Teach cursive writing prior to manuscript in young children. Cursive is easier for them to learn and has special advantages for left-handed children and those who have learning-disabilities that make writing difficult.
Instruct students on the proper way to hold a pencil. Their grip should be firm, but not too tight, about 1 inch from the pencil point. It is standard to hold a pencil with the thumb and forefinger of the dominant hand. An alternative hold is to move the pencil so that it is between the thumb and middle finger.
Teach students to make individual italic letters with tails that will eventually join the letters. Letter recognition happens from the top down, so instruct students to avoid curls at the tops of letters for better legibility.
Have students write rows of a single cursive letter, connected. This will help them get the feel for the letters and also the rhythm of cursive writing.
Provide students with simple words to practice their cursive writing with and increase in difficulty as they learn.