Good penmanship is more than just a quaint skill. A new study shows that it's a key part of learning.
Comment: What I want to know is if typing can replace writing developmentally the same way it is replacing it practically. There is a big whole in this article without that information. Also, why is there an emphasis on cursive over regular handwritting? The only time I have had a use cursive since 3rd grade has been to sign my name.
Comment:
Comment: dat is sum stoopit sheee-uuuuuttt 2 rite all purty an *** u no whut i sane??
Comment: Alcott,Louisa May 1832-1888 Lousia May Alcott, best known as the author of Little Women,was among the first authors to write novels for young readers..When she was sixteen she began writing and sending out her stories for publication.As a teacher,Louisa made up fairy stories to tell her pupils. These was published in 1854 as Flower Fables ,her first book. Louisa wrote more than 200 books and stories,but her publisher had to urge her to write what became her famous novel called ,Litte Women .She wrote it while she was editor of Merry's Museum,a magazine for girls.. The book was published in two parts ,in 1868 and 1869. She then gather ideas from Henry David Thoreau,Ralph Waldo Emerson and Oliver Wendal Holmes about the need for social reform.She worked for the abolition of slavery and later for women's right to vote. Louisa Alcott died in Boston on March 6,1888.
Comment: Was dicussing the importance of cursive writing with my 3rd grader this evening. There are two things that I clearly remember about my third grade experience (1970 I think): the year I 1) learned to write in "script" as we referred to it then and 2) memorized my times tables. I couldn't begin to tell you specifics about my other years in elementary school. I can't imagine how the rest of school years and subsequent career in market research would've turned out if these skill sets were not taught - er, drilled - into our brains back then.
Comment: In a country from where knowledge is outsourced to the maximum, emphasis on handwriting is the minimum.Is it because of the growing strength in schools making it almost impossible for teachers to focus on handwriting or is it that we are just ignoring it ? Any comments?
Comment: Apart from being the key to learning and fluency in self expression, learning to write legibly and neatly also helps in disciplining an individual.Qualities like patience, tolerance,self composure and self_discipline become more evident in a person with a good handwriting.Sad to say,in a country like India where I reside and train children in good cursive handwriting Penmanship Curriculum is unheard of in schools.
Comment: OK, I'm off to think about how learning to form legible letters correctly and automatically can logically have nothing to do with calligraphy or how smart we are ... ah, I know, I'll just redefine calligraphy as a pile of pretty curly-wurleys!
To be serious, I wonder if this research could benefit from a re-examination of the benchmarks. If the mental skills we pick from writing and drawing are the benchmark, then off course the average "texting" kid is going to look dumb, but what about that amazing skill they pick up of innovating with words to make them quick and short and still understood by their peers. Such a skill has to be historically new in children and is bound to have some as yet unmeasured benefits. (That is not to underestimate the benefits of learning a disciplined form writing.)
-Andrew van der Merwe, calligrapher
Comment: OK, I'm off to think about how learning to form legible letters correctly and automatically can logically have nothing to do with calligraphy or how smart we are ... ah, I know, I'll just redefine calligraphy as a pile of pretty curly-wurleys!
To be serious, I wonder if this research could benefit from a re-examination of the benchmarks. If the mental skills we pick from writing and drawing are the benchmark, then off course the average "texting" kid is going to look dumb, but what about that amazing skill they pick up of innovating with words to make them quick and short and still understood by their peers. Such a skill has to be historically new in children and is bound to have some as yet unmeasured benefits. (That is not to underestimate the benefits of learning a disciplined form writing.)
-Andrew van der Merwe, calligrapher
Comment: No matter how cute or sophisticated the teaching props (anything from the "magic bunny" ballyhooed by NEWSWEEK to ultracomputerized multisensory gizmoes purveyed by another commenter and claimed "the latest in research"), 98% of USA handwriting programs refuse to document that any results last beyond the period of instruction. Recently established programs presume the customers will take it on faith that the kids now under instruction will still write well by hand 20 years later (or even in 10 or 5 years later) - longer-established programs (such as the one with "the magic bunny"), when asked to show how their former students write today as teens or adults, change the subject or refuse comment or (in at least one documentable instance) offer falsified data. In my experience and observations as a handwriting curriculum and remediation specialist working throughout the USA and in Canada, only 3 programs (out of the 200-plus now marketed on our continent) give students results that typically last (instead of typically evaporating) in "life after school": Barchowsky Fluent Handwriting, Getty-Dubay Italic Handwriting, and Handwriting Repair: all have existed for long enough to demonstrate effective lifelong results throughout the decades after instruction inevitably ends. Will someone at Newsweek please explain why the magazine chose to ignore the three programs that focus on (and achieve) lifelong lasting results?
Comment: This issue is not about calligraphy, or how we learned to write, or how smart we are, or even how handwriting curriculum is marketed. As several "posters" have emphasized: It is about helping today's kids express what they are learning in written form.
We can do this by:
* basing handwriting curriculum on up-to-date research in motor development and brain function (helping kids--with or without learning disabilities--write legibly).
* providing multi-sensory instruction and real-time feedback so that children learn to form legible letters correctly and automatically.
* equipping over-extended classrooms with useful, individualized handwriting curriculum.
Check out www.writeonhandwriting.com.
Comment: This issue is not about calligraphy, or how we learned to write, or how smart we are, or even how handwriting curriculum is marketed. As several "posters" have emphasized: It is about helping today's kids express what they are learning in written form.
We can do this by:
* basing handwriting curriculum on up-to-date research in motor development and brain function (helping kids--with or without learning disabilities--write legibly).
* providing multi-sensory instruction and real-time feedback so that children learn to form legible letters correctly and automatically.
* equipping over-extended classrooms with useful, individualized handwriting curriculum.
Check out www.writeonhandwriting.com.
Comment: I was most amused by this article since as a youngster in school, I took a penmanship course which shaped my life forever. I liked to write anyway but I have maintained a very good penmanship through all of my 69+ years. I was a big chagrined by Professor Stephen Peverly's comments that the quality and quantity of an elementary school student's writing was preferred over legibility. No wonder the doctor's and others in the world don't write so that you can read anything. It is very destructive that in this world today not many people can write legibly so that you can even read their name. It frightens me that handwriting is not a art, but a lost art. It's better to be quick than right. Sadly I wish penmanship courses were to return if only for a year when writing is important. I took my course in the eighth grade but had many occasions as an elementary school student to practice my penmanship. Your article was very well written and to the point and I wish that it would have some impact now!!! Thanks. My husband handed it to me to read this morning as I had not had the occasion to pick up this week's issue as yet.
