# data[].attributes.body
This article was published on October 7,2019.It has not been revised since. This article gives the pros and cons of cursive writing. This was written by the scholastic news. The Url reveals that it was written by a school scholastic. There are no spelling or grammar errors. This was made to inform people on the pros and cons on cursive writing.

# data[].attributes.body
This article was published on November 15,2039.It has not been revised since. This article gives the cons on cursive writing by showing how much of a waste of time it is. This was written by John boone and the Url reveals that its .com and it is reliable. There are no spelling or grammar errors. This was made to persuade people on the cons on cursive writing.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Advocates for learning cursive (including Idaho representative Linden Bateman, 72) argue that "more areas of the human brain are engaged when children use cursive handwriting than when they keyboard."

Bateman continues, "The fluid motion employed when writing script enhances hand-eye coordination and develops fine motor skills, in turn promoting reading, writing and cognition skills."

And if that's the reasons schools taught cursive, sure, fine. That's great. Also, there are plenty of other ways that kids can develop hand-eye coordination that doesn't involve spending a year of their prime development time learning a new alphabet.

But Bateman also argues that forgoing cursive may have much more consequential results: He argues we "will lose the ability to interpret valuable cultural resources-historical documents, ancestors' letters and journals, handwritten scholarship - if they can't read cursive."

"The Constitution of the United States is written in cursive. Think about that," Bateman said.

The Constitution of the United States is also available online, typed out. Not in cursive. Soooooo...We're probably good.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Cursive Handwriting Will No Longer Be Taught in Schools Because It's a Big, Old Waste of Time - E! Online

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Advocates for learning cursive (including Idaho representative Linden Bateman, 72) argue that "more areas of the human brain are engaged when children use cursive handwriting than when they keyboard." Bateman continues, "The fluid motion employed when writing script enhances hand-eye coordination and develops fine motor skills, in turn promoting reading, writing and cognition skills."

# data[].attributes.body
This article was published on December 30,2019.It has not been re published since then. This article does not agree with the claim that cursive writing should be taught in schools. This article was created by Ben Stager to show arguments against cursive writing. Thye Url reveals that it is .coma nd a reliable source of information. There are no spelling or grammar errors. This article was made to persuade.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
American schools are slowly phasing out cursive handwriting, which is an unambiguously good move. Cursive is an archaic form of communication-one best left to history.

Let's take a look at some common arguments for teaching cursive in schools, and why they don't hold up.

Note: In February 2015, former author Justin Pot wrote an opinion article titled Cursive Writing Is Obsolete; Schools Should Teach Programming Instead. Then, in August 2015, he wrote this follow-up article to respond to some of the most common arguments.

The article needed an update, so we've brought it up to modern standards. While the author performing the update agrees with the sentiment that cursive writing is not worth teaching in schools today, we've preserved as much of the content and tone of Justin's original article as possible.

Defining Cursive Writing

To be clear, when we talk about "cursive handwriting" we speak mostly of the Palmer Method, a simplified form of script popularized in the early 20th century. It was designed specifically with speed in mind (in part to better compete with typewriters).

This kind of writing is, in our humble opinion:

Slower than typing.

Harder to learn and read than print handwriting.

Ugly when compared to more stylized scripts.

There's literally no reason for schools to teach the Palmer Method, outside of nostalgia. While we feel that cursive should not be taught in schools, we want to respond to the other side who thinks cursive is far from pointless.

Many Made Good Arguments in the Comments

Plenty of educators agreed with some of the original premise and critiqued the finer points. We welcome these conversations.

We can concede some of the arguments for why teaching cursive writing makes sense. For example:

Feel free to disagree with us on these or other reasoned points-we invite the conversation. But what we won't invite is any variation of the following arguments, which are pretty much complete gibberish.

There is a sense of accomplishment that comes with learning cursive.
While this is true, we think teaching a beautiful, pre-Palmer script in art class is a better way for kids to get that feeling. Let's stop pretending this is a practical skill.

Being able to read old letters from relatives is extremely valuable.
Of course, but you can learn to read documents like this without spending dozens of hours learning to write an obsolete script yourself. It's still English, even if it takes a little longer to decipher.

1. Kids Will Be Cut Off From History!

A number of people claimed that not teaching cursive cuts people off from their history. The typical comment goes like this:

Some went a little bit further, submitting speculative fiction for our consideration:

Ridiculous as this might seem, there is a certain logic here. Learning to write cursive means you can also read it, meaning you can better understand documents like this:

You probably know this as the original version of the Declaration of Independence, right? Surprise: that's not what most people read at the time. Most historians agree that this engrossed copy of the declaration was signed in August of 1776, a month after the document was famously ratified on July 4th, 1776.

