Cursive handwriting instruction is experiencing a resurgence in schools across the United States. Following the 2010 Common Core standards' omission of cursive, over two dozen states now require its instruction.
Cursive Revival and Club Initiatives
Sherisse Kenerson, a teacher at Holmes Middle School in Virginia, established a cursive club after observing students' inability to read her cursive writing. The club gained significant attention, receiving correspondence from various states and requests for information from other educators. Kenerson views cursive as a way to maintain a connection to the past.
Expert Perspectives on Educational Value
Mark Warschauer, a professor of education at the University of California, Irvine, expressed that he has observed no evidence of unique cognitive or learning benefits from cursive beyond those provided by hand printing.
Warschauer argued against teaching cursive in schools, citing the time and effort involved when print handwriting, voice-to-text, and keyboards are readily available.
Shawn Datchuk, a professor of special education at the University of Iowa, suggested that students should be multimodal, capable of using print, cursive, typing, and interacting with technology. He noted that technology is not a complete solution, as spelling proficiency is still necessary for effective use of tools like spell checkers and artificial intelligence.
Reported Benefits and Public Reception
A review of studies by Datchuk and his team, after excluding those with antiquated technology or insufficient detail, indicated preliminary evidence suggesting cursive writing could enhance spelling. Datchuk proposed that the requirement for students to pay closer attention to letter connections in cursive might contribute to this benefit.
Kenerson and California Assemblymember Sharon Quirk-Silva, who introduced a state cursive bill, reported anecdotal evidence suggesting cursive may be therapeutic for students with dyslexia and other special needs. Quirk-Silva's 2023 cursive mandate has been met with positive feedback from constituents.
Generational Divide and Ongoing Relevance
Datchuk's personal experience, where his son could not read his grandmother's cursive, highlighted a generational divide in cursive literacy due to a lack of instruction among younger individuals. Students in Kenerson's cursive club, such as 11-year-old Antonio Benavides, reported improvements in their print penmanship after practicing cursive.
Steve Graham, a Regents Professor at Arizona State University's College for Teaching and Learning Innovation, stated that he believes the focus on cursive is largely an adult phenomenon.
Graham suggested that future studies might show insignificant differences in benefits between cursive and print handwriting, emphasizing the importance of teaching children to write effectively, regardless of the script.