English Language Arts and Reading.3.2.D

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The student is expected to write complete words, thoughts, and answers legibly in cursive leaving appropriate spaces between words.
beginning reading writing teks talk image

Knowledge and Skills Statement

Developing and sustaining foundational language skills: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and thinking--beginning reading and writing. The student develops word structure knowledge through phonological awareness, print concepts, phonics, and morphology to communicate, decode, and spell.

A teacher may wish to pair this SE with SE 3.12.A and assess both SEs at the same time. With 3.2.D, students write complete words, thoughts, and answers legibly in cursive leaving appropriate spaces between words, and with SE 3.12.A, students will compose literary texts, including personal narratives and poetry, using genre characteristics and craft. Explicitly model and think aloud the formation of letters in cursive. Then, have students use cursive as they write a poem that includes genre characteristics such rhyme, sound, and rhythm.

Further Explanation

This assessment provides an opportunity for the teacher to observe student development of fine motor skills and progress toward writing cursive letters and words legibly as they compose literary texts.

Students should consistently apply their understanding of cursive handwriting components such as how the letters are joined by connectors, how the letters and words are spaced, and how the letter size affects the visual interpretation of a letter (e.g., the letters i, e, and l" can look very similar if formed to the same height). Once students are proficient in cursive, which can be produced much faster than print, teachers should ensure students are mindful of these components so they do not produce writing that cannot be deciphered by a reader.

Research

1.  Memis, A. D. (2018) Examination of Legibility and Writing Speeds of Primary School Students with Respect to Writing Disposition and Writing Style, Universal Journal of Educational Research, 6(5), 1050–1059.  Retrieved from https://eric.ed.gov/?q=cursive+&pr=on&ft=on&id=EJ1177822

Summary: Researchers consider a sample of 4th and 5th grade students to determine differences in legibility and speed of writing, depending upon whether students were using cursive or print (manuscript) writing. The primary focus of the research was the difference between cursive versus print (manuscript) writing in terms of speed and legibility. These researchers also considered gender preferences in their results.

2.  Montgomery, D. (2012). The Contribution of Handwriting and Spelling Remediation to Overcoming Dyslexia, In T. Wydell (Ed.), Dyslexia—A Comprehensive and International Approach (pp. 109-146). Retrieved from https://www.intechopen.com/download/pdf/35808

Summary: This research is focused on dyslexia and examines students' handwriting for the light that can shed on needed interventions. The researchers conclude that increased fluency in handwriting enhanced students' reading skills even when that wasn't the focus. A checklist of key indicators for diagnosing handwriting coordination difficulties is included.