From emails, to texts, to word processing, typing and voice-to-text have soared in popularity while traditional ways of writing have seen a downward trend. Along with less emphasis on paper and pencil, we also have fewer children learning how to use cursive. Instead, they are reliant on printing. This begs the question: Is the ability to use cursive writing still important?

Is the ability to write cursive still important?

I Can’t Read That!

While there are many people who do not write in cursive, there are still lots who do. Therefore, not being familiar with cursive not only means you can’t write it, there’s also a high likelihood that you can’t read it. Birthday card from your grandparents? Thank you note from your boss? Grocery list your partner wrote? It’s quite possible that cursive will come your way at some point and if you’re not familiar with it, you will be relying on others to read for you. It’s not as though cursive has been abolished, never to be seen again. While kids may be able to get away with printing, as they age, they may wish they could read cursive.

Signatures

It can be a little entertaining to watch teenagers’ reactions when they’re asked to sign something. If they haven’t learned how to write in cursive, they might not have a signature developed. Instead, printing their name and signing their name are one and the same! Writing in cursive comes in handy when you’re signing paperwork for your first bank account, job, or phone contract. As they get older, there will be more opportunities presented that require a signature. Cursive will come in handy!

Speed and Accuracy

For some children, printing is a laborious task. Consider the amount of times you have to lift your pencil while printing. This frequent stopping and starting can decrease writing speed and for some children, become frustrating. Cursive provides an opportunity for more continuous, fluid writing. In addition to increasing writing speed, it may also lead to more output. Less frustration can equate to more motivation to write!

Some children also experience improvements in legibility when they write in cursive. The continuous movement from left to right, the increased automaticity with spacing, and the fluid motion helps them form letters accurately. At times, a child who is struggling to print finds success with cursive.

Enjoyment

Many teachers will tell you that their students are very eager to learn how to write in cursive! Kids look forward to learning how to write in a more “adult” way and to developing their own, unique handwriting style. As well, they are finally able to read all the messages around them that are written in cursive. Why not tap into this motivation and excitement?

When your kids are ready to write in cursive, provide them with worksheets and printables that will support their learning. It is beneficial to have activities that allow children to trace letters, write them independently, then practise joining them. As well, it is helpful to use guides that teach children how to form the letters properly. The guides can be displayed as visuals for kids to refer to any time they’re writing.

Although cursive may not be as popular as it once was, there are definite advantages to being able to both read and write it. Cursive does not need to become a secret code that only older generations can crack! Although children may not realise it now, one day they may be very grateful that the mystery of cursive writing was unlocked for them!