Advantages of Cursive for the Dyslexic Child

Advantages of Cursive for the Dyslexic Child

Learning how to write the alphabet can be a chore for a child with dyslexia. The letter shapes are similar, the lines of a letter sometimes become disconnected and fly around on the page. Children have been taught that spaces are required between words; yet, concentrating on letter formation, letter direction, sentence content, grammar, and the mechanics of writing sometimes outweigh the detail of spacing between words. The overwhelming need to ‘guess’ at the correct letter formation and direction of the letter can become very frustrating for a child who just wants to express an idea.

Cursive writing is an outlet for many children with these difficulties. I will be referring to one of the methods of writing named First Strokes designed and distributed by an occupational therapist, Jan McCleskey. This writing program is similar to several other great writing programs used to teach students how to write in cursive.

Advantage #1- all letters begin on the baseline

I find this program very helpful in the way there are only four ways to begin a cursive letter.  Swing up stop, Push up and over, Curve under,over stop, and Swing up loop left. Each of these ways begins on the baseline.  Students can find comfort in knowing exactly where to place their pencil to begin writing.

Advantage #2- approach strokes

Approach strokes refer to the way a writer begins or ‘approaches’ the letter on the baseline. There are only 4 ways to Approach Strokes in this program. Every cursive letter in this program begins in the same place, the baseline.

Advantage #3- a release stroke to each letter

The beauty of an approach stroke is to know where to place the pencil to write. The beauty of a release stroke is that the letter that is completed ‘flows’ or releases into the very next letter. The bridge-stroke letters (b,o,v, and w) are the only letters that do not end on the baseline; so, explicit instruction on these connections is necessary.  

Advantage #4-  smooth flow of letters

Once the pencil is placed on the paper for the word, it isn’t lifted until the word is written. The flow from one letter to the next eliminates the ‘flying sticks’ of print. There is a purpose for each stroke and the dots and crosses are left until the word has completely been written.

Advantage #5- natural spacing and visual units

Visually each unit of letters is seen as a word. This visualization helps the writer understand the concepts of words. The spacing is natually placed between the units. This helps the writer grasp a sentence is more than a line of letters that seem to flow into one long word on a line of paper.

Advantage #6- reversals are non-existent

Each letter belongs to one of the approach stroke groups and has a distinct shape. Visually, B’s no longer have a shape like a D. Reversals are quite difficult with cursive writing since the flow of the artistic line is from left to right.

Advantage #7- reduction of hand fatigue

So often children who are immensely concentrating (formation, the direction, the letter sounds and sequence, and the rules of a word) find themselve with a death-grip on their pencil. Cursive handwriting releaves the writer of some of those cognitive struggles and increases the amount of time students can endure the writing process.

Advantage #8- aids the brain to retain information

When cognitive overload of letter writinng is removed, children with dyslexia are more inclined to write notes in class, notes to friends, and express themselves via handwriting. Researchers have proven that by physically writing information down, more components in the brain are triggered, than if a person types the same information.The action of writing has proven to aide in memory and retention of the information being written.

Advantage #9- communication tool

A child with dyslexia may have print writing that can be very difficult to decipher for teachers, parents, or even for the author to read. When practiced, cursive handwriting can allow a child the mode of expression that will reflect the information they want to convey in a legible manner.

Why Not?  If students with dyslexia find that they are successful in connecting letters to write more smoothly, in a manner that is legible, can be written faster, aids the retention of information, and might build their confidence, then cursive handwriting is a WIN.