The Demise of Cursive Handwriting: Does it Matter?

When scribes began putting quill to parchment more than a thousand years ago, they developed a new way of writing that would connect their letters together. This cursive script allowed the scribes to compose more quickly and also limited the chance of ink droplets on the page, since they didn't have to return to the inkwell as often.

The printing press took scribes out of the publishing business, and today, the cursive writing they popularized may be on the verge of extinction thanks to the mass availability of another technology"the personal computer.

Researchers Bonnie G. Joyce and Roy A. Moxley have spent time looking at how children as young as five and six can acquire touch typing skills (versus hunt and peck). They agree that the need to spend time teaching children typing skills"perhaps at the risk of cursive writing instruction"is increasingly important as more young children are introduced to technology at much younger ages.

Montessori teacher Debbie DeSpirt couldn't disagree more with Joyce and Moxley. She argues that cursive"which is taught before print block lettering in the Montessori curriculum"helps define fine motor skills and is actually easier for students to learn than print lettering.

"It does take time, and some kids become frustrated with the process, but I believe it is worth the effort for kids to learn a beautiful art form," DeSpirt said.

______________________________

COMMENTS