Neatness counts, the Cursive conversation
Do you write in cursive, a hybrid of print and cursive?
Are the only people you know that write in cursive over 60 or a "hand lettering" business expert?
The question on the table really is, is Cursive outdated? My short answer is "no", here's some reasons why.
Memoria Press compiled a list of 10 reasons cursive is still useful, here is the complete article.
1. Improved neural connections.
2. Improved ability to read cursive.
3. Increased writing speed.
4. Improved fine motor skills.
5. Increased retention
6. Easier to learn that printing, especially helpful for students with dyslexia, dysgraphia, and attention difficulties.
7. Improved legibility, and spelling ability.
8. Increased self-discipline.
9. Higher quality signature.
10. Increased self respect.
Also for further reading Scholastics has an article about how cursive helps with literacy citing these three points;
1. Better spelling.
2. Ability to form complete words more easily.
3. Improved syntax.
Also I have some personal experience with teaching cursive, the process and the rewards. It would seem that in our culture nearly everyone learns to read print, before learning to read cursive.
First of all, after learning to read, cursive writing is aesthetically pleasing, it's just pretty. In our world today, I believe that to do something simply because it is "pretty" and brings me joy, is worth my time. When my kids get a note or letter from a grandparent or other relative ,written in cursive and they can decipher the "secret code", that is invigorating! The cursive writing world was intriguing to my kids, this interest is something that I was not willing to ignore.
Some of my kids who struggled with "neat" printing, flourished when cursive writing was introduced. The connection of the letters makes sense, and is just more natural to many kids/people.
We were intrigued by this video, about Jake Weidmann the youngest person to earn the title "Master Penman". We were moved to action and bought pens, paper, books and dove into penmanship with new commitment.
Jake is not only an amazing artist but an incredible and inspiring speaker as well. Here are two of his own TED talks. "Penmanship for the 21st Century" and "In a world of instant gratification, don't forget your legacy". I hope you enjoy them as much as I did. If you are inspired, instruction books, copy books, and pens of all sorts are readily available online.
There is a level of artistry in cursive writing, and a level of caring and attention that a text message or email just doesn't hold a candle to.
In our daily lives after cursive is taught, I incorporate the practice and use of it in daily assignments. ANY written assignment can also be a cursive assignment, and may take a bit longer at first, but it is so worth it. How fun would it be to have a pen pal, that part of the goal was practicing cursive writing? The secret code of the future!
~Jeanette
