Is There a Need for Handwriting Instruction?
Cursive is dying. Some people believe it’s already dead, and has been for a couple of decades now.
The days of young elementary students practicing their handwriting on paper with a large triumvirate of lines are over. Unlike the existing standards in some states, handwriting instruction does not appear in the Common Core, although states and districts have the option to include handwriting instruction if they so choose. Keyboarding, on the other hand, plays an integral role in the new writing standards.
The case for typing
Students are more likely to take notes in class using a laptop or handheld device, as far down as the elementary grades. Some students even take pictures or videos of lectures with their device, circumventing the note taking process entirely. In the 21st century, cursive might be equivalent to Egyptian hieroglyphics or cave painting. Some specialized people might be able to read it, but the vast majority don’t need to.
Of course, paramount to the whole move is the use of class time. A crunch that has led to reduced recess and elective time has forced the hand of schools and districts. There are only so many hours in the school day, with a new set of standards that use those hours to their fullest extent.
The case for handwriting
Opponents of the move away from handwriting point to the need to read historical documents, like the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, as well as write cards and thank you notes. Cursive seems to be an effective teaching tool for dyslexic students. Students also still have to write testing essays, such as those in the SAT and ACT, by hand (though it’s only a matter of time before those tests are administered digitally).
Proponents of handwriting instruction also tend to be opponents of the Common Core itself. In what has become a partisan fight, handwriting is the first pawn that’s moved.
The verdict
Manners are important, as are the founding documents of our country, but they are not a reason to waste class time. Grandparents, believe it or not, are just as likely to appreciate a thank you text or email as they would a card. And most historic documents have been transcribed into text and made available for the world to read via the Internet.
It’s sad that our children won’t learn skills that were taught with great importance when we were in school. But remember, we didn’t learn certain skills that our parents might have, such as using a slide rule or typing on a typewriter. Our parents probably didn’t use an outhouse. The world changes, and right now that rate of change is faster than at any time in human history. Cursive, and handwriting in general, is an unfortunate casualty.