Playwrite is a typeface engine that allows the creation of primary school cursive fonts.
The traditional method of handwriting instruction in Canada is called MacLean’s Method of Writing, and was developed by educator Henry Boyver MacLean in the mid-20th century. Building upon letter shapes devised by Austin Norman Palmer in the United States, MacLean introduced several changes to suit the needs of school instruction, such as modifications to teaching methods and the addition of motor preparation exercises. Even though MacLean’s books have not been used in Canada for several years, his letter shapes survive in schoolbooks published by regional governments and private publishing houses. They are widely used in the majority of Canadian primary schools.
This slanted continuous cursive style is influenced by the Zaner-Bloser and D'Nealian models. It includes cursive uppercase letters, with some particularly intricate ones like 'I', 'J', and 'G'. The lowercase letters feature medium-length extenders with loops, which are consistent even in letters like 'p' and 'q', and are constructed using medium-speed strokes. Additionally, several lowercase letters such as 'm', 'n', 'v', 'w', 'y', and 'z' start with curved entry strokes at the x-height.
