Cursive alphabet chart

What prints

The chart fills a single page with 26 boxes arranged in four columns and seven rows. Each box holds one letter pair, such as the capital and small A written together in cursive, so you see how the two forms look side by side. In the top left corner of every box a small grey label gives the print version, for example "B b". That label helps a student who knows the print letter but cannot yet name the cursive one.

The page title is "Cursive Alphabet" and a short line under it tells the student to keep the chart on the desk while practising. Nothing on the sheet is meant to be traced. It is a model to look at, not a writing exercise, and there are no ruled lines.

Kimberly Geswein designed the Cedarville Cursive font behind these letters (SIL Open Font License). It imitates a teacher's natural handwriting rather than any official method. One common cursive style is modeled here, and a few schools teach other capitals, for instance Zaner-Bloser or D'Nealian.

The settings

This sheet has no options to change. The Practice menu on the page lets you switch to the tracing versions of the same letters, and the size and case choices appear only there. The chart always prints the full alphabet with both cases in one size.

Ways to use the chart

• Tape it inside a notebook cover or folder so a student can flip to it while writing.
• Ask a student to find the letters in their own name first. Those are the ones they will write most.
• Point out which letters begin with a similar stroke. Several small letters start with the same curve, and grouping them makes the set feel smaller.
• Keep a second copy for the adult helping, so you can name a letter without squinting at a child's handwriting.

Cursive is easier to learn when the same stroke is repeated, so use this chart together with a tracing sheet. The cursive worksheets A to Z give each pair its own line to trace, and the cursive capital letters page puts the capitals on large lines.

Worked example: Leo, third grade

Leo's class has just started cursive and he keeps forgetting how a capital G begins. His teacher sends home a note asking for practice, so his dad prints this chart and tapes it above Leo's homework spot.

Leo's job for the week is to write his own first and last name, "Leo Park", looking at the chart for the L and the P. He finds L in the third row and P in the fourth row, and he notices that the small letters he needs (e, o, a, r, k) are right beside the capitals. He copies the name five times on lined paper. By Thursday he stops checking the chart for the L. Dad then prints the single-letter pages, cursive G and cursive P, for the two capitals Leo still gets wrong.

Keeping it simple

One page, no settings, and no trace lines: the chart does one job. Print it, keep it where the writing happens, and replace it when it gets smudged.

Sources

1. Common Core State Standards: Language, Grade 1 (L.1.1.a, print all upper- and lowercase letters) thecorestandards.org
2. Reading Rockets: Writing readingrockets.org