Comment: Dear Bharatisahu ??? you may find some help and suggestions through the Handwriting Repair web-site at http://www.learn.to/handwrite
Comment: I have been pondering about this matter for my 7 year old who has mild comprehension problem, but he is doing better in 2nd grade , He is also a bilingual , althougth he donot speak our language from India ,but he is growing up hearing us parents speaking it, he is a great speller and a reader, he is doing better in math , he is good at science, he loves hand on activities, for which his first grade teacher said in campus meeting gave a school performance test where she graded him as mild autism. As an OT parent during parent teacher meeting I was too agreable to the problems of my child in 1st grade, is it my mistake , or should I take him to a doctor to be diagnosed my kid with autism and give him ritalin , although the school has suggested taking him to a pediatrician is not necessary for his school performance in !st grade.. If any body has any suggestion let me know. Thanks
Comment: Ritalin is for attention deficit disorder, not autism. Autism is treated differently. If he is doing fine in his classes without additonal help, then I would not worry about it at this time. If, however, his grades are poor or he is having trouble relating to the other students, or the school is recommending that he see a doctor, then I would take him in. It is best to deal with the situation while he is young instead of waiting for bigger problems to develop.
Comment: I'm in my ninth year of teaching third grade. This year almost all of my students have serious handwriting issues: letters float in the air even on handwriting paper; g's, j's, p's, q's, and y's hover above the line; there is little or no distinction made between the sizes of letters, including letters that are otherwise the same in lower case and upper case, such as Cc or Ss; some students indiscriminately mix upper case and lower case letters, even in the middle of words; and many students form letters or digits in unorthodox and inefficient ways. My students this year are worlds ahead of the students in my class eight years ago in their reading ability, vocabulary, thinking skills, verbal expression, and written expression. But when I read the writing of many of them, I do lots of slogging, as I try to decipher what they have written. When we write, we try to let it flow and fix it later (Thank you, Erik Cork!), but sometimes when students come back to fix it, they can't tell what they wrote! So this year we HAVE to address handwriting issues -- it's a matter of communication. When my students are older I am sure they will use computers for most of their communication, as most of you and I do. But right now in third grade, their access to computers is limited-- through no fault of their own -- and does not include use for written communication except on rare occasions. So somehow we'll find ways to fit handwriting into our days, so each student can use it as a tool for recording and sharing their thoughts and ideas with others. --K.S. Downing, Syracuse, NY
Comment: I'm in my ninth year of teaching third grade. This year almost all of my students have serious handwriting issues: letters float in the air even on handwriting paper; g's, j's, p's, q's, and y's hover above the line; there is little or no distinction made between the sizes of letters, including letters that are otherwise the same in lower case and upper case, such as Cc or Ss; some students indiscriminately mix upper case and lower case letters, even in the middle of words; and many students form letters or digits in unorthodox and inefficient ways. My students this year are worlds ahead of the students in my class eight years ago in their reading ability, vocabulary, thinking skills, verbal expression, and written expression. But when I read the writing of many of them, I do lots of slogging, as I try to decipher what they have written. When we write, we try to let it flow and fix it later (Thank you, Erik Cork!), but sometimes when students come back to fix it, they can't tell what they wrote! So this year we HAVE to address handwriting issues -- it's a matter of communication. When my students are older I am sure they will use computers for most of their communication, as most of you and I do. But right now in third grade, their access to computers is limited-- through no fault of their own -- and does not include use for written communication except on rare occasions. So somehow we'll find ways to fit handwriting into our days, so each student can use it as a tool for recording and sharing their thoughts and ideas with others. --K.S. Downing, Syracuse, NY
Comment: It must to be hard to be a child today! When most of us were growing up in elementary school, we were allowed recess (not organized physical education). Swings are being removed from many schools because of the liability. When I ask children what they do after school, the reply is often "my friends come over and we play video games". Many children do not have that trunk strength and proximal stability that is achieved during gross motor play which is necessary for fine motor skills. I do not use one particular method when handwriting is an issue for a student. We try different methods because every human being is different. If the child just cannot get it, we begin thinking about alternative means of written communication such as using an alphasmart word processor. However, I do feel that an important point of teaching handwriting with correct formation (top-down, left-right) is that we use that same movement in reading, we start at the top read left to right. When the children, parents, teachers, and therapists are doing the best that they can, that is all that we can request. We just educate to the best of our ability (including continued education) to get these children ready for adulthood.
Comment: I see some posters posing the argument that legibility has no relation to content. That's true. However, what good is great content if no one can read it? That's the point of having decent handwriting. It doesn't have to be caligraphy, but anyone should be able to pick up what someone has written and be able to understand it. THAT'S the point. Everyone should learn and master the basics of handwriting, be it print or cursive. As we move on in our lives, we'll develop our own distinctive handwriting styles. I just find it ridiculous that a hight schooler can't produce a signature, or can't print in a legible fashion.
Comment: Halfway through my message, my computer crashed. (Another point in favor of handwriting: pens and pencils do not render their user suddenly incommunicative anywhere nearly as often as computers do.)
So please read this message as the second half of a single message from me:
In a way, I suppose I should thank the so-called "Handwriting without Tears" program for leading to a goodly chunk of my income ??? about half of the children, pre-teens, teenagers, and young adults who come to me for handwriting help have previously failed dismally (and often tearfully) with that program. Plainly, when considering a handwriting program we need to look at its long-term results. Given all this concern over the state of handwriting, why not do so? Better yet ??? why not investigate the high-pressured and none-too-ethical pitchmanship world of handwriting program marketing and recruitment?
Teacher-training courses of the "big name" print-then-cursive companies (including those you covered) often resemble Mary Kay or Amway sales-rallies: with most of the emphasis going to "how to sign up more customers: more teachers, more schools, more school-districts, even if the program doesn't seem to be working." Getting teachers and schools to sign onto, and stay with, a handwriting program ??? to use it for everyone, even when it fails a significant number ??? often takes higher priority than making sure that the kids actually learn to write in a legible and fluent manner. (Reportedly, many if not all of the "big name" handwriting programs resort to thinly disguised marketing incentives to keep the numbers up: e.g., signing a school to a long-term contract with a substantial discount then removing the discount unless each and every child in each and every school in the district uses exclusively the handwriting textbooks, other handwriting materials, and even the handwriting paper that the program makes and sells: irrespective of whether those textbooks and other materials actually work for everybody whom the contract requires to use them. Other programs, reportedly, have had sales-reps doing such things as offering to buy the school principal or the district superintendent or some other official a new car, to supply the school or district with free spelling-books or math-books or readers, or even to buy the school or the district 100 or 1000 new computers: if, and only if, the school principal or the district decides to buy a particular handwriting program and to make sure that nobody in the school or district uses anything else for handwriting instruction. (In at least one case, the decision-makers receiving such an offer did not even open or look at the program materials before deciding that these best met the educational needs of their students. Their "examination of materials" consisted of examining the various personal and material incentives offered to the decision-makers by the various sales reps.)
