Louisiana Gov. Signs Bill Mandating Cursive In Schools

[Drone]

Article: The Advocate (Baton Rouge) June 15, 2016; 11:22 a.m.

 

http://theadvocate.com/news/16115564-148/edwards-signs-cursive-writing-mandate-for-schools-into-law

 

Gov. John Bel Edwards has agreed to a mandate that cursive writing must be taught in Louisiana’s public school classrooms.

The governor’s office announced Tuesday that Edwards had signed the requirement bill by Republican Sen. Beth Mizell, of Franklinton, into law.

The measure requires public schools, including charter schools, to introduce cursive writing instruction by third grade. Instruction will have to continue through 12th grade.

The mandate will take effect on July 1, 2017, to give schools time to prepare. A handful of states have similar requirements, including Arkansas.

LA Senate Bill 275/ACT No. 482. Link to .pdf of ACT No. 482:

 

https://www.legis.la.gov/legis/ViewDocument.aspx?d=1011795

[sharonspens]

Uh, WOW! That is exciting news. Would be nice if it helped turn the tide with other States.

 

Sharon in Indiana

[Dickkooty2]

I have removed this inappropriate comment.

 

 

! compliment the Governor on his Cursive decision.

[Drone]

Uh, WOW! That is exciting news. Would be nice if it helped turn the tide with other States.

 

Sharon in Indiana

 

Unfortunately, I don't have a list of States, Counties, and/or Municipalities that have restored the teaching of cursive in publicly funded schools. It seems as of my post time there are around six States in the U.S. that have either put in-place acts or are in the process of legislating a return to cursive teaching. Is there some kind of "Restore Cursive" foundation out there. My cursory (not a pun) Web search doesn't turn up anything at the moment...

[Drone]

At first I didn't think about this: What if cursive teaching in schools is restored, but the teachers don't know how to write cursive in the first place? As younger generations take the helm teaching in our publicly funded schools, they may be cursive illiterate! Scary. More here...

 

"Teachers May Lack Proper Training To Teach Cursive"

Ref: Article by Dan Way dated 31 May 2016:

 

https://www.carolinajournal.com/news-article/teachers-may-lack-proper-training-to-teach-cursive/

 

N.B., The above referenced link is from a Web site associated with the N. Carolina John Locke Foundation, a Conservative organization. I have no association with this organization in any way. However I do feel the content contained in the single article linked-to above is relevant to this discussion thread. Regards, O.P., Drone

Edited June 18, 2016 by Drone

[Dickkooty2]

 

 

IMO the FPN is really not the place for this kind of discussion.

 

 

Agreed! Comment removed.

[Dickkooty2]

Agreed! Comment removed.

Drone,

 

It might be a good idea to edit out my inappropriate reference contained in your comment to me so that reference goes away.

 

Thanks,

 

Dick

[Drone]

Drone,

 

It might be a good idea to edit out my inappropriate reference contained in your comment to me so that reference goes away.

 

Thanks,

 

Dick

 

Deleted. I don't know how to remove posts entirely without Moderator intervention. But I did delete the content during the edit time-window. You are a Gentleman Dick, pleased to know you.

 

With Regards, David

Edited June 18, 2016 by Drone

[Dickkooty2]

As someone whose children and grandchildren have had the Montessori experience, I think the Montessori view may be of interest.

 

 

http://www.montessoriservices.com/ideas-insights/cursive-handwriting-how-important-is-it

[tinta]

As a retired primary/junior level teacher, I applaud the Louisiana initiative. I used to teach cursive writing as a matter of course, in spite of the waning emphasis on the subject during the 80s & 90s. We tried to make writing a fun activity, at times using dip & fountain pens.

 

The suggestion that today's teachers may not be qualified to teach cursive writing may be a valid point. I remember myself having to "relearn" the cursive writing that I was taught in Ontario school system. Sadly, my personal scribble got so bad before I entered teachers college that at times I couldn't make out what I wrote.