The first published copies of the document, known as the Dunlap broadsides, looked like this:

That's right: in July of 1776, Congress approved the original Declaration and people immediately started reading it in print. This shouldn't be surprising; the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776, over three hundred years after Gutenberg's printing press.

Kids not taught cursive would have no trouble reading this. If you want to argue that Americans in July of 1776 were less connected to history than someone who read a cursive version later on, we don't know what to say to you. The fact is that printed copies of America's founding documents are widely available today, just as they were in the 1700s-in many cases before the handwritten "originals" we know today.

In addition, none of these documents were written using the hideous Palmer Method, which wasn't popularized until the early 20th century. Go ahead and dig through some old newspapers, and you'll see the difference.

One does not need to learn cursive in order to read America's founding documents. It wasn't the case in the 1700s and certainly is not now. Consider that most people alive today cannot read religious texts or other historical documents in their original languages, either.

2. When the Apocalypse Comes, We'll Need It!

Some of the silliest comments revolved around what would happen if someone took out the electrical grid, such as this one:

The obvious counters for this argument are as follows:

3. Kids Need to Have a Signature!

One subject came up again and again: everyone in today's society needs to have a signature.

This seems like a good point, but we don't think it holds up. Here are some of the reasons why:

4. Technology Is Destroying Something Real

Print handwriting works just fine without electricity.

Assuming we're going to make surviving post-apocalyptic scenarios part of the curriculum, we should probably prioritize trapping, fishing, farming, and log cabin construction over letters with loops.

A number of comments made nostalgic arguments, saying that something real is being lost in this transition. This one, left under an article on Justin Pot's personal website, represents this argument best:

We respect what this person has said, but think these arguments miss a key point. Comments like this imply that cursive handwriting is some innate part of being human, but it isn't. It's an invention.

Cursive writing is a technology.

There's nothing natural about handwriting: it's a tool that we used for a particular period of time to communicate. Today people are using it less and less because they've deemed the alternatives as better.

In a sense, that's too bad-something is lost every time a technology is replaced. The compass meant fewer people learned how to navigate using the stars, while GPS has resulted in fewer people knowing how to use a compass.

But this doesn't mean we should give up on the GPS, or teach everyone how to navigate by the stars. Some people will pursue this knowledge for fun, or because it's been passed down by their family, but mandating everyone learns it just isn't realistic.

The fact that people use cursive writing less often today isn't because schools have stopped teaching it. The opposite is true: schools aren't teaching cursive because students don't use that skill later in life. Many haven't been for decades.

Ours isn't the activist argument. The other side wants to keep something irrelevant in the school systems out of nostalgia, while that time could be used for teaching something productive. We're not the one who needs to leave well enough alone.

But hey, maybe we're just lazy and uncoordinated.

Better Uses of Time Than Teaching Cursive Writing

We close with a few ideas on what students could learn that's a more productive use of time than antiquated cursive writing. While some schools may teach the following, they're not as ingrained in the schooling system as cursive writing has been:

Should Cursive Still Be Taught in Schools?

Progress takes place over centuries, meaning something that seems like part of the natural order when you're a kid was alien to prior generations.

The Palmer Method was harshly criticized and resisted in its early days, but its speed meant it ultimately won out over better-looking scripts. Over one hundred years later, this method is on the way out, because the alternatives are better.

Making predictions about technology is impossible, but so is trying to prevent an obsolete technology from sticking around. And that's exactly what anyone trying to keep cursive handwriting in the school curriculum is trying to do. Why dedicate so much time to something most people barely use anymore? You'd be hard-pressed to find a job interviewer who finds handwriting at all relevant.

But this, of course, is our opinion. We'd like to hear yours too. And if this has inspired a drive to return to cursive for you, check out the best resources to improve your handwriting How to Improve Your Handwriting: 8 Resources for Better Penmanship Believe it or not, legible handwriting is still important today. Start practicing your handwriting today! Read More .

Affiliate Disclosure: By buying the products we recommend, you help keep the site alive. Read more.

Computer programming. The ubiquitous nature of computers today means that learning a bit about how to program them is extremely useful. Learning to code also teaches logical thinking.

Civics. A 2019 study from the Annenberg Public Policy Center found that 22% of sampled Americans cannot name a single branch of the government. This is, frankly, pathetic-any country would do well to educate its citizens on how the government actually works.

