Read Cursive Fast Book Cover

Read Cursive Fast: A DTK Book Review

Cursive Writing and Neurodiversity

I received a review copy of Read Cursive Fast – Learn to Read Cursive, Historical Documents, and Notes Even if You Don’t Write by Hand from the author, Kate Gladstone. It piqued my curiosity because many of my dyslexic and autistic students find cursive impenetrable. My daughter, Dr. Alta Graham, age 40 and senior computer scientist, still can’t decipher handwritten notes! So I wondered if this book would approach cursive handwriting any differently than the workbooks we’ve all labored through. The book is published by National Autism Resources.

Cursive Reading, not Writing

First surprise! The book does not ask the student to write in cursive, a huge relief for dysgraphic students! Rather, it lays out a step-by-step approach for recognizing cursive letters, then words and phrases. As each letter is explored, “code-cracker” boxes show the cursive letter with the print letter overlaid on it. The distinguishing traits of each letter are explained, allowing an analytical mind to figure out a letter in most of its many forms. I’ve often found that printing the same sentence in a wide variety of fonts and comparing them helps students generalize letterforms. Gladstone’s method goes further, providing descriptions such as the only letter that has a dot like an i, and also a descending stroke, is a j. Challenge boxes in each chapter allow students to identify words in cursive, using the letters they have just learned.

Left/Right Descriptions Present a Problem

Some of the letter descriptions involve left/right distinctions. I don’t think this can be avoided — how else can you tell the difference between a cursive g and a cursive q? However, those letters will confuse many people with dyslexia, most of whom struggle with left/right distinction. It’s part of dyslexic 3-D giftedness! Nevertheless, mastering the letters that lend themselves to analysis by number of downstrokes and concave curves will certainly make it easier to decipher cursive! Extremely dyslexic Alta says that using this method allowed her to decipher a short handwritten note by deciphering as many letters as possible and typing them with spaces left for unknowns. Then she looked at the typed sentence and read it. She pointed out that it’s faster to ask a co-worker to read it to her!

Easy to read, but NOT Dumbed Down

Read Cursive Fast uses short sentences, short paragraphs, and lots of white space. It’s dyslexia-friendly. However, it is not simplistic. The book explores the history of letterforms. It discusses the reasons we write as we do. This information is extremely helpful for bright students who need to know why.

I’m Adding Read Cursive Fast to My Tool Kit!

I was impressed to see that Temple Grandin recommended the book. I appreciated Gladstone’s careful step-by-step approach. Mostly I admire her for separating reading from writing. Highly recommended for parents, teachers, or tutors whose students ask to learn to read cursive. Like all teaching tools, use it if it works for your student, and let it go if it doesn’t. This one is certainly worth trying!

by Yvonna Graham, M.Ed., www.dyslexiakit.net

@GrahamYvonna