With the rise of technology replacing traditional pens and paper in classrooms, cursive has become, for many students, as unfamiliar as Egyptian hieroglyphics.
Although many schools have removed cursive from their curriculum, the artform is gradually making a comeback as numerous institutions are reversing course.
Part of this resurgence could be linked to a viral social media post in which a teacher criticized a seven-year-old girl for using “loopy connected letters” to sign her “John Hancock” on an assignment. Keep reading to discover more about this student and why cursive is being reintroduced in schools!
Previous studies indicate that handwriting enhances spelling accuracy, memory retention, and conceptual understanding.
In fact, researchers explain that the deliberate process of forming letters and words boosts brain activity, providing individuals with more time to process and learn.
“There is a fundamental difference in brain organization for handwriting as opposed to typing,” says Ramesh Balasubramaniam, a neuroscientist at the University of California. “Even when the movements are very similar, the activation seems much, much higher in handwriting. It shows that there’s more involvement of these brain regions when you’re handwriting, which might give you some specific advantages.”
Boosts brain acitivity
As technology continues to advance, our reliance on it increases, but experts emphasize that handwriting should not be forgotten in the digital era.
“[Schools] need to bring in more writing into curriculum design,” says Balasubramaniam.
Supporting this view, a recent study titled “Handwriting but not typewriting leads to widespread brain connectivity: a high-density EEG study with implications for the classroom” reveals that handwriting, compared to swiping or typing on devices, enhances brain connectivity, particularly in areas related to learning and memory.
Audrey van der Meer, one of the lead authors of the 2024 study, explains, “When writing by hand, most of the brain is active.”
Van der Meer, a neuropsychology professor at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, adds that handwriting “puts the brain in a state that helps both children and adults learn more and remember better… Typing, on the other hand, requires mechanical and repetitive movements that trade awareness for speed.”
In conclusion, the study suggests that “the ongoing substitution of handwriting by typewriting in almost every educational setting may seem somewhat misguided as it could affect the learning process in a negative way.”
Functional illiteracy
In 2010, several states made a “misguided” decision to adopt the Common Core standards initiative, which does not require students to learn cursive writing.
Sadly, removing cursive penmanship from education is contributing to functional illiteracy across the U.S., where “hard-to-read handwriting” is creating challenges for adults performing basic tasks.
A 2021 study revealed that an alarming 70% of Americans struggle to read notes or reports from their colleagues, while 45% admit they can’t even decipher their own handwriting.
The study also found that the most frequently misread items include shopping lists, notes to colleagues, birthday cards, and thank-you notes.
Some people shared that the inability to write in cursive makes signing important documents a stressful task.
“My 20-year-old granddaughter struggles to sign a check,” Kimberly Jacovino of Monroe, Connecticut, told the Daily Mail. “It is very important, and [cursive] should be brought back to all schools.”
Recognizing the importance of preserving and practicing cursive handwriting, 24 states – as of 2024 – have reversed their earlier decisions to eliminate it from the curriculum and now require it to be taught.
However, not all schools are reintroducing cursive, and some even discourage young children from using it.
Student warned for using cursive
In 2015, seven-year-old Alyssa submitted her assignment on short vowels but was reprimanded for writing her name in loopy, flowing letters.
Her teacher marked the top of her lesson sheet with red pen, writing: “Stop writing your name in cursive. You have had several warnings.”
Brenda Hatcher, a friend of Alyssa’s mom, took a photo of the child’s assignment and posted it on Facebook, though the post has since been deleted.
Hatcher captioned the photo, “Share this everywhere… Alyssa is 7!!! Not only is her mother a military veteran but, she took the time to teach her very young child how to write in cursive.”
According to PopSugar, the incident allegedly occurred in Kansas, a state where there’s currently no legal requirement for students to learn cursive.
The outlet noted that the social media post sparked divided opinions, with some criticizing the teacher for reprimanding the child, while others argued that the child “needs to follow directions.”
What do you think about cursive script? Share your thoughts and spread this story to get the conversation going!