DNealian

D'Nealian, often written as DNealian, is a handwriting style and instructional method developed in the 1970s by American educator Donald N. Neal. It is designed to ease the transition from print to cursive by starting with a slanted manuscript and using continuous stroke patterns that resemble cursive.

Key features include a slanted print alphabet in which lowercase letters are formed with fewer pen lifts and include tails that flow into the next letter. The shapes of the letters are designed to look like cursive, so students practice a connected writing style from early on. The method emphasizes ease of joining letters and a smoother progression from printing to true cursive.

D'Nealian gained widespread use in many American elementary schools during the 1970s through the 1990s. Curriculum materials typically present two stages: D'Nealian Print (slanted, print-style letters that resemble cursive) and D'Nealian Cursive (joined handwriting). Teachers often provide workbooks, teacher guides, and practice sheets aligned with this approach.

Reception and variations have varied by district. Some schools continued with D'Nealian or integrated its concepts into other programs, while others adopted alternatives such as Zaner-Bloser or other print-to-cursive systems. Critics have pointed to potential confusion between letter forms and standard print, and to the extra instructional time required to implement the two-stage approach.

Today, D'Nealian has a limited, though lasting, presence in handwriting education. Its emphasis on continuous strokes and a connected starting point for writing influenced later curricula and remains a reference point in discussions of method and transition from printing to cursive.