What do you consider being physically able to write?

[Seraphim]

What would you consider being physically able to write? Would you consider someone who can only print and totally unable to write cursive able to " write."

[WithLove]

Printing is still writing. Cursive is a more refined writing.

[nutbrownhare]

If their print was legible, then yes. I'd also argue that someone who had access to the appropriate equipment (if, indeed, it exists!) and was able to communicate their thoughts in such a way that it could be expressed clearly in writing by a computer was also able to write - including if they had no limbs.

 

Being able to produce cursive, italic or any other kind of calligraphic script though... that's a totally different question...

[Seraphim]

Thank you folks. Phew. My mom tells me that my son is basically " illiterate" because he will never learn cursive. I have said he DOES write. It maybe printing and very large printing but he CAN. And yes , he can write with a computer and phone etc so he is NOT illiterate.

[nutbrownhare]

Thank you folks. Phew. My mom tells me that my son is basically " illiterate" because he will never learn cursive. I have said he DOES write. It maybe printing and very large printing but he CAN. And yes , he can write with a computer and phone etc so he is NOT illiterate.

 

Dear oh dear... no, he's certainly not illiterate - sad that your mom thinks so. It does sound like he's not much of a calligrapher, though!

[Seraphim]

Dear oh dear... no, he's certainly not illiterate - sad that your mom thinks so. It does sound like he's not much of a calligrapher, though!

 

Absolutely! The physical act of writing is very difficult for him . But give him some kind of " I "product or a computer and he's fine .

 

Yeah my mom is very hard on him as with me. We are held to a much higher standard than anybody else in the family .

[itsallgrand]

Being able to write in cursive now is more decorative than function. He's fine! He can write and type.

[Seraphim]

Being able to write in cursive now is more decorative than function. He's fine! He can write and type.

 

That's what he says. And whoever invented cursive was only interested in fancy not interested in utility .

[SkellyWoozle]

Shame A friend of mine lost the ability to write but could still narrate what she wanted written down on paper or use a computer (fine motor skills were incredibly hard for her) so what's the difference?

[Seraphim]

Oh my son is incrediblely verbal.

[SkellyWoozle]

Oh my son is incrediblely verbal.

 

Writing and being verbal I just see as means of communication. If you can't write, you speak, roll your eyes, smile, etc and VV. Or use electronics. I guess after working in support for 20+ years I know that anything is possible. Being able to write is useful but not essential.

[Seraphim]

Writing and being verbal I just see as means of communication. If you can't write, you speak, roll your eyes, smile, etc and VV. Or use electronics. I guess after working in support for 20+ years I know that anything is possible. Being able to write is useful but not essential.

 

Absolutely but I don't think my mom is quite caught up to my son's world yet . And she was kind of upset that he couldn't sign a signature for an age of majority card . The province demands that you have a signature where all the letters touch . In other words cursive . He only prints . So the lady at the service desk told him just write scribbles who cares.

[SkellyWoozle]

Absolutely but I don't think my mom is quite caught up to my son's world yet . And she was kind of upset that he couldn't sign a signature for an age of majority card . The province demands that you have a signature where all the letters touch . In other words cursive . He only prints . So the lady at the service desk told him just write scribbles who cares.

 

Used to have the same with the people we supported. Had to make things like paperwork legal but these were inidivudals who could barely do anything for themselves let alone hold a pen. Like your son, invariably it ended up with just a squiggle.

 

With regards to your mum... dare I suggest it's a generation thing? My partner is blind. We get on with things, don't make a fuss and don't think about it most of the time. .. of course he has his moments. But if it comes up in passing conversation, out comes the sympathy vote... "Aaah, what a shame. Seems like a nice bloke". What is that supposed to mean?!?

[Seraphim]

Used to have the same with the people we supported. Had to make things like paperwork legal but these were inidivudals who could barely do anything for themselves let alone hold a pen. Like your son, invariably it ended up with just a squiggle.

