Okay, I'm embarrassed to admit this, but...I usually either type or print and cannot seem to recall the answer to this question:

When writing out contractions in cursive, is one supposed to make a complete line break between, say, the e and the s in "he's"? When I write out "couldn't without a line break it looks correct, but when I do the same for a word like "she'll", well it looks like I've written "shell" with a little smudge apostrophe.

I really need help, because I'm supposed to teach my son how to do this.

Don't know about *supposed to, but I always break completely with contractions. Handwriting is just too easily misread, so I'm for anything that heightens clarity.

Thank you! It does make more sense visually, doesn't it? This is another reason I prefer typing or printing. Much less confusion. Also, my penmanship stinks. ;-)

Also, my penmanship stinks. ;-)

Not that you have this on your own, or anything like your own, of course!

Oh, brother--I'd have said, yes, make a space, until I found this lesson:
http://www.handwritingforkids.com/handwrite/cursive/sentences/mybrotherc.htm.
I don't remember what I was taught on this specific question, but I'd still plump for clarity, esp. on things like your "shell". I also think I'd probably ask his teacher.
I found this:
http://www.crayola.com/activitybook/subact.cfm?id=124&maincat=4, but this is even better, I think:
http://www.aquariancharterschool.com/technologypdfs/ABC Cursive.pdf, though neither specifies about apostrophes.

Thanks for the great links Jackie. You are so helpful.

We decided not to use breaks and he got an A, so that must have been right. Either that, or the teacher didn't know either.