Cursive Is More Than Pretty Writing

Cursive Is More Than Pretty Writing In the late eighth century Charlemagne tasked an English monk to standardize the script that became widely varied by region after the Roman Empire fell. Elegant handwriting changed over time and became a status symbol by the 1700’s, then professional penmen were hired to copy historical original documents such as the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. By the 1980’s American children were receiving little handwriting training while across the ocean in Europe, rigorous handwriting instruction was still being given. Typing and keyboarding skills have taken precedence in American school curriculum, but it is to the detriment of children’s development. Writing in cursive handwriting has benefits many aren’t aware of, which is why it should be brought back into school curricula. Numerous articles declared the benefits of learning cursive writing ranges from helping children learn to read easier, easing the symptoms of dyslexia, improving hand-eye coordination, and activating more areas of the brain. New York Times published an article “What’s Lost as Handwriting Fades” that references a study by Virginia Berninger, a psychologist at the University of Washington, that follows children in second through fifth grades. This study determined that printing, cursive …show more content…
Some of the evidence to support all of the claimed benefits of cursive is still being solidified, however, cursive handwriting still contains the power to connect us to history and our ancestors. It also activates more areas of the brain. Benefits of cursive handwriting extend beyond having pretty writing, so if we want our children to develop to their optimal level, then they need to be taught to write in cursive. At the very least, put your keyboard away on January 23rd to celebrate John Hancock’s birthday on National Handwriting