Writing
English letters are usually written in 2 main styles- cursive and print. Cursive is the traditional and preferred style when learning to write. Print is what we see in books and in most printed text. Examples of each are given below:
Cursive
Cursive letters are unique in that they can be written connected together, thus reducing the time raising and lowering your pen from the paper. While initially more complex to learn, in the long-run, cursive writing is actually faster and easier on the hands, and should be prioritized in a student's writing practice.
Print letters are characterized by simple lines and strokes, and words written in Print have a small space between each letter. Print letters are commonly found in all forms of print, in books, signage, labels, and digital work. It should be noted- those who first learn Cursive are usually able to learn Print by themselves, without much difficulty. However, those who first learn to write Print may need special instruction to learn Cursive later on.
When we get to the writing lessons, you can choose which style you wish to practice writing. For now, we simply want to learn to identify which style is cursive and which style is print.
Practice: point to each letter and say, "Cursive + 'letter name', or "Print + 'letter name.' Practice this until you can correctly identify the 26 letters and say if it is cursive or print.
Cursive
Aa
Aa
Cursive
Bb
Bb
Cursive
Cc
Cc
Cursive
Dd
Dd
Cursive
Ee
Ee
Cursive
Ff
Ff
Cursive
Gg
Gg
Cursive
Hh
Hh
Cursive
Ii
Ii
Cursive
Jj
Jj
Cursive
Kk
Kk
Cursive
Ll
Ll
Cursive
Mm
Mm
Cursive
Nn
Nn
Cursive
Oo
Oo
Cursive
Pp
Pp
Cursive
Cursive
Rr
Rr
Cursive
Ss
Ss
Cursive
Tt
Tt
Cursive
Uu
Uu
Cursive
Vv
Vv
Cursive
Ww
Ww
Cursive
Xx
Xx
Cursive
Yy
Yy
Cursive
Zz
Zz
Next Steps
Keep up the good work! These first few lessons are like a person collecting supplies before they head out on a journey. Once we understand the essentials of English letters, we'll be able to use them to read and write with confidence. Keep going, you're doing great!
Stephen