I had to learn how to model good cursive writing on chalkboards, on charts & in my marking comments. It was not easy.

[illetterate]

I think this is exciting. I feel sorry for teachers these days when I see how terribly most kids now write. They do still teach it at the public school my children go to, but it's so glossed over that most of them only learn to write their names.

 

I don't hate the New American Cursive approach they "teach" now, but I do find it unfortunately ugly.

[tinta]

.

 

I don't hate the New American Cursive approach they "teach" now, but I do find it unfortunately ugly.

I took a brief look at the New American Cursive font. What do you find "ugly" about this particular font?

BTW:

[amberleadavis]

I think this is exciting. I feel sorry for teachers these days when I see how terribly most kids now write. They do still teach it at the public school my children go to, but it's so glossed over that most of them only learn to write their names.

 

I don't hate the New American Cursive approach they "teach" now, but I do find it unfortunately ugly.

Welcome to FPN!

 

I've been forcing my kids to learn cursive. Seriously, if I don't get them into pens and ink now, how on earth will we use all of my ink in my lifetime?

[zwack]

Reading a thread in a different sub forum about cursive... slip slidin' away it seems that there are many people who feel that cursive should be taught.

 

I am somewhat unusual in that I never really learned cursive in school. I would have done but I am dispraxic and had a hard enough time printing. I am still teaching myself cursive and I am improving.

 

I never had a problem with language, just writing. But I seem to be able to read most handwriting very well, even things that stump my wife.

 

I am glad that hand writing is being taught again as it is a useful skill (you try typing on a container, or is this a conspiracy by the label maker companies to expand the use of their products?)

[abstract49]

I can't find an entry for "dispraxic" in any of my dictionaries, on line or print.

 

Please? I can sort of get an idea from context, but I would like to know more.

 

Thanks!

[Drone]

I can't find an entry for "dispraxic" in any of my dictionaries, on line or print.

 

Please? I can sort of get an idea from context, but I would like to know more.

 

Thanks!

 

@abstract49: While I am not the person you queried in your reply above (zwack); I can provide what I think are a couple of references to the condition mentioned. Note however, I am not familiar with "Dyspraxia". I only offer the links. If the links are incorrect, my apologies...

 

* Developmental coordination disorder (a.k.a. developmental dyspraxia), on Wikipedia:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Developmental_coordination_disorder

 

* USA Dyspraxia Foundation (there is also a UK Foundation):

 

http://www.dyspraxiausa.org/symptoms/dyspraxia-facts/

 

I will leave it to the interested reader to interpret the above referenced information.

 

With Regards, David

Edited June 25, 2016 by Drone

[abstract49]

How dense of me! I usually know enough to try alternate spellings, but I neglected to do so this time. I found dyspraxia readily.

 

Thank you, Drone, for leading this old horse to the right water. Explains a lot about Zack's remarks.

[zwack]

Sorry, I misspelled it... Dyspraxia also known as Clumsy Child Syndrome among other things...

 

In my case my short term memory isn't great, my long term memory is excellent though. My spatial awareness is awful, I have been known to literally bounce off of the wall while walking down a straight corridor at work. My handwriting is pretty bad, but still getting better. Fortunately I don't have some of the worst effects like really poor muscle tone.

 

Basically in my case I am somewhat forgetful and very clumsy. My handwriting was so bad as a child I was sent to remedial classes in High School while also getting As in exams.

[estie1948]

As someone whose children and grandchildren have had the Montessori experience, I think the Montessori view may be of interest.

 

 

http://www.montessoriservices.com/ideas-insights/cursive-handwriting-how-important-is-it

I found this article very interesting and informative. Thank you for posting it.

 

I applaud Louisiana's effort. I wish more states would follow their lead. I can easily believe that young teachers may have to be taught to write cursive before they can teach it.

 

-David.

[WaskiSquirrel]

While I appreciate Louisiana making this effort, think there are far more serious problems with education in this state. I think it's important that kids write: whether it is in cursive or not is less important.