Personal finance. Many kids graduate from school not understanding basic financial principles, like how interest rates work or how to save for retirement. WalletHub found that some 10 percent of people think it's worth going into debt for a new iPhone. Surely learning to manage money, which is something you use every day, is more important than writing letters in a certain style.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The 4 Worst Arguments for Teaching Cursive in Schools

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
American schools are slowly phasing out cursive handwriting, which is an unambiguously good move. Cursive is an archaic form of communication-one best left to history. Let's take a look at some common arguments for teaching cursive in schools, and why they don't hold up.

# data[].attributes.body
This picture was published on April 15, 2013 for a newspaper article. It has been published several times since.This political cartoon does not agree with the claim that cursive writing should be used and taught in schools. The political cartoonist John Cole made this cartoon to show how cursive writing makes it difficult to understand.There are no spelling or grammar errors in the cartoon. This political cartoon was made to persuade people that cursive makes it difficult to understand.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
John Cole's political cartoons on North Carolina topics appear weekly for NC Policy Watch. He is currently the staff cartoonist for the editorial pages of The Times-Tribune in Scranton, PA. Prior to this, he enjoyed a nearly 20-year run with The Herald-Sun in Durham, NC, where he developed an affection for the state, its people and its politics. His award-winning work is internationally syndicated by Cagle Cartoons.
Follow @ColeToon

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
John Cole's political cartoons on North Carolina topics appear weekly for NC Policy Watch. He is currently the staff cartoonist for the editorial pages of The Times-Tribune in Scranton, PA. Prior to this, he enjoyed a nearly 20-year run with The Herald-Sun in Durham, NC, where he developed an affection for the state, its people and its politics.

# data[].attributes.body
This picture was published on November 26,2012 for newspapers. It has been published several times since then. This picture agrees with the claim that cursive writing is still important in the 21st century and should be taught.It was created by a political cartoonist Dave Granlund.There are no spelling or grammar errors in the cartoon.This was and to to persuade people that cursive is still important.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
On a recent frigid day in February as I was entering Target to defrost my nose hairs and purchase a designer toilet brush, I noticed that they already had an array of skimpy women's swimsuits on display, which dredged up some disturbing memories ...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
After a commanding performance in Nevada last weekend, the battle for the Democratic presidential nomination sure does seem to be swinging Bernie Sanders' way. With South Carolina and Super Tuesday now beckoning, there's also a chance for the In ...

# data[].attributes.body
This picture was published on 9/14/2011 made for newspapers. It has been published several times since then. The picture agrees with the claim that cursive writing is still important in everyday lives and should be taught in schools.It was created by a political cartoonist Mike peters.There are no spelling or grammar errors.This picture is trying to persuade people that cursive writing is still important.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
View by Property

Refine Search

View Related Subjects

You might also be interested in comics and cartoons about:
Composition And Compositions, Creative Writings, Education, Essaying And Essays, Ghostwriters, Handwriting, Novel And Novels, Playwrights, Poetry, Screenwriters, Songwriting, Typewriters, Write and Writers.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
View by Property Refine Search View Related Subjects You might also be interested in comics and cartoons about: Composition And Compositions, Creative Writings, Education, Essaying And Essays, Ghostwriters, Handwriting, Novel And Novels, Playwrights, Poetry, Screenwriters, Songwriting, Typewriters, Write and Writers.

# data[].attributes.body
This picture was originally mad eon July 14,2011 for various newspapers.It has been published several times since then.The picture agrees with the claim that cursive writing is still important to be taught in schools.It was created by the political cartoonist Bryant Arnold. There are no grammar or spelling errors. This picture is trying to persuade people that cursive writing is still important.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
By Published: July 14, 2011 Posted in: Editorial Cartoon -World News, Entertainment Cartoons, Figure Drawing, Modbook Artwork, Pen and Ink Cartoons, Watercolor Paintings

Technology Killed Cursive Handwriting
"Because the School Board has decided to stop teaching cursive, you have no idea what this says."
With the advent of keyboards, phones with keypads, iphones and ipads, kids today rarely have any reason to use cursive handwriting. The topic is widely debated, but the state of Indiana has chosen to join the ever expanding number of states who have remove cursive handwriting from its curriculum.

Cursive and handwriting in general is considered an instrument of the past, while keyboarding is where it's at. keyboarding will be required in school while cursive is dropped altogether. Some of my earliest childhood memories consist of meticulous cursive practice while observed by hovering nuns.

And although it's the First thing I imagine when drawing a classroom cartoon, classrooms no longer use chalk or chalkboards.

