Cursive is less popular than its counterpart of print handwriting, but its unique and arguably more stylish way of writing is making a comeback of sorts. Broadly speaking, cursive—also known as “connected” or “joined writing”—refers to a type of handwriting in which the letters of each word are connected together. Conversely, print —also known as “manuscript writing” —refers to a script in which the letters of each word are written within close proximity but are not connected or joined together.

Over a decade ago, numerous states adopted academic standards calling for students to learn how to handwrite the alphabet in print by the end of first grade (National Governors Association & Council of Chief State School Officers, 2010). Notably, handwriting the alphabet in cursive was not incorporated into those standards. Recently, many states have addressed this omission through introducing new standards and/or legislation. In the last year alone, new standards for cursive handwriting have been adopted by several states, including in Iowa (Iowa Department of Education, 2024), Oklahoma (H.B. 3727, 2024), and California (A.B. 446, 2023). The Iowa English Language Arts standards call for introducing cursive in second grade and making it the main writing instruction focus in third grade (Iowa Department of Education, 2024).

Connecting the Cursive and Print Alphabet

With this renewed interest in cursive handwriting instruction, it is important to think about the best practices for introducing cursive in relation to print handwriting instruction. One of the defining features that separates cursive from print handwriting is the use of curved or flat letter strokes to connect letters. In addition to learning how to connect letters, students must learn how to form cursive letters, which can differ drastically from their print versions. For example, the letters “b” and “s” look different if written in cursive or print. It is estimated that upwards of 70% of letters differ in overall shape and letter strokes if written in cursive or print (Graham, 1992). 

It is likely preferable to wait to teach cursive handwriting until after students learn print handwriting. For some early-elementary students, trying to learn cursive handwriting while still learning print handwriting may cause unneeded confusion. Focusing first on print instruction explicitly promotes the connection between reading and writing for early-elementary students. Specifically, students are typically taught to read words in print and not cursive, so teaching print handwriting alongside print reading allows students to make connections between letter identification and formation (Ray et al., 2022). More research has been produced about print handwriting than cursive (Datchuk & Kubina, 2013; Santangelo & Graham, 2016), but results from a small number of studies suggest early-elementary students benefit from a solid foundation in print before moving onto cursive.

In one study (Wolf et al., 2017), early-elementary students who received sustained print handwriting instruction in first and second grades outperformed students who received split instruction (i.e., print handwriting in first grade and cursive handwriting in second grade) on measures of handwriting fluency and spelling accuracy. It is likely that cursive handwriting instruction is more beneficial in later elementary grades. One study found cursive handwriting can contribute to both spelling and overall composition in upper-elementary and intermediate grades, fourth to seventh grade (Alstad et al., 2015).

Results from these studies (e.g., Alstad et al., 2015; Wolf et al., 2017) suggest a primary focus on print in early-elementary with a gradual introduction in later elementary, which roughly corresponds to when cursive handwriting is typically introduced to students in the United States (Bara & Morin, 2013). Expectations on when to start cursive handwriting varies across the states. For example, California students are expected to learn cursive handwriting sometime between first and sixth grade (A.B. 446, 2023), while Iowa students begin cursive in second grade with a main focus in third grade (Iowa Department of Education, 2024) and Oklahoma students begin in third grade (H.B. 3727, 2024). It is important to note, however, that cursive handwriting is introduced as early as kindergarten or the first year of schooling in some countries (Bara & Morin, 2013). Currently, the research base lacks robust evidence on differences in print and cursive handwriting across different countries and languages. Put simply, more research is needed on the most efficient and effective milestones for handwriting development.

Is it the Style or the Instruction?