 

With regards to your mum... dare I suggest it's a generation thing? My partner is blind. We get on with things, don't make a fuss and don't think about it most of the time. .. of course he has his moments. But if it comes up in passing conversation, out comes the sympathy vote... "Aaah, what a shame. Seems like a nice bloke". What is that supposed to mean?!?

 

Oh for sure it's a generational thing . She is 70. And remembers when you did everything by hand writing . And I mean she does have an iPhone she does know people type and I mean she texts. I really do think it is out of love and concern for her grandson that she wants him to do the best he can in the world . But I don't think it's quite sunk in that in his world or even in the future almost nobody writes except for legal document . But she still wants him to be able to sign that legal document .

[pippy longstocking]

Absolutely! The physical act of writing is very difficult for him . But give him some kind of " I "product or a computer and he's fine .

 

Yeah my mom is very hard on him as with me. We are held to a much higher standard than anybody else in the family .

 

well you always remember vic how far he has come and you as well , you have faced fears of your own while fighting to know what is going on with him and then dealing with it . Mummy and her boy have climbed mountains !! You remember that my darling xxxxxx

[Fudgie]

Neither of my siblings can write cursive. My sister's handwriting is not very legible to most but she struggles with that. My brother's is more passable. Neither are illiterate! Cursive is a dying practice. It has nothing to do with reading writing... It's simply decorative. I'm sorry, your mum needs to pull her head out of the proverbial rectum on this one.

[Seraphim]

well you always remember vic how far he has come and you as well , you have faced fears of your own while fighting to know what is going on with him and then dealing with it . Mummy and her boy have climbed mountains !! You remember that my darling xxxxxx

 

I do my lovie. Xx

[Seraphim]

Neither of my siblings can write cursive. My sister's handwriting is not very legible to most but she struggles with that. My brother's is more passable. Neither are illiterate! Cursive is a dying practice. It has nothing to do with reading writing... It's simply decorative. I'm sorry, your mum needs to pull her head out of the proverbial rectum on this one.

For sure. Even my son said it is just decorative and nothing more .

[journeynow]

I agree with others, if he communicate in words on paper or computer, he can write.

 

That's what he says. And whoever invented cursive was only interested in fancy not interested in utility .

 

I think cursive evolved as a means to write faster, since the letters are linked. Apparently cursive is no longer taught in many schools, kids learn to print and to type on a keyboard.

[luminousone]

I thought this was an interesting article last month:

 

/

[luminousone]

And this was an interesting video:

 

 

[luminousone]

My older son was taught the D'Nealian method and he has the worst handwriting ever! And his signature is a scribble- but he chose to do it that way because his name is long.

 

I was taught the Zaner-Blister method.

 

I think many school districts have dispensed with cursive instruction merely because it is not a necessity, and there are many more things to fit into a day of instruction.

 

But if I remember correctly, other nations still require cursive instruction.

 

Your mom is behind the times. Show her the article and the video, maybe she will get it.

[Seraphim]

Cursive is still on the books here in Ontario but in other provinces it's gone . However, many teachers say they don't have time to teach it so they just don't. They were still teaching cursive when my son was in grade school though . And at the time they told me it's something he would never learn to do . Unfortunately ,he also cannot read cursive . So anything written by grandparents or more middle-age or older family relatives he can't read . We all write cursive automatically because it was beaten into our head sometimes almost literally . I have had family relatives who were actually beaten at school so they would write properly and beaten because they were left handed.

[Seraphim]

But I agree my mom is a little behind the times . His world is going to be entirely on an iPad .

[agent1607307371]

Thank you folks. Phew. My mom tells me that my son is basically " illiterate" because he will never learn cursive. I have said he DOES write. It maybe printing and very large printing but he CAN. And yes , he can write with a computer and phone etc so he is NOT illiterate.

 

More and more young people don't write cursive these days, it's kind of a dying art, so your mom's thinking on this is just daft and outdated.

 

Next time she tries telling you your son's illiterate, just tell her that the world is passing her by