More Cartoons Like This:

1. Back to School Phone Cartoon Back to School Phone Cartoon "DETENTION for Passing Notes?...

2. Back to School Cartoon - Twitter and Ipad Cartoon Back to School Cartoon - Twitter and Ipad Cartoon...

3. Twitter turns 5 Years Old-Communication Never the Same Twitter turns 5 Years Old-Communication Never the Same For...

4. Twitter Increases Characters Cartoon Twitter Increases Characters Cartoon Twitter plans to double its...

5. Twitter Celebrates 10 Years Twitter Celebrates 10 Years Happy birthday Twitter, and happy...

Inspiration: Daily cartoon of kids in school and teacher at chalkboard. The topic of learning is handwriting on the wall.

More Cartoons in this Category:

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
By Published: July 14, 2011 Posted in: Editorial Cartoon -World News, Entertainment Cartoons, Figure Drawing, Modbook Artwork, Pen and Ink Cartoons, Watercolor Paintings "Because the School Board has decided to stop teaching cursive, you have no idea what this says."

# data[].attributes.body
This picture was originally made on July 16, 2011 for various newspapers. It has been published several times since then.The picture agrees with the claim that cursive writing should be taught in schools. It was created by the political Cartoonist Gary Varvel for the political insider newspaper. There are no grammar or spelling errors. This picture is trying to persuade people that cursive writing is still important.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Arguments for cursive instruction in schools. (I told my kids, if they continue to learn cursive, someday it... | Teaching cursive, Learning cursive, Cursive writing

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Arguments for cursive instruction in schools. (I told my kids, if they continue to learn cursive, someday it will be like they are writing in code.)

# data[].attributes.body
The article pros and cons series was published on January 21,2017 and has not been revised since.This article does agree with the claim that cursive writing should be taught in schools.The Url reveals that it is .com and its reliable.There are no spelling or grammar errors in this article. This article was written to inform the pros and cons of cursive writing.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
This post is part of a new blog series where two authors present the pro and con side of a relevant topic - this week, that topic is whether or not cursive should be taught in school. If you like (or dislike) the format, or just want to get involved in the conversation, please leave a comment below or on our Facebook page!
Pro
by Rachael Tom
Is there a case for cursive? Common Core Standards no longer require students to learn cursive handwriting in an effort to save money and time. As of May 2016, only 15 states continue to include it in their Core Curriculum, leaving parents to create cursive clubs afterschool for students who want to learn. Although writing in print and typing may appear sufficient at face-value, cursive has been proven through numerous scientific studies to improve academic performance and manage dyslexia. Unlike computers, handwriting is accessible to all, while technology isn't. This form of writing is also what our country was founded on and without knowledge of it, deciphering historical documents becomes impossible. When it comes to personal safety, which is more difficult to forge: a cursive signature or a printed one?

Compared to print, the flow of cursive movements comes much more naturally to children, and compared to typing, engages far more cognitive skills. This cognitive development helps students reason, problem solve, conceptualize and make decisions as they get older. Fine motor skills such as coordination, muscle development and synchronization of hands and eyes, are also improved when writing cursive. Additionally, the letter strokes of writing cursive aids in the eyes' left-to-right movement for reading. Cursive is also efficient for note-taking because rather than a series of strokes, a word in cursive is one unit. "It's not a stop and start," Jan Olsen, founder of Handwriting Without Tears states, "Think of yourself in traffic: if you're stopping and starting... you don't do as well as if you can just move gradually down the road." This form of efficient note-taking helps students retain lecture information better than typing. The phrase, "Write it down or you'll forget it," is scientifically true. Neuropsychology shows that the act of listening and handwriting links the verbal and spatial processing regions of the brain, strengthening memory. This ability to transform lectures, thoughts and ideas into written words improves the overall quality of writing and syntax compared to those who type. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers Job Outlook, employers who require skilled writing have noticed that employees whose education relied on typing for written work have a decreased level of writing quality than other staff. With fine motor skill and cognitive development, efficient note-taking, strengthened memory and elevated writing quality, there is a positive correlation between handwriting and increased academic performance across all subjects.

When it comes to dyslexia therapy, cursive is instrumental in helping students read. Those with dyslexia find reading and writing challenging because their brain associates sounds and letter combinations inefficiently. Cursive engages multiple areas of the brain and muscles to help those with learning disabilities remember specific letters. Cathy Ruse, a parent to eight-year old Lucy states, "She would never be able to remember 'd,' but when she started sky writing 'd' and using all these muscles, it helped her brain remember." In addition, the mechanics of cursive teach dyslexic students how to group letters in proper order as one unit, unlike a group of spaced out letters (such as print), which causes dyslexic children to swap letters more frequently.

