[braindouche]

I've said for years, the American system gets itself all tangled up because we (want) to teach two entirely different writing systems to children: we start with manuscript (printing) and then once the kids are used to that, we consider slapping them with cursive (and a hideous Palmer hand or a derivative to boot).

You want to teach cursive effectively? Drop manuscript training entirely and start kids on the joined-up writing in first grade.

[brianpgordon]

Why would you pick cursive over print? Making kids practice cursive is insane enough to me; making them only learn cursive is a virtual non sequitur.