Since technology took over pens and paper in classrooms, cursive writing has become for many students like Egyptian hieroglyphics.
Even though a lot of schools have removed cursive from their lessons, this art is slowly coming back as some institutions change their approach.
This might be partly due to a viral post on social media where a teacher criticized a seven-year-old girl for using connected letters to sign her name on an assignment. Keep reading to find out more about this student and why schools are reintroducing cursive!
Research shows that handwriting helps with spelling accuracy, memory recall and understanding concepts.
Actually, scientists say the slow act of tracing letters and words boosts brain activity, giving people more time to learn and process information.
“There’s a big difference in how the brain works for handwriting compared to typing,” says Ramesh Balasubramaniam, a neuroscientist at the University of California. “Even if the movements are similar, the brain’s activation is much higher when you write by hand. This suggests that these areas of your brain are more engaged when you’re writing by hand which could give you certain advantages.”
Boosts Brain Activity
As technology advances, our reliance on it increases but experts believe that handwriting should not disappear in this digital era.
“[Schools] need to include more writing into what they teach,” Balasubramaniam states.
Supporting his view is new research – “Handwriting but not typewriting leads to widespread brain connectivity: a high-density EEG study with implications for classroom” – which shows that handwriting enhances brain connections better than swiping or typing on devices especially in learning and memory.
Audrey van der Meer, one of the main authors of the 2024 study explains “When we write by hand most parts of our brains are active.”
Van der Meer teaches neuropsychology at Norwegian University of Science & Technology. She says handwriting “puts your mind in a state that helps both kids & adults learn better…Typing instead needs mechanical movements that sacrifice awareness for speed.”
the study finds that “the ongoing replacement of handwriting with typing in almost every school setting may seem somewhat misguided as it could harm learning processes negatively.”
Functional Illiteracy
In 2010 several states were “misguided” when they adopted Common Core standards which do not require students learn cursive writing.
Sadly removing cursive from education is leading towards functional illiteracy across America where “hard-to-read handwriting” causes issues for people doing basic adult tasks.
According to research from 2021 about 70 percent Americans have trouble reading notes or reports from coworkers while 45 percent can’t even read their own notes!
The survey also shows common items misread include shopping lists birthday cards & thank-you notes!
Others mentioned without knowing how to write in cursive signing important papers becomes stressful.
“My granddaughter who’s twenty struggles just signing checks,” Kimberly Jacovino from Monroe Connecticut tells Daily Mail. “It’s really important & [cursive] should be brought back into all schools.”
Recognizing how crucial it is keep practicing flowing script ,24 states as per 2024 reversed earlier decisions against teaching cursive now making it mandatory!
Still some schools aren’t teaching it while others scold young kids using it.
Student Warned For Using Cursive
In 2015 seven-year-old Alyssa submitted her work on short vowels only get reprimanded because she wrote her name using loopy letters!
Her teacher marked at top red pen saying :“Stop writing your name like this! You’ve had multiple warnings!”
Brenda Hatcher who’s friends with Alyssa’s mom snapped photo assignment shared online post later deleted.
Credit Shutterstock.Hatcher captioned photo saying ,“Share everywhere… Alyssa only seven!!! Not just mother military veteran but she taught very young child how write cursively.”
According PopSugar incident happened Kansas where there isn’t any legal requirement students learn curisve .
The report mentions social media reactions divided users some thought teacher wrong others said child needs follow rules .
What do you think about cursive script? Let us know your thoughts then share story so we can start conversation!