As of 2013, 79% of American homes had computers. Continuing handwriting instruction levels the playing field for students across all demographics. Those without regular access to technology may find it difficult to type all written work, however, those with access to computers can always handwrite. Despite the rise in technology in recent years, handwriting will always have an important place in this country. America was founded on documents written in cursive, and knowing cursive gives all Americans the ability to read the Constitution, Declaration of Independence and other invaluable literature. Cursive is not just a method of writing words: it is a beautiful method of communication with historical, scientific and educational importance to all.

Con
by Kacey Templin
As children, Millennials were taught how to write in cursive in grade school. Then, as these students progressed from elementary to middle school, cursive became less important, and typed documents were the standard. This coincided nicely with the introduction of the personal computer, and the importance of typing skills. By the time these children entered college, many had forgotten how to write in anything but script. It wasn't that these students were obstinate, cursive writing was simply not emphasized or valued. Cursive education has been made nearly obsolete with the emergence of the keyboard. When it comes to 21 st century skills, typing is "in," and cursive is "out."

Reading and writing are fundamental elements of learning. How children learn to read and write is changing, from books and chalkboards, to tablets and computer screens. The online world has become increasingly powerful, to the point that it invades nearly every part of our daily lives. Research conducted in 2015 by the Nielsen found that the average American adult spends over 11 hours a day in front of a screen. Humans and technology are so intertwined; it makes sense that typing skills would be elevated to the level that cursive skills once held.

In today's society, typing is the key to a multitude of jobs, as most now require some level of computer proficiency to succeed. Companies from banks to travel agents to retailers are increasingly shifting to the digital world, and need a computer-literate workforce to help them maintain their online presence. And a basic education in typing just won't do. Employers are much more likely to hire an experienced touch typist than a hunt-and-peck typist.

Some schools, believing that students are already learning to type at home, are foregoing typing classes. Just because children learn to type on cell phones and tablets at an early age, doesn't mean that they know proper typing skills. This assumption has led to a situation where students are coming into their classrooms without the keyboarding abilities they need, leaving the classroom equally unprepared for further educational or professional development. In this quickly shifting world, it just makes sense for schools to devote time to learning proper typing skills than to spend time learning a skill that, while beautiful, is essentially obsolete.

Typing also conveys information at a much faster rate than traditional writing. "What we want from writing ... is cognitive automaticity, the ability to think as fast as possible, freed as much as can be from the strictures of whichever technology we must use to record our thoughts," Anne Trubek, associate professor of rhetoric and composition at Oberlin College in Ohio, wrote some years ago. "This is what typing does for millions. It allows us to go faster, not because we want everything faster in our hyped-up age, but for the opposite reason: we want more time to think." Even when typing with just two fingers, the average typing speed is significantly faster than handwriting in all cases. Information can also be organized easier and disseminated quicker. It's much easier to email notes than it is to send them in the mail or hand them to the recipient in person the next time the sender sees them.

Typing is also less error focused than handwriting. If a mistake is made, students can easily undo or delete the problem and start over, and suggestions are given in applications like Microsoft Word. This can help the student master English skills, and the learning process can feel more rewarding.

Typing is an increasingly important skill that deserves more attention in today's technologically advanced society. Writing with a pen and paper is still important, but it is unnecessary to devote precious time to an archaic device employed by our forefathers. It is logical for schools to replace cursive classes with typing classes, as this prepares students for the jobs of the future.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Pros and Cons Series Part 3: Should Cursive Be Taught in School?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This post is part of a new blog series where two authors present the pro and con side of a relevant topic - this week, that topic is whether or not cursive should be taught in school. If you like (or dislike) the format, or just want to get involved in the conversation, please leave a comment below or on our Facebook page!

# data[].attributes.body
The video cursive is dead was published in July 5, 2013 and has not been revised since.This video doesn't agree with the claim that cursive writing should be taught in schools.The Url reveals that its .com and that its a reliable sight. There are no spelling or grammar errors. This video was made to inform.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Just a few short years ago, cursive was something all kids were taught in schools. Not anymore! In many parts of the country, cursive is becoming a dead relic of the past. But Laci shows us why educators might be smart to keep teaching kids those loopy letters.

# data[].attributes.body
The video should schools be required to teach cursive in schools was published in October 25, 2019 and has not been updated since.This video goes agree with the claim that cursive writing should be taught in school.The Url reveals that its .com and it is reliable.There are no spelling or grammar errors. The video was made to persuade.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Should schools be required to teach cursive handwriting?

# data[].attributes.body
The article 5 reasons cursive writing should be taught in the 21st century was published in November 6, 2012 it has been updated in August 2018.This article does agree with the claim that cursive writing should be taught in schools.The Url reveals that it is a blog not an article.There are no spelling or grammar errors.This blog was written to inform.