Comment: The comment by "rubyfusion" leads me to remark on what I've seen, as a handwriting instruction and remediation specialist, from the program that "rubyfusion" comments for producing "more successes than failures." Graduates of that program account for about half of the children, pre-teens, teens, and young adults who come my way in desperate need of handwriting help. In classrooms using that program, I've generally observed that the handwritings of about 45% of the students either stagnate or regress during or soon after the instruction provided by that program. (For example: in that program, significant numbers of students at all age/ability levels write visibly worse and visibly slower one year after program completion than on the day they began the program). I might also add here that (in my opinion) the program's very name constitutes false advertising: I have definitely seen that method produce its share of tears among a fairly high percentage of kids who had to learn it.
So "more successes than failures" strikes me as pretty hollow praise, when you consider that such a mindset placidly approves (for instance) 13 or 14 handwriting "washouts" per class of 30 ??? a very common state of affairs. According to teachers who tell me that their school requires me to teach "Handwriting [allegedly] without Tears," they come under a lot of administrative pressure to use this program even with those students for whom it conspicuously fails: reportedly, because schools and districts under contract to use that program exclusively receive a much better "deal" on the price than schools and districts which want to remain open to turn to something else when they see a need. (Has NEWSWEEK ever investigated the ethics of handwriting program marketing? Anyone investigating this will find more than a few unpleasant surprises, in terms of high-pressure pitchmanship and worse.)
Returning to handwriting itself ??? the program that "rubyfusion" so praises has existed for some 30 years: long enough that we can judge it by the adult handwriting of people who learned to write that way as children. In looking at the adult handwritings of people who learned handwriting via that approach as children ??? including those who enjoyted the method, as well as those who cried ??? I have yet to see ONE completely decipherable and reasonably fluent handwriting among the lot.
(Admittedly, I speak here as a former "handwriting washout" myself: I didn't handwrite legibly, let alone rapidly until age 24 ??? even then, in order to gain that ability I had to disregard most of what the so-called "Handwriting without Tears" (or any other print-then-cursive program) wants you to regard as crucially essential.
. The so-called "without tears" program (praised by Newsweek and "rubyfusion") has existed for 30 years, and I have therefore had opportunities to see the results (or non-results)
Comment: Thank you Newsweek for drawing attention to a primary school subject which has been given much less emphasis in recent years. No matter what career, education level or subject a student may choose to pursue that student will undoubtedly have to write and write often. As someone who has worked as a High School Guidance Counselor and a College Admissions Representative for many years, students are absolutely initially judged by how they write both with penmanship and content. There has been a notable decline in the penmanship and quality of writing for many students and I hear about that from prospective colleges and employers on a regular basis. Technology is terrific but writing is hard and hard work--for the student and the teacher but it is so vital to our collective intelligence. Bring it back.
Comment: As most have agreed, the article possibly lacks some actual facts. However, as a third grade teacher I can say that cursive writing is important to third graders, helpful in legibility (in most cases), and offers success to so many students that have a hard time finding it elsewhere. For example, a student in my class can barely write in print, which affects his "writing ability" in that he doesn't want to do it. But, let him write in cursive and he can't stop writing! Another student suffers from SEVERE ADHD. This child also can do better work when it's in cursive simply because it makes him feel more grown up and he's so incredibly focused on his work. Furthermore, if a teacher says that a child's content of writing is not good, even though it is and the handwriting is poor, then the teacher has issues, not the child.
To all those who posted comments such as peteys voice:
"Comment: now we know WHY the kids today have no homework. All the old disciplines are being replaced,and the kids today don't stand a chance,when in the real world,making decisions in life,dealing with life pursuits,because the very basics that we good all these years,are no more.Its lets worry who gets the highest SAT scores,and not the quality of the education"
That's just an unfortunate case of ignornace. Teachers today are given a plethera of responsibilities.including all the things genius petey listed above. We do have to worry about teaching life skills, teaching the basics, tests scores, not to mention teaching 25 different kids with different backgrounds, needs, learning styles, etc. This list goes on forever. So, before you start talking negatively about teachers, try doing it for a day.
Comment: In reading the artice, I agree as an OT in the school system, that handwriting instruction has gone by the wayside in exchange for "more important things". How can we penalize children for writing illegibly if we have only given them practice worksheets without formal instruction for them to complete during "free time"? What about those children who don't ever seem to get free time? What about those who only try to draw what they see? We need to get this vital instruction back into the curriculum and develop some consistent skills instruction and language as found in the Handwriting Without Tears program. It is not to say that students with disabilities should be tortured with handwriting practice, but functional handwriting is a life skill necessary for signing checks, etc. I have been using this Program for four years with children of many varying abilities, with more successes than failures. Kudos to Newsweek for drawing attention to a skill and a Program that is a necessity in almost every curriculum.
D.Darling COTA/L
Comment: I'm a 56-year-old LEFTIE! My wonderful and very diplomatic first grade teacher taught me cursive (even though other teachers didn;t introduce it till third grade) because stringing letters together neatly helped me develop self-discipline and overcome dyslexia. Not only can I spell properly, people are amazed that my handwriting is so legible. "I can't believe you're left-handed...your writing is BEAUTIFUL!" Thank you, Mrs. Cox! (B-T-W, I still transpose digits in numbers over 5-6 figures, because it is very difficult for me to visualize what their sequence should be, when they can't be strung neatly together!)
Comment: There are legitimate health disorders and neurological deficts that prevent some children from achieving the skills of good penmanship. Dysgraphia, Dyspraxia, Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder, Autism, Asperger's, and Dyslexia are just a few of the neurologically based problems that can impact a child's ability to write. Newsweek's glib portrayal of handwriting being the pentultimate cause of learning problems is appallingly simplistic and will sadly have a horrid reality for many children who suffer from these disabilities and are being neglected by the education system as it is. I can hear the arguments at IEP tables around the nation as teachers clasp this overly simplistic article to their chests and proclaim their right to make these children practice, practice, practice regardless of the pain and emotional suffering it will cause. Shame on you Newsweek for not producing a more thorough look at handwriting disorders. You failed to mention the millions of adults who went through those old fashion handwriting programs and were forced to repetitively write over and over again, only to suffer pain, and no gainly result. I'm one of the millions taught in the Palmer method, forced to spend much of my school years playground time at my desk re-writing paragraphs over and over again, to no avail and yet even now at the age of 45, unable to write legibily without pain.
