of bad breeding."

 

David

Interesting thoughts. It would seem that mastering any craft would be considered to be bad form by the upper classes. They would look down on anyone who works with their hands.

[sherrylu]

Thanks for sharing!

[Ayla]

Thank you, for the awesomeness that is that site! Keep up the excellent work!

 

[proton007]

Nice site!

 

Just a suggestion, maybe you can also provide worksheets with 52 degree slants? That'll be of great help to those learning Spencerian or even Palmer...

[Ayla]

Had a question, what Cursive style is that (the one on the site with the videos, worksheets ect). I also had some suggestions for the connecting cursive section, maybe add connecting letters like:

 

bl

oo

nn

mn

mm

rr and

wr

Edited May 17, 2014 by Ayla