Older Child Can't Read or Write Cursive

My 12-year-old daughter cannot read a handwritten note unless it is printed. She struggles with all of the myriad notes of day-to-day living that are NOT done on the computer or through text-messaging. She has no signature because she hasn't learned to write her name in cursive.
Cursive handwriting is not taught at her school because it is believed that it would be a waste of time since all papers after sixth grade will be done on the computer. She learned basic keyboarding in third grade and had more intensive training in sixth grade. Does it make any sense for computers to replace handwriting in schools? -- The Lost Skill
Answer: Your daughter definitely is not alone in her inability to write cursive. On the first SAT essay test given in 2006, only 15 percent of the students used cursive, the rest printed their essays. Whether it makes sense or not, handwriting instruction has disappeared from many schools. And when it is taught, less and less time is devoted to this subject. Typically, cursive handwriting is introduced in second or third grade. If students do not master cursive by the end of third grade, they will usually receive little instruction in it in fourth grade and beyond. The students who do not master cursive will go back to printing as their form of written communication.
The attention to penmanship in the schools began to diminish almost 50 years ago when teachers began to question the need for all students to follow a set standard in their handwriting. Today, it continues to lose ground to other subjects that are being emphasized so students will do well on standardized tests. Plus, there is the simple fact that many teachers do not consider it an important subject. The emphasis is now on teaching keyboarding -- beginning as early as first grade in some schools.
In a practical vein, your daughter needs to do some things to overcome her inability to write or read cursive. Teach her to write her name in cursive, as this is still a requirement on many documents. Also, because there are still situations in which fast handwriting is essential, have her learn to print without raising her pencil between each letter, whenever possible. We would also suggest that you read cursive lists and notes together until she begins to pick up this skill. Without it, she is going to have a gap in her communication skills.