children, cursive is easier than printing because you do not need to "repo=
sition" the pen nearly as often, since you are rarely lifting it off the pa=
ge and then putting it down again (as with printing.) The "continuity" of =
cursive removes one element of difficulty for students who struggle with fi=
ne motor skills. That idea has made me a fan of continuing cursive instruc=
tion to the point where children can be fluent with it -- say, maybe, sixth=
grade -- and after that, leave the choice to them.=0A=
=0A=
Of related interest: I have been experimenting with "Swype" input on my iP=
ad using an app called Shapewriter. Basically, you select letters on a key=
board using a continuous line of finger-pointing, rather than tap-tap-tappi=
ng. I find it not only faster than the iPad's regular keyboard, but also v=
ery pleasant in a tactile sort of way. It's a free app available for many =
platforms, not just the ipad, and I would love to see it flourish!=
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