Wander through the hallways of our great universities and hospitals. Look at the handwriting abilties of our greatest minds in the nation. You will find many, many, many great contributors to society, all of whom were subjected to the horrors of "schoolmarmish" handwriting terror, who are incapable of legibility yet are still able to learn and express themselves in writing effectively, and in many cases even eloquently. I'd bet you can find a fair number of Newsweek employees from the top of the pay scale to the bottom whose handwritings are mere illegible scribbles. Thank goodness for the advent of the computer, eh?
I hope someone undoes the damage you did with your hideously unsound article.
Comment: This article makes the circular argument that teacher's should put more emphasis on fluent handwriting because a study found that the majority of teachers believe that fluent handwriting equates with better composition skills. In fact, all that proves is that the majority of teachers can't separate the two skills--penmanship and composition--when grading papers. If it's true that the scorers of state assessments and SAT essays also have difficulty with this distinction, that says more about a need for improved training for the scorers than about the need for beautiful cursive.
There are so many logical and factual problems with this article. I'm surprised that it wasn't labeled opinion.
-- No study is cited to back up the statement that "when children are taught how to [handwrite], they are also being taught how to learn and express themselves." Certainly, when kids write using some method (printing, cursive, or typing), they are getting composition practice. But, I see no evidence that cursive is critical here.
-- The College Board did not ass a written essay to the SAT in an effort to reverse the emphasis on handwriting. They wanted to gauge student's composition skills because colleges say composition is critical to college success. The essay is done in longhand to eliminate opportunities for cheating and because providing a computer to every test-taker is not feasible.
-- Letter reversals are related to dyslexia, not poor handwriting. That's a completely different problem.
-- Quotes from someone at Handwriting Without Tears about the relationship between handwriting skill and academics are necessarily suspect.
-- Penmanship seemed "schoolmarmish" the author says, but now it is coming back? It still seems schoolmarmish.
-- Actually, several math curriculums have suggested that the invention of the calculator means we don't have to teach kids how to add, but that's a different story.
-- The story again adds with the conflation of handwritten notes with better composition, a connection that is not argued successfully by this story.
Speaking personally, my printing is sloppy, but fast and my PDA understands it. I stopped using cursive in high school, since it was slower than my own combined printing/cursive style. I'm happy with an email thank you. I volunteer in my son's 3rd grade class during "Writer's Workshop". My son's penmanship is toward the bottom of the heap, but full of insights and humor. A number of the kids in the class have lovely writing but don't have any content more interesting than a nearly plagiarized five sentences on the animal of the week.
Comment: "when kids struggle with handwriting, it filters into all their academics. Spelling becomes a problem; math becomes a problem because they reverse their numbers. All of these subjects would be much easier for these kids to learn if handwriting was an automatic process."
I am suprised, after all the research done on learning disabilities, that Ms. Knapton still thinks Dyslexia is caused by bad handwritting. If a child has poor handwriting, or reverses letters and numbers, it may very well be a sign of such a disorder. I struggled for years with dyslexia and dysgraphia. Instead of addressing the underlying issue, my parents and teachers made me practice cursive for countless hours and chastized me for poor academic performance. It was a complete waste of time. Once my problems were identified, however, I was able to learn how to compensate for how my brain is wired. My handwriting is still deplorable, but I feel that my stuggle to overcome my learning disabilities has only enhanced how I think and learn.
Comment: Those with legible handwriting are better learners? How do you explain all those doctors then? Haven't met one yet with decent handwriting. Thankfully, we now have computers. So, when in doubt, have doc email your prescription to your pharmacy. LOL!
Comment: Reading these comments, I've noticed again and again that the majority of those who vigorously praise their childhood instruction in cursive penmanship /a/ claim that cursive writing drill taught them standard English grammar and spelling, and /b/ nevertheless use much distinctly nonstandard grammar and spelling in their comments. By contrast, most of those who oppose cursive handwriting produce (in their NEWSWEEK comments, at least) grammatically and orthographically correct standard English. Dare I say that this throws some doubt on the claims of the pro-cursive crowd?
Further doubts regarding the claimed marvelousness of cursive must arise from the fact that the fastest and most legible handwriters do not, in fact, write in cursive. Highest-speed highest-legibility handwriters join some, not all letters ??? using the easiest joins and skipping the rest ??? and tend towards printed, not cursive, letter-shapes for letters whose printed and cursive shapes significantly disagree. (Source: JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH, May/June 1998 issue ??? article "The Relationship Between Handwriting Speed and Style and Legibility" by Steve Graham, Virginia Berninger, and Naomi Weintraub). In the light of this research, why did NEWSWEEK ignore the admittedly few USA handwriting programs which teach a style consistent with these research findings on the habits of high-speed high-legibility handwriters?
Comment: I've always prided myself on decent handwriting (not gorgeous, but legible) excellent spelling and grammar. Funny thing is, however, I have spent my working life correcting and editing work for my superiors who make a lot more money and have a lot more status. You guessed it--I'm a professional secretary.
Comment: I agree with Piano Player. I see so many educated people, even professionals, disregard proper grammar and spelling in their written works. Even at work, I am appalled that some managers, even a few executives, issue memos and reports with misspellings and grammatical errors. I believe that they still have to mind their writing as this does not reflect favorably upon them individually and the organization in general.
Comment: I agree with Piano Player. Even at work, I am appalled by grammatical errors and misspellings by some managers and even a few executives in writing their memos and reports. It should be imperative for these people to mind writing properly as this does not project favorably for them.
Comment: The research says that speed and fluidity matters, not legibility, but handwriting is always taught in terms of legibility. The problem is that this stigmatizes students with less than beautiful handwriting who may otherwise be good students. I finished my phd and am a professor at a wonderful institution, but I always got D's in handwriting in elementary school (and probably still would).
