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Hello to all! My dd8 is using Beyond this year and is considered third grade. We have only touched briefly on cursive over the summer. Isn't cursive scheduled in Bigger next year? If so, would it be ok to wait until next year, 4th grade, to continue with cursive? Will it be harder to teach at an older age? Thanks for any responses.

Cursive is indeed scheduled in Bigger. I don't have that much experience with cursive. Someone else will hopefully chime in on the grade and cursive question.

Yes, I would like to know this too. I also have a 3rd grader using Beyond. He is using "A Reason for Handwriting" and is practicing his cursive now in that. So that might be an option for you. But next year in Bigger will he be required to do all of his writing in cursive then? Just wondering when that needs to happen.

I can't say when a child needs to know cursive. Many schools are starting with cursive these days instead of manuscript. In my day and I think at our local schools now, third grade is when cursive is began. We've just started this year while using Bigger and my dc are 8. They are taking to it really well. It is so much less painful that I thought it would be. Printing has been somewhat of a painful journey for us but cursive is clipping along. We are loving Cheerful Cursive. It only takes about 5 minutes each day, but it seems to be effective. They are learning to read cursive while they are learning letter formations. I love that! That is the only thing that they are doing in cursive now. I don't think Bigger ever requires any more cursive than that, but we still are early on in the program so I could be wrong. I think Preparing is when more things are done in cursive. I have the Draw and Write through History book that is used in Preparing and I'm pretty for sure the copywork with it is in cursive. Anyway, if you want your dd to learn cursive now, you could add in Cheerful Cursive this year and then next year while she is doing Bigger, just have her practice her cursive on the Poetry copywork. In Bigger it's scheduled at one page each day so it doesn't take long.

My daughter is also 8 and 3rd grade with Beyond (mostly-I have been doing math, and LA from the right side page of Bigger.) We've been working through the Italic Cursive book with her right now-and she is loving it! I'm not sure I will make the same decision with my son when he's the same age, just because he's a more reluctant learner, and it doesn't seem to pay off to push him beyond where he's ready. So, I think it just depends on your child. I don't think you'll harm them either way! How eager are they to learn cursive writing, and how well are they established with their printing? Do you have time in your school day where you want to add another learning activity?

Thanks everyone for your input. I think maybe I'll try to add in Cheerful Cursive and see how it goes and just continue with that in Bigger next year. Thanks again everyone.

Gina,

The ladies have done a terrific job of helping you aleady! They are right that Bigger Hearts schedules cursive practice daily through Cheerful Cursive or Italic (but no other writing is assigned to be done in cursive that year), and Preparing Hearts has kiddos practice that cursive daily by assigning one copywork portion each day to be done in cursive. If your child is ready for cursive, you could start her now. If not, there is no problem in waiting for the Bigger Hearts guide to begin with cursive. In public school settings, third grade was typically the year that kiddos began learning to write in cursive, but I would base your decision more on your child's readiness for it than her grade.

Blessings,
Carrie