Should students be taught cursive?

For more than a century, the cursive writing style has been taught in schools all over the globe. Although most used in America, it originated from the ancient Romans in around the 5th century.

Romans created cursive to minimize lifting a pen and to increase writing speed. However, it was mainly used for quills since they are easier to break and cause more problems. Even though it’s been around for some time, it wasn’t until the 1850’s when they started teaching cursive in schools.

“Cursive was the first thing I learned before writing normally and at a very early age as well. I think it’s a useful skill because that way you can also read cursive and figure out your signature faster”, DBHS sophomore Julianah Pit says.

Though due to the technological advancements of the 20th century, teachings of cursive began to lessen, and when computers became popular, some states stopped teaching cursive altogether. Then finally, in 2010, the U.S. government officially removed cursive from the curriculum for K-12 education. Some people, mainly older adults, argue that schools should bring it back, while others, generally young adults, disagree.

The conjoined flowy font can be helpful to students in the classroom and in everyday life. It can help them retain information better. Studies have shown that taking notes using handwriting is preferable to typing. When typing, a person can transcribe speech almost word for word. But, when writing longhand, a person needs to be more selective and only write down necessary information.

“Personally, it’s how I write sometimes because it’s harder to comprehend by other people and it’s also faster, so it matches the pace of my brain” Pit says.

It can also improve normal handwriting. Students that may struggle with their writing should consider taking up cursive. Because of the loopy style of the letters, cursive can help students better understand how letters fit together. It improves fluidity, which makes the words look neater.

There had to be a reason why counties removed cursive from the curriculum, and one of them being that teaching it took too much time away from other deemed-relevant subjects. Cursive can be time-consuming and frustrating for teachers to teach and for students to learn. With this skill practiced less, it’ll eventually become forgotten altogether.

There is also little chance for active use of this skill outside of the classroom. Unless someone wants to impress at a job interview or write a beautiful note, there are few opportunities to use cursive. And since students can type their assignments on a computer anyway, cursive is not valued in education as it once was.

Cursive can be a convenient font to use in certain circumstances. It can help with studying and improving normal handwriting. It is also a complex craft and not used much outside of the classroom. Only 21 states require cursive in the public-school curriculum, and Florida is one of them. While Deerfield Beach High does not offer these classes, this could change in future years.

Written by Mackenzie Cobbler | Graphic Designed by Mackenzie Cobbler

Published March 27, 2023 | ePathfinder | Perspectives