Comment: creiv--You are so right. When this research is introduced to elementary school teachers, I hope they will understand it accurately. The summary I read states, like you said, that speed and fluidity are what matters, not legibility. I had straight A's all through elementary school and later qualified for Mensa. I always made poor grades in penmanship, however. Everyone in my family has poor handwriting, yet we are all quite smart and educated. My son, who is just like the rest of us, suffered through elementary school, constantly having his writing and thinking ability misjudged by teachers and other students who couldn't see past his sloppy handwriting. Once, a teacher even sent home a practice writing assessment (they were preparing for the state assessment) that she had scored as a 2/6. Since I had been a trained scorer for the state for many years, I read it myself and scored it a 4.5-5/6. To be sure, I also sent it to two other esteemed colleagues who scored it the same way. What happens to kids whose parents don't have such expertise? Are they just pushed further and further behind because of others' misconceptions?
Comment: It is interesting to me to see the plethora of comments here containing misspellings and grammatical errors. Writers are claiming their superior knowledge, but do not show it here. I truly believe handwriting is an essential skill, but it obviously did not help many of these people to learn to communicate properly.
Comment: How bizarre. What next, using cuneiform tablets as a key to "timeless" expression? My handwiriting is artrocious, or so my wife and children gleefully explain. Yet I must report, somewhat immodestly, that I have been recognized by academic achievement throughout my academic and work carreer, including high standardized test scores, advanced degree from Stanford, and an executive posiiton. Maybe I should just start writing random opinion articles, backed by anecdotal observations, and get Newsweek ot publish them?
Comment: now we know WHY the kids today have no homework. All the old disciplines are being replaced,and the kids today don't stand a chance,when in the real world,making decisions in life,dealing with life pursuits,because the very basics that we good all these years,are no more.Its lets worry who gets the highest SAT scores,and not the quality of the education
Comment: I find this article to ring so true on this subject. I'm 29 and I have noticed that majority of young Americans that are ten years younger than I have really poor handwriting. I think our educators should require hand written essays once a week. The technology in this world has grown at such a rapid pace of the ten years, handwriting has almost become obsolete. Why write when you can send a text message or an e-mail. When I was in the 8th grade, WE were the computer! I wrote papers with nice penmanship so my teacher could read it and I had a dictionary next to me at all times to ensure proper spelling.
I'm a restaurant manager and I recieve numerous applications a week from kids. Sadly, I can not call any of them back for interviews since I can't understand what they have written or even make out what their phone number is. All I can say is this, you can tell a lot about a person that practices good penmanship!
Comment: As I recall, penmanship taught most of us "boomers" self discipline. There doesn't seem to be much of that anymore. It also helped us improve our fine motor skills. I suppose that here in Texas, most of that got dropped so the students could be drilled on the state proficiency tests.
Comment: How timely this piece turned out to be. A friend recently informed me her son's 5th grade teacher doesn't require the kids to write in cursive,after untold pressure from parents, that it was too stressful. (?) Another friend recently admitted he stopped writing in cursive when he had to write notes in high school classes. His own son (also in 5th grade) struggles with it as well. I removed my now 5th grade) son from public school, to homeschool him after 2nd grade. He prides himselfon his penmanship and is miffed that his friend's find it such a pain. I love it that I feel vindicated for encouraging this skill.
L Smith Portland OR
important skill!. L. Smith Portland OR
Comment: Handwriting is essential. Computers are great for typing as fast as one thinks as posted by Soto2000, but handrwriting forces your mind to slow down - to make sure you are thinking about what you are saying. Handwriting also has a direct correlation to eye/hand coordination. It's a visual learning experience as well as a physical one, forcing the brain to expand it's capabilities. I too have become very dependen upon a keyboard on the computer, but when the computer is not available I write - in cursive! Some people have such wonderful handwriting that it can be considered an art form as well. I will ensure my children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren do not lose the ability to print, write in cursive, and learn the use of a computer keyboard.
Comment: This is a great topic for discussion. When I first learn the characters in the English alphabet, I thought it was great! I looked forward to learning cursive, because I associated this with being a grown up. As time passed, we moved to California where the elementary school teachers refused to accept anything other than cursively written documents. By now, I started disliking cursive writing. I wished I could revert back to printing, as non-cursive writing was called. My printing was superior to any cursive writing. Then I discovered the typewriter. and later the computer. At this point in time, the only cursive writing that I do is when I signed documents or checks. Even in college, I never wrote my notes in cursive. When I wrote term papers and such, I brainstormed on the computer. I found it to be a waste of time to write out the paper by hand then transfer it onto a wordprocessor. I think faster than I write and typing is the only thing that can barely keep up. Anyhow, I disagree on how important cursive writing is. Once you learn it as a child, use it to perfect your signature, and drop it. If you are concerned about keeping up during notetaking, learn shorthand. That is a more effective way to capture your notes.
We live an a new ere where trees are becoming a scarce commodity. Handwriting will probably go by the wayside as signet rings and wax of old did. Technology will definitely bring a welcomed end to cursive writing.
Comment: As an occupational therapist, I have seen printing and cursive writing go out the door. Kids are not properly being taught how to write, and this is affecting their academic performance. Furthermore, these kids are likely to have behavior problems as they need to expend so much effort trying to figure out how to form the letters correctly when given a task, such as writing a story or essay. Handwriting needs to be addressed appropriately in the early grades to avoid problems later in life!
Comment: I am all for continuing the teaching of penmanship. I can feel the difference in myself whenever I write a nice note to someone, or receive one in return. The feeling is one of a direct connection to the person, without the "intermediary" or veil of electronics. I am not saying wonderful things are not typed! I use my computer constantly for a variety of tasks. And, I love having the ability to choose.
Comment: I still remember when I came to US. Our history Professor asked us to write an essay on "Benjamin Franklin". I didn't have computer at that time so I wrote it down in a cursive handwriting. On the next day every student was carrying typed essay, except me. I was very scared, I thought my Professor will ask me,"Why it's handwritten?". But when I submitted him my essay, he was so happy and said this is the first time I have seen such a beautiful handwriting and he showed it to the whole class. I have decided to teach my children cursive writing.
Comment: Being a state assesment test scorer for essays, I can say from experience how important good pensmanship is. When reading childrens answers to essay questions more times than not I am unable to descipher what the child is saying. What they don't realize is if i can't read it I can't give them credit for being correct. These test determine if a child will be passed on to the next grade level and for high school students could mean graduating or not! Please parents, teachers, require that handwriting be at the very least...legible!
