Developmental Letter Teaching Order for Cursive Handwriting

Teaching cursive handwriting isn't just about showing students how letters look - it's about building motor patterns that set them up for success. The letter teaching order you follow can make the difference between a confident writer and a frustrated one.

When letters are introduced in a logical, developmental sequence, students build on skills progressively. But a wrong letter order can lead to more frustration and struggles for learning handwriting, as students grapple with complex formations before mastering foundational strokes.

What Is the Recommended Order for Teaching Letter Formation?

The most effective letter teaching order groups letters by their stroke patterns rather than following alphabetical order.

This developmental approach allows students to master one motor pattern before moving to the next, reducing cognitive load and building muscle memory efficiently.

So what is the recommended order for teaching letter formation for cursive?

This is different for It begins with letters that share simple, consistent stroke patterns—typically starting with "c" based letters like c, a, d, g, and q. From there, instruction progresses through families of letters that build on previously learned skills.

Get the Free Teaching Order Printout

Our Cursive Developmental Teaching Order is a downloadable PDF you can print, save, and reference anytime.

Inside you'll find:

•       The complete letter sequence organized by stroke family

•       Visual groupings so you can see exactly which letters share motor patterns

•       A quick-reference format designed for clinicians, educators, AND parents

•       Alignment with Learning Without Tears evidence-based principles

Download the Cursive Teaching Order

Lowercase Cursive Letters: A Developmental Approach

Lowercase cursive letters are taught in a developmental order as well as in order of ease of connections.

This matters because lowercase letters appear far more frequently in writing, and proper connection points between letters are essential for fluid cursive writing.

The developmental letter teaching order typically follows these stroke families:

Magic c: c, a, d, g, q

These letters all begin with the same foundational "c" shape. Once a student masters the "c" curve, the remaining letters in this family become natural extensions.

Similar to Print: h, t, p

Their similar shape to print letters make these easy to tackle next in the letter teaching order.

Similar Stroke Patterns: e, l, f

These letters share an upward loop pattern. Students who have already learned magic c letters can transition smoothly into loop formations.

Transition Group: u, y i, j k r, s

These groupings are paired based on similar formation stroke patterns or as standalone formations. Some cursive letters simiply do not have similar groupings.

Tricky Connections: o, w, b, v

These letters require unique connections so are grouped separately. Note how their end points remain at the midline rather than back to the baseline. Some handwriitng curricula refer to as "tow truck letters" due to the subsequent letter connection.

Final Group: m, n, x, z

These letters all have a similar "hump" rounded formation intially so are grouped together for simplicity in learning.

Capital Cursive Letters: Traditional Order

Capital cursive letters are taught in traditional alphabetic order due to their infrequency as well as inconsistent formation nature.

Unlike lowercase letters, capitals typically don't connect to the letters that follow them in most cursive styles. This means the connection-dependent logic that drives lowercase instruction doesn't apply in the same way.

Additionally, capital letters appear less frequently in writing, and many share fewer common stroke patterns than their lowercase counterparts. Teaching them in alphabetical order provides a familiar framework for students while still allowing educators to point out stroke similarities as they arise.

A Note on Cursive Handwriting Styles

Some cursive curriculum will form cursive letters differently, using more loops or slant or an italics style with a blend of print and joined letters. There is not a "right or wrong" way to instruct cursive.

Our typical recommendation is to go with the curriculum your student's school uses (if they have one) or learn both print and cursive traditionally (we prefer vertical as it generally is easier for early learners). Then allow the student to choose which "font style" they prefer, allowing their creativity and natural preference.

Legibility is the key, not perfection or strict adherence to one form over another.