Playwrite is a typeface engine that allows the creation of primary school cursive fonts.
The style of handwriting currently taught in New Zealand is specified in Teaching Handwriting, a Ministry of Education publication, which was developed in response to teachers’ request for guidance on the style of handwriting that should be taught in primary school. Teachers and schools usually create their own resources for handwriting instruction based on the style advocated in this document. It was first released in 1985, and again in digital format in 2008. Even though Teaching Handwriting outlines a progressive handwriting system that advances from simplified print script to cursive writing, sometimes teachers will not teach the latter if it is not practical given the learning levels and other curriculum needs of their students.
This modern cursive style is extremely fast and slanted, featuring simplified print-style uppercase letters. Notable are the open 'G' without a crossbar, a serifed 'I', and a 'Y' with a slanted stem. The lowercase letters are semi-connected, exhibiting a very fast and angular construction typical of modern cursive styles based on italic forms. The letter 'f' has a straight descender, and 'q' is distinguished by a short exit stroke that serves as a finial, enhancing the dynamic and streamlined appearance of the script.