Comment: Boy, have times changed. I hadn't planned on commenting on this article, but after reading the comments below I felt it was necessary. I am currently a college student going through her last year of college. And I must say that I don't think we have put less emphasis on writing and spelling. In fact, I feel as if we have put more emphasis on it, however busy lives and little time has allowed us the luxury of double checking what we have written. I believe the electronic age has not led to laziness but to increasing our work load. Before a (good) research paper would take 3 weeks to create. You would have to go to the library, get 3 good books, find an article, and a source. Now they (meaning instructors) would like students to give it to them in a week, with twice the amount of sources that they previously required. Now yes, a student can do all his work sitting down in front of a computer and then calling up two sources but the time has been shortened. Thereby shortening the time one has to create notes and outlines. During that shortened time, I am not thinking about how my penmanship looks on paper, or if it is even spelled correctly. Nope, I am thinking about how to give my professor this research paper on top of the other homework that he has assigned me, on top of the other homework/projects my other 3 professors have assigned me, while working a part time job, and maintaining a clean house. With my apparent lack of time, do you really think a person such as myself would be concerned with how my writing looks? For myself, I have to say that I am not. However, I will take the time to make sure that my spelling is correct and my penmanship is legible when I go to fill out an application. Because that is when it counts.
Comment: Boy, have times changed. I hadn't planned on commenting on this article, but after reading the comments below I felt it was necessary. I am currently a college student going through her last year of college. And I must say that I don't think we have put less emphasis on writing and spelling. In fact, I feel as if we have put more emphasis on it, however busy lives and little time has allowed us the luxury of double checking what we have written. I believe the electronic age has not led to laziness but to increasing our work load. Before a (good) research paper would take 3 weeks to create. You would have to go to the library, get 3 good books, find an article, and a source. Now they (meaning instructors) would like students to give it to them in a week, with twice the amount of sources that they previously required. Now yes, a student can do all his work sitting down in front of a computer and then calling up two sources but the time has been shortened. Thereby shortening the time one has to create notes and outlines. During that shortened time, I am not thinking about how my penmanship looks on paper, or if it is even spelled correctly. Nope, I am thinking about how to give my professor this research paper on top of the other homework that he has assigned me, on top of the other homework/projects my other 3 professors have assigned me, while working a part time job, and maintaining a clean house. With my apparent lack of time, do you really think a person such as myself would be concerned with how my writing looks? For myself, I have to say that I am not. However, I will take the time to make sure that my spelling is correct and my penmanship is legible when I go to fill out an application. Because that is when it counts.
Comment: As a state assessment test scorer I can speak from experience about the importance of good pensmanship. I have to grade test that will determine if a child is passed on to the next higher grade and there are times (more times than not!), where the handwriting is so "poor" as to be unreadable! What the children don't realize is that if I can't read your answer, I can't give you credit for it being correct! Teachers as well as parents should require that the students handwriting be legible!
Comment: www.simplecredits.com , Upcoming best global on- line credit service! Simply for You and Your beloved family! ;) All important informations about credits, and the most safe and friendly credits system on the web. Compare the best credit option, witch fulfill your requirements! Check out: www.simplecredits.com
Comment: I hope you do not speak for all teachers. I had great teachers growing up. The teachers who did not complain where the best at the job. I also had teachers who complained all day about hoe hard they had it, they were the teachers your parents feared you would wind up with. I believe your comment was uncalled for.
If a parent is upset because the school system failed the child don't beat the parent up for that. I get that teachers make sacrifices but in todays world you are not the only profesion that does.
Comment: I see some posters stating that their own children can't sign their names, and they're in HIGH SCHOOL. That's a problem. At work I review lots of contracts and releases that require print and signature. It's amazing how many people do either one or the other, and if they do both they are both illegible. You are often asked to print in case the signature is illegible (sometimes we develop quirky signatures as an expression of personal style, which is understandable). Just the same, it's a problem if you can't read either one.
I don't think there's a direct correlation between the ability to write AND think creatively or critically. Expression isn't less creative if a keyboard is employed. Just the same, people HAVE to be able to pick up a pen and piece of paper and be able to communicate coherently. I don't see how this can even be debated. We all don't walk around with computers and PDAs as our sole communication tool. We ALL have to be able to be literate to function in society. Computers are still just tools for communication in ADDITION to our ability to write and spell. You can't be considered completely literate if you CAN'T SIGN YOUR NAME. It's also not about the ability to take notes, or write thank you notes and letters. It's simple - writing will ALWAYS be necessary, and the ability to do it coherently is invaluable. Being able to write in script gives you the ability to write faster - printing is less fluid and time-consuming. Occasionally, like when filling out a form, you will need to print, but it is usually without time constraints. You are usually asked to print when clarity is required, and usually in block letters. Everyone should be able to do this without difficulty. If we can't, that's a problem.
Comment: Even though I'm a good typist, I still write out my thoughts before typing them. I edit while typing, but my notes are handwritten. That's how I wrote my papers in college (I was using a typewriter then), and that's how I still write anything that's at least a page long.
It's shocking to me that we've come to a point where we would consider the ability to write and spell correctly somehow less important, just because of the emergence of the computer. I see writing and typing as two distinctly separate skills. Both are necessary, but typing should never be considered an adequate replacement for solid writing skills. It's embarrassing the poor handwriting I encounter in my daily life - handwriting so poor that the author themselves have difficulty deciphering their own scrawlings. I've been told that I "write like a girl" because I write neatly in both print and script/cursive. I've developed my own distinctive style by replacing letters like Q from the standard (like a large #2) to the print version, as well as other letters. Just the same, I ALWAYS write legibly. Some don't even distinguish between the two - their writing is an illegible combination of the two.
Like magrob, I got turned on to fountain pens while in high school, and now in my 40's I still write with them. I own a Sheaffer and a Brooks Brothers Limited Edition Tie Clip model. Though I communicate by email with friends daily, I still write letters, with a fountain pen, for more personal communication. All thank yous are handwritten. I've always enjoyed penmanship - it's a combination of artistic expression AND basic communication. It's invaluable to be able to express yourself properly and clearly by writing. The electronic age has led to laziness in grammar and structure, even in business communication. If we can no longer find the proper time in the school day, we should give penmanship assignments that students can complete for homework, and encourage students to practice it.
