The Dying Art of Cursive
Why you should care that your children are no longer learning cursive writing.
As of 2006, the Ontario Ministry of Education changed their curriculum guidelines regarding Language Arts in the primary grades. The first mention of cursive writing now occurs in the grade three writing section. As a specific expectation for the publishing section of writing, it now states that students must be able to “use some appropriate elements of effective presentation in the finished product, including print, script, different fonts, graphics, and layout.” The use of the word “some” has resulted in the decision to teach cursive writing being left to the discretion of the teacher. Prior to this change, students were expected to begin learning cursive in grade two, and continue practicing it throughout the rest of the primary and junior grades. Now, many students are entering the junior level without ever being exposed to cursive writing. Aside from the obvious problem that some children will never learn cursive writing, there is inconsistency within schools. A child who does not learn about cursive until grade four or five will find themselves frustrated as they struggle to catch up with what some of their peers have already learned.
Why is Cursive Writing Important?
Taking Notes
When taking notes in high school or postsecondary institutions, cursive writing still proves to be the most effective means of transcribing the information. Students are able to write quickly and can therefore keep up with the lecturer. As well, legibility counts in these situations. How can an educator mark your child’s brilliant essay if they cannot read what he or she has written?
Computers vs. Cursive
With the prevalence of computers in our high-tech society, people think the need to write legibly and quickly is being replaced by the need to type. Some people argue that class time spent learning cursive writing is a waste of time and would be better spent learning how to type efficiently. Both skills are important for students to learn, but one cannot replace the other. Many people, especially students, cannot afford a laptop to carry around with them, and until computers become as thin and light as a notebook and pen, they are far more cumbersome. As well, many assignments must be handwritten. When writing assignments in class or during exams, most educators do not give their students the option of using a computer. With cursive writing, students are able to write more quickly than with printing and when writing a timed exam, speed is an important issue to consider.
Cursive Writing Improves Fine Motor Skills
Cursive writing has proved particularly effective when teaching students with fine motor skill issues or disabilities such as dyslexia. Fine motor skills refer to a child’s ability to coordinate small muscles, such as those in the fingers, with what they can see in front of them. A child who has problems with their fine motor skills will have difficulty doing up buttons, cutting with a knife and fork, and using a pen or pencil to transfer their thoughts onto paper. According to the American Occupational Therapy Association, cursive helps to improve motor skills because of the continuous hand motions. The students’ pencil seldom leaves the paper and the repetition of fluid strokes strengthens the students’ ability to connect their brain to what their fingers are doing.
Cursive Writing and Dyslexia
Dyslexia is a disability which results in a person having difficulty reading, spelling, and writing as their brain does not process language in the typical way. Many special education teachers have found cursive writing to be easier to teach to their dyslexic students than printing. Fewer letters look similar in cursive so students do not confuse them as easily as they do when printing. As well, the continuous left to right motion of cursive writing helps to prevent students from turning their letters around. According to the British Dyslexia Association, “by making each letter in one movement, children’s hands develop a ‘physical memory’ of it” and it becomes easier to create the correct letter.
Cursive Writing Aids Creativity
Cursive plays an important role in creative writing. When students are writing they are encouraged to express their ideas as naturally as possible. Cursive writing helps to keep one’s thoughts flowing continuously more than when printing or typing on a computer. The fluid motion of the hand in more inline with the way our brains think creatively and allows for a more natural output of ideas. When writing in a journal or creating a story, a student can find more of a rhythm and flow with their writing when using cursive.
