A newly developed manuscript alphabet was compared with a traditional one to observe their effects on the teaching of cursive handwriting. Results showed no significant differences between the two types in teaching the production of cursive letters when presented to first graders. (Author/DF)

The purpose of this report is to provide data on the progress of the Handwriting Implementation Project, which is designed to assist in installing the Beginner's Alphabet and Queensland Modern Cursive Script in Queensland government primary schools. Following an introduction that describes the phases and processes of curriculum development and…

Printing and writing skills and their interaction were studied to discover if teachers should not teach cursive writing to students with poor printing skills. Writing samples were analyzed using a diagnostic inventory that focused on major elements of form and neatness. Results are discussed. (Author/DF)

Reviews literature comparing traditional manuscript alphabets to slanted manuscript alphabets and finds insufficient evidence to support requiring kindergarten, first-, and second-grade children to learn the slanted manuscript alphabet. Notes that since many children enter school knowing how to form their letters in the traditional style, learning…

Outlines the research on handwriting instruction, explaining the importance of handwriting instruction, the controversy over manuscript and cursive writing, and the uniqueness of left-handers. Discusses ways to make handwriting instruction more interesting. (SRT)

Traces the development of each of four major handwriting styles currently being taught in the United States (cursive, manuscript, italic, and D'Nealian), describes a method for evaluating the difficulty of forming letters, and concludes that italic letterforms are least difficult to form and most advantageous to teach elementary students. (PGD)

Presents arguments against teaching students cursive writing in schools, including the fact that it is more difficult to read than manuscript and more subject to variations of style that interfere with the message. (DF)

This paper argues against teaching children to make letters using circle-stick writing. It contends that the circle-stick method requires continued pen/pencil lifts hindering rhythm or flow in the writing process and that there is little carry-over value into cursive writing as the two scripts are totally different. D'Nealian print, one type of…

A study was conducted to establish a process for evaluating the difficulty of different handwritten letter forms. A criterion for calculating difficulty scores was delineated and four sets of letter forms were evaluated: manuscript, cursive, italic, and D'Nealian. Using the criterion, small letters were given a score of difficulty, the sum of…

A study was conducted to determine the ability of kindergarten children to match manuscript, cursive, italic, and D'Nealian handwritten letters to typeset letters, their ability to read letters in these five styles, and the relationship of reading and matching abilities. Children were asked to match typeset distractors to lower case letters…

Intended for administrators and policymakers as well as teachers, this digest explores the state of research into handwriting instruction and the printing versus cursive writing dilemma. After examining how handwriting is currently being taught, the digest discusses research supporting various kinds of printing instruction--block, italic,…

Questionnaires were sent to 2,161 teachers and to administrators in 118 primary schools in the Brisbane North Region (Australia) to determine their attitudes toward the implementation of a new handwriting syllabus. The questionnaire also solicited information on educational experience, the importance of handwriting, the teaching of handwriting,…

This paper examines the complexity of teaching handwriting to meet the requirements of Great Britain's National Curriculum. Three major questions are considered: (1) what should be taught? (2) what are the teaching objectives? and (3) how will pupil progress be assessed? (JDD)

Six strategies for teaching handwriting skills to learning disabled elementary students are presented, along with a rationale and illustrated step-by-step teaching procedures for each. Skills addressed include the following: (1) improving eye-hand coordination through dot-to-dot alphabet letter tracing; (2) teaching basic strokes in manuscript…

Great Britain's National Curriculum places insufficient emphasis on handwriting instruction, and its suggestion to begin joined-up writing in Level 3 is inappropriate. A historical perspective on variations in handwriting style leads to a recommendation for a simple joined style, which would be based on the skeletal italic and taught by example.…