Comment: Born in 1956, reading, writing and arithmatic were required and stressed, as well as science, history and language. When it was my son's time to go to school, I worked three jobs so my son could attend a school with the same teaching curriculum. The local schools did not teach penmanship, math, science, reading and writing; they stressed passing tests, with no reqards to retention of the information. Penmanship was practiced daily, and if my son misbehaved at school, sentences were added to his homework to reinforce discipline. As a single mother, I removed my son from the school in 7th grade; I could no longer afford it. My son tested in the gifted program at public school, at least one year ahead of his peers. Today, as an electrical supervisor, those "never to be used" skills contribute tremendously to his financial well-being. My siblings have children that have been taught in the Georgia public school systems, what a tragedy. No writing skills, no verbal skills, no logic. When is the public school system going to realize that no matter what advanced information and tests are used, without the basics, the "why's", the "reasoning power", "the ability to write down your thoughts in a legible format, these childred can't get a job!!! As a manager for 30 years, Why should I have to interview 25 people to find one or two that can count change, or answer simple questions? Poor education processes hurt everyone, student, parent, and job force. Wake up! Cherokee5623
Comment: I'm in my 40's, and in elementary school I LOVED pensmanship, especially cursive writing. I can't imagine how it could be seen as less important. Even in the computer age, you still need to know how to write and spell properly and legibly. It amazes me the poor handwriting that I encounter in everyday life, with some people writing so illegibly that they can't understand their OWN writing, let alone have someone else be able to decipher it. Like you, magrob, I got turned on to fountain pens while in high school. I started with the inexpensive ones, and eventually upgraded to a Sheaffer, and recently a Brooks Brothers limited edition Tie Clip Model. I love that they allow you to write more lightly, avoiding that "writer's cramp" you referred to. Even in the age of email, I still enjoy writing letters, using a fountain pen.
Though I remember learning cursive letters by the book, over the years I developed my own style, replacing letters such as the standard cursive Q (which looks like a large #2) with a version closer to the print Q. I also did the same with other letters. I've always been told I write "like a girl" because my handwriting is neat. So many have developed handwriting where there is no difference between print and cursive - both are an illegible combination of the two. I think we need to get back to an emphasis on writing. If more time can't be devoted to it during the school day, give penmanship assignments for homework.
Comment: As a single mother, I am very proud of my son who is almost thirty, with a child on the way. He learned his basics with the Beka Learning System; old fashioned reading, writing and arithmatic. Practicing penmanship was not only required, but also used as a tool for misbehavior. My son has beautiful penmanship-precise, legible, well compased. As an electrical supervisor, this has come in quite handy; just as handy as the algebra and geometry for which no one saw the importance of learning. . Back to basics, parents; before you have another generation of children who cannot think for themselves, much less express an idea. Cherokee in Georgia
Comment: I am in high school, and there is a definate difference between the students who can write neatly and those who cannot. My handwriting is a mix of cursive and print, but it is legible. There is a friend of mine that is personally asked by teachers to type his papers and homework up because they cannot read his handwriting. This doesn't help him if he can't read his own notes that he takes in class, and this is high school, not college. Neat penminship is definately needed, my parents handwriting is so much more neater then mine, and although i cannot copy it exactly, my own is still neat enough to write up a report and get an A without the need of a computer.
Comment: My daughter is 4 and attends a montessori school where cursive writing is taught at the same time as printed letters. It appears very much to help minimize her reversing both letters and numbers and is teaching her an ease with expressing herself. I am glad to see that others are taking this seriously.
Comment: As a mother of four children, 3 of which are graduated, I was completely shocked to learn that my youngest cannot even sign his name properly. As a sophmore in high school, I thought that, like my other three, he could sign his name. When I questioned him about it he said that his teachers didnt care how he wrote his name as long as it was on the paper. I later confirmed this with the teachers at his school that cursive writing was no longer a priority. I say shame!!! I dont see how that cursive writing can affect your inability to express yourself. On the contrary, cursive handwriting is a lost art form in itself. If it wasn't a way to express yourself, would not everyone write the same way, like we were taught? As a child wanting to impress my elders, I can remember practicing for hours how to perfect my cursive letters. Not because it was required, but because I wanted to. I thought it was neat how you didnt have to stop and start to form a whole word. When my youngest child prints, it looks like something a fourth grader would write. No offense to any fourth grader, but he is in tenth grade. He brought home a paper last week where the teacher had written(in cursive) "good penmanship". What? Suffice it to say, my tenth grader brought it home because he couldn't read what it said. I guess the old adage is true,"practice, practice, practice".
Comment: I completely disagree with this article. All the article says is that students who can write take better notes, can express their ideas more fluidly and they are able to as a result express their ideas better.
All of that could be done on a laptop. The act of expressing ideas through scribbles on a piece of paper is no more or less valid to the learning process than typing notes or an essay.
There is something to be said for forcing a student to put out their ideas right the first time (no erasing) and cutting/pasting but if you ask me that only stifles creativity and expression because the student must then be positively sure what they're going to put down is exactly right the first time. All of my creative writing classes encouraged the exact opposite. Over-analysis results in inferior writing and timidity.
My personal experience has been: those who are intelligent and bright do well in school. Some of them take lots of notes. Some of them take no notes. In my AP English class in high school the top 10 students effectively broke down into 6-7 computer users who never write and 3-4 (girls) who took extensive handwritten notes. The top AP scores were from the computer users.
Now mind you that's a very small slice and is purely anecdotal but the handwritten word is convenient (you can't carry a keyboard in your pocket) but for many like myself who can type as fast as they can speak handwriting is nothing more than a handicap to expressing their thoughts.
Comment: You do realize that on the state assesment test there is an essay portion that must be hand writen. If a childs hand writing is illegible their score will be lower.
Comment: Thank's for bringing the handwritting issue up. The pen and paper will keep a little more what we want too remember, in mine.
Comment: It seems our researchers are discovering what the Chinese have known for centuries, that writing is a physical manifestation of the intellect and even the soul of a man. There are still adults today, in China, who practice their writing for a half hour of so each day. It is a little like the daily walk, in that I keeps ones mind and body healthy and expressive.
Comment: Somewhere, in the bottom of my mom's cedar chest, I have my penmanship pin from completing the "Palmer Method of American Cursive Writing". It came as part of a kit that included: a Sheaffer's cartridge-filled fountain pen, an instructional workbook, and a fifty-page writing pad that had primary-writing ruled paper. These days, I still write with a Sheaffer's fountain pen but it didn't come in a blister-pack and it doesn't use cartridges for its ink. Fountain pens are more comfortable to use if you do a great deal of writing. Plus, they don't give you as much of a "writer's cramp" as ballpoint pens. Over the years, I have developed my own style of cursive writing. But, I still feel a bit of a twinge when my cursive letters don't look like the text-book Palmer letters.
