Indiana Public Schools Do Away With Cursive Writing

Penmanship. Script handwriting. Cursive writing. However it's referred to, the fact remains that teaching the subject is all but vanishing from public schools across the country, with Indiana being the most recent state to drop it from state curricula. Now that most written communication is typed on keyboards, many feel the need to learn cursive writing is gone forever. But is it?

Find available tutors

cursive handwriting

Common Core Standards

The main reason for the removal of cursive writing is simply the adoption of new national standards presented in 2010. The new Common Core Standards for English do not, as the old standards did, require cursive writing. Also, tests given to rate schools under the No Child Left Behind law do not assess cursive writing. And no assessment seems to lead, in many cases, to a lack of importance, and the lack of importance to total disregard.

The Keyboard is Mightier Than the Pen

It's hard to argue that most people now, with computers and texting, use a keyboard far more than a pen. So all the schools are doing, for the most part, is replacing cursive writing with keyboard proficiency, a move some feel will better prepare students for the future. But it is interesting to note that a handwritten essay is still required for those taking the SAT or Advanced Placement exams. And beyond the classroom, some employers have stated that cursive is still important in the workplace. So is the end of cursive really the wave of the future?

Consider the fact that the invention of the typewriter did not make handwriting obsolete. So why, then, should the keyboard be considered the death knell for what many believe to be a crucial skill? If for nothing more than learning to sign their own names or to read the handwriting of others, many parents and even some school officials seem to think that teaching cursive writing should still have a place in our educational system.

Cursive Not a Dying Art

If some parents don't totally object to the dropping of cursive writing, they might at least have mixed feelings as they weigh both sides of the issue. Some have spoken out about the value of handwriting. An Atlanta mother told ABC News in February 2011 regarding her son having learned to write in cursive: 'I feel like it has helped him with his fine motor skills and made him more graceful.' The woman's claims can be backed up: from a scientific standpoint, handwriting can play a large role in letter recognition. Some studies also show that handwriting can play an important role in reading skills.

The Power to Choose

States do have the option to keep cursive writing in their curricula. Some, like California and Massachusetts, have done so. But most of the 41 states adopting the new standards have elected to do as Indiana has most recently chosen to do. So cursive writing, or at least the teaching of it, seems to have gone the way of diagramming sentences and home economics. And in concluding this article, I'm doing what many children someday may not be able to do: signing off.

Did you find this useful? If so, please let others know!

Other Articles You May Be Interested In

  • More Blog Articles
    Is Less Writing a Good Thing for Your Student?

    Everywhere you look there seems to be some sort of educational reform being proposed, implemented or suggested. In many cases reform is intended to be for the better, but a recent bill being sponsored in Washington state calls for doing away with statewide writing assessments. Is less writing necessarily a good thing?

  • More Blog Articles
    Reading, Writing and Raising Hens?

    Your child may have no intention of becoming a farmer. Perhaps even having a garden as an adult is unlikely. Still, as students around the country are learning, when schools add farming to the school day, students benefit in numerous ways.

We Found 7 Tutors You Might Be Interested In

Huntington Learning

  • What Huntington Learning offers:
  • Online and in-center tutoring
  • One on one tutoring
  • Every Huntington tutor is certified and trained extensively on the most effective teaching methods
In-Center and Online

K12

  • What K12 offers:
  • Online tutoring
  • Has a strong and effective partnership with public and private schools
  • AdvancED-accredited corporation meeting the highest standards of educational management
Online Only

Kaplan Kids

  • What Kaplan Kids offers:
  • Online tutoring
  • Customized learning plans
  • Real-Time Progress Reports track your child's progress
Online Only

Kumon

  • What Kumon offers:
  • In-center tutoring
  • Individualized programs for your child
  • Helps your child develop the skills and study habits needed to improve their academic performance
In-Center and Online

Sylvan Learning

  • What Sylvan Learning offers:
  • Online and in-center tutoring
  • Sylvan tutors are certified teachers who provide personalized instruction
  • Regular assessment and progress reports
In-Home, In-Center and Online

Tutor Doctor

  • What Tutor Doctor offers:
  • In-Home tutoring
  • One on one attention by the tutor
  • Develops personlized programs by working with your child's existing homework
In-Home Only

TutorVista

  • What TutorVista offers:
  • Online tutoring
  • Student works one-on-one with a professional tutor
  • Using the virtual whiteboard workspace to share problems, solutions and explanations
Online Only

Our Commitment to You

  • Free Help from Teachers

  • Free Learning Materials

  • Helping Disadvantaged Youth