Comment: Somewhere, in the bottom of my mom's cedar chest, I have my penmanship pin from completing the "Palmer Method of American Cursive Writing". It came as part of a kit that included: a Sheaffer's cartridge-filled fountain pen, an instructional workbook, and a fifty-page writing pad that had primary-writing ruled paper. These days, I still write with a Sheaffer's fountain pen but it didn't come in a blister-pack and it doesn't use cartridges for its ink. Fountain pens are more comfortable to use if you do a great deal of writing. Plus, they don't give you as much of a "writer's cramp" as ballpoint pens. Over the years, I have developed my own style of cursive writing. But, I still feel a bit of a twinge when my cursive letters don't look like the text-book Palmer letters.
Comment: The written word has the power that no other method of communication has. If you write a letter, that would be handwritten, to your parent or child they will remember it for longer and teasure it more than any card or e-card that you could ever send.
Comment: I attended school in Oak Lawn, Illinois. Handwriting was crucially important, as our teachers gave various assignments requiring us to handwrite many papers. I remember our most crucial 8th grade assignment had very explicit guidelines which had to be followed and counted for two-thirds of our final grade in English. The assignment was to choose a career which we intended to follow We were required to have three hard-covered books on the chosen career, with notes taken in our own words--no plagerism allowed, a properly formatted bibliography, and the final product: the paper in our own words, in our own handwriting. I worked on it for three weeks straight, every day after school until dinner and every night after dinner until 11:00-11:30 until it was complete. My teacher told me that I was writing at a college level. I received an A+ for that paper and was very proud of my efforts and the grade I received. I wonder how the kids of today would fare with the very same assignment (equivalent to a college level assignment in 8th grade).--that was back in 1959 and up north. It was most beneficial to each and every one of us.
Comment: I find I am far more impressed by a hand written card or letter... especially if I know the person has a computer and a printer. It shows me that they really cared and wanted to take the time and sacrifice to get their point across. A handwritten card or letter is like looking into someones eyes. You can see more of who they are.
Comment: I live in Pierce County, WA and teachers have told several of my friends that they no longer teach cursive writing because things are "done mostly on computers now".
Comment: Actually, in WA State, handwriting is not taught at all. Teachers have told several friends of mine that they don't teach cursive writing because "everything is done mostly on computers now".
Comment: I used to have very nice handwriting, very legible, and I have always been higher than average in grammer, spelling, and sentence structure. However, I am also over 100 wpm on a typewriter (computer) keyboard, having been a typist for many, many years. Now I have rheumatoid arthritis and find it very difficult to handwrite, and significantly easier to type.
Comment: I'm replying to myself. Guess I should have done a better job of proofreading since I misspelled "grammar." Good thing no one I know will be reading this!!!!
Comment: I am an English teacher and I only allow my students to write in cursive. They are in Grade 6, and most have never been asked to do so before.
I applaud this article. Yet another reason why handwriting is important. For the record, the students from my school have 100 per cent college placement rate, so there must be some merit to this.
Comment: 100% College placement rate does say something. You're an afluent school with no special education students.
Handwriting isn't what's ensuring your students' future it's cherrypicking intelligent children from stable households.
Comment: I was educated in the fifties here in California. Back then penmanship was VERY important with drills everyday! They used to put three white lines on the chalkboard for us to practice our cursive writing . Handwriting is patently dead these days. I remember how much I looked forward to writing and receiving love letters. There's nothing like a love letter with a hint of perfume on it!! It becomes VERY personal! Emails don't quite convey that message of intimate moments.
Comment: Handwriting, YES. Cursive, NO. The time spent teaching cursive would be much better spent teaching children how to compose, think critically and edit their written work. In adiditon, it is important to consider that both sides of the brain are more fully engaged when typing, as both hands are involved in the process. Essays written in neat penmanship are scored higher than those written in cursive, regardless of content. The days of rewriting long documents over and over and just that--OVER. Students should learn to master printing and cursive should be offered as a fine art, much like calligraphy. It is unfortunate that many chilren are introduced to cursive even before they have mastered proper letter formation for the 52 printed characters. This is tough enough for students who are at and above grade level. It is a nunnecessary, unfortunate hurdle for those who are struggling. As a reading specialist and owner of a private enrichment school, I, along with countless others in the state of California, are working to have cursive writing taken out of the elementary curriculum. Good penmanship is a must. It is absolutely essential for development of strong reading, spelling, writing and math skills. However, cursive writing is not. It is not a sound teaching practice, and it should stop. Cara Day-Miller, Owner, IMagic School www.IMagicSchool.com
Comment: To IMagic School. If you hate cursvise writing, fine. Don't do it; don't teach it. However, don't ruin it for others by condemning it as an unsound teaching plractice (that's your opinion and your're entitled to it) or by pushing your own agenda for thousands of others to follow, i.e., "working to have cursive writing taken ouit of the elementary curriculum." You're entitled to teach your way, but it's not my way, nor the way of others who believe cursive is useful. Another example of "do it my way or else" thinking, which is more of an unsound teaching practice. Take it out of your own school, but stop pushing your aggressions on others who may disagree with you.
Comment: Sorry, sent before completion or editing. LOL!
Comment: Hate is a strong word and not one I would use to refer to a form of writing, let alone anything else. Students who struggle should not be required to learn cursive, as they have enough difficulty with mastering proper pencil grasp and letter formation of the 52 printed characters, let alone an additional 52 additional characters. We work with thousands of students each year, from over 50 San Diego schools, public and private. Writing mechanics and content, critical thinking and directed reading and thinking skills are the sorely neglected subjects in most schools, due to the strong emphasis on reading levels and math. This is true across the board. Regardless of my personal enjoyment of cursive and useof a variety of writing utensils to create beautifully handwritten work, for a variety of purposes, there are sound, and unsound teaching practices that should, and should not, be implemented in our schools. Teaching is a science. Instrucitonal minutes are misused when this is not realized by a teacher, a school, a state or a nation. When you combine the science of teaching with inborn gift, teaching becomes an art. And a gifted teacher knows who should and who should not spend hours learning to cursive write.
Comment: I completely agree, as a student currently enrolled in high school. I see the firsthand effects of public education's failure. My peers still lack the ability to spell correctly, or even understand how to read script! I am one of the lucky ones who were taught the proper methods of penmanship, but it sickens me to see others with child-like handwriting still.
Comment: I completely agree, as a student currently enrolled in high school. I see the firsthand effects of public education's failure. My peers still lack the ability to spell correctly, or even understand how to read script! I am one of the lucky ones who we
