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50 Reasons to Learn Cursive
Compiled by: Iris Hatfield, www.NewAmericanCursive.com
and Edda Manley, [email protected]
July 20, 2012
Learning cursive offers an incredible array of well-documented benefits.
Below are some reasons children should be encouraged to learn cursive:
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Improved neural connections in the brain. Cursive handwriting stimulates the brain in
ways that typing cannot. It improves the dynamic interaction of the left and right cerebral
hemispheres, helps build neural pathways, and increases mental effectiveness. According to
Virginia Berninger, a researcher and professor of educational psychology at the University of
Washington, “Pictures of brain activity have illustrated that sequential finger movements
used in handwriting activated massive regions of the brain involved in thinking, language,
and working memory. Handwriting differs from typing because it requires executing
sequential finger strokes to form a letter, whereas keyboarding only involves touching a
key.”
Increased ability to read cursive. Learning to write in cursive improves a student’s
ability to read cursive. Many high school students cannot read cursive. They are cursively
illiterate in their own language.
Increased speed. The connectivity of a simple cursive style is faster to write than the stop
and start strokes of printing.
Improved fine motor skills. “Cursive handwriting naturally develops sensory skills.
Through repetition the child begins to understand how much force needs to be applied to the
pencil and paper, the positioning of the pencil to paper at the correct angle, and motor
planning to form each letter in fluid motion from left to right. This physical and spatial
awareness allows them to write, but more importantly, builds the neural foundation of
sensory skills needed for a myriad of everyday tasks such as buttoning, fastening, tying
shoes, picking up objects, copying words from blackboards, and most importantly, reading.
To quote first-century Roman writer, Marcus Quintilanus, ‘too slow a hand impedes the
mind,’ and we cannot afford to have our children be any slower.” Cutting Cursive, The Real
Cost. Candace Meyer, Minds-in-Motion, Inc.
Improved continuity and fluidity of written communication. Cursive handwriting
involves connecting letters, which has been shown to increase both speed of writing and
attention span during writing. This increases continuity and fluidity in writing, which in turn
encourages greater amounts of writing.
Ease of learning. Printing is more difficult due to the frequent stop and start motion when
forming letters. In addition, some printed letters look similar and are easily reversed, like
the ‘b’ and ‘d’, which is often confusing to children. This is of particular value to children
with learning challenges like Dyslexia and A.D.D.
Improves reading and spelling ability. When printing, some children write so erratically
that it is difficult to determine where one word ends and another begins. Cursive, on the
New American Cursive Penmanship Program ~ 502-253-1954 ~ www.NewAmericanCursive.com
other hand, requires children to write from left to right so that the letters will join in proper
sequence; therefore, it is easier to read. It also aids with spelling through the connectivity of
the letters. This helps the child to see words as a whole instead of seeing separate letters (as
in printing). Additionally, the hand acquires knowledge of spelling patterns through
movements that are used repeatedly in spelling. This is the same phenomenon that occurs
when pianists or typists learn patterns of hand movements through continued repetition.
8. Self-discipline. Cursive handwriting is complex, and is inherently associated with the
development of fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. Learning cursive prompts
children to also develop self-discipline, which is a useful skill in all areas of life.
9. Higher quality signature. Cursive handwriting can improve the attractiveness, legibility,
and fluidity of one’s signature.
10. Increased self-confidence. The ability to master the skill to write clearly and fluidly
improves the student’s confidence to communicate freely with the written word.
11. Complex Task. Cursive is one of the most complex tasks that humans engage in. It
involves both motor and critical thinking skills, and thus requires intricate collaboration
between mind and body.
12. Handwriting is a vital life-skill. Before the 1930’s all American children were taught
cursive in the first year of school.
13. Not dependent on technology. Handwriting is portable. Cursive does not require using
computers or other technologies. The dependence of technology or electricity has been
demonstrated in many natural disasters such as hurricanes, tsunamis and fires. Also, power
outages and cyber terrorists can make anyone wish they could write legibly.
14. Meaningful aesthetics. Cursive is an aesthetically pleasing mode of communication, and
is a way of honoring the person one is communicating with: The act of cursively writing a
personal message to each person connects you to them in a way that transcends what an
email or text can do.
15. Internationally competitive. Having the ability to write in a clear, legible cursive better
equips you to work in many foreign lands where cursive is standard. Many foreign countries
have their children master cursive handwriting. We should be able to do the same.
16. Assistance in learning to print. Skills required in mastering cursive can also be used to
master printing.
17. Improved general graphic ability. The fluid, flowing style of cursive improves one’s
ability to draw, sketch and doodle.
18. Sparks creativity. A quick cursive style combined with doodling has been shown to help
generate ideas, fuel collaboration, and simplify communication. If you can write, you have
created something with your own hand. Many creative ideas come through our hands.
PowerPoint developer and Principal Text Manager for Microsoft, Jeffrey Murray, said that
his team often starts with white board sketches and scribbles when considering new
products: Sketches help “...get everyone on the same page and can convey the emotion and
experience of the user.”
19. Handwriting is less expensive. Reducing cost is constantly an important factor with
educational institutions. A simple piece and paper pencil is less expensive than keeping up
with the latest electronic technology.
New American Cursive Penmanship Program ~ 502-253-1954 ~ www.NewAmericanCursive.com
20. Positive distraction from technology. Putting pen to paper is an antidote to the pervasive
nature of technology.
21. Personal differentiation and expression. Signatures are regarded as marks of personal
identity. Thus, learning cursive allows one more options for personalizing his signature.
22. Decreased time on homework. According to many teachers, children are completing
seatwork and homework faster with cursive.
23. Not negated by technology. The need for cursive handwriting is not negated by the
existence of technology any more than the need for math skills are negated by the existence
of calculators.
24. Notes still typically taken by hand. The majority of writing in elementary school still
occurs on paper. Why not make it a fast, legible cursive?
25. More personal. Even in today’s society, it is still meaningful to receive a thoughtful,
attractive handwritten note.
26. More professional. A poorly handwritten cover letter with your résumé does not increase
one’s chances of obtaining a job. A legible cursive letter can greatly improve one’s first
impression, though.
27. Possible job requirement. A career in teaching or other instruction may require one to not
only know cursive, but to teach it.
28. Enhances development of fine motor skills. Cursive helps one develop the fine motor
skills for careers in which refined hand skills are indispensable (i.e. surgery, engineering, art,
music).
29. Provides sense of autonomy. The ability to write in a legible cursive helps fulfill a basic
human desire for autonomy and a desire to be resourceful.
30. Attracts positive attention to message. Legible cursive is an effective method of setting
one’s communication apart in a world bombarded by digital messages.
31. Stimulates the mind. Many areas of the brain are stimulated during the act of handwriting.
This is because handwriting requires the simultaneous controlling of nerves and muscles in
the fingers, hand, wrist, arm, eyes, etc.
32. Prompts fuller expression of knowledge. Children who demonstrate poor penmanship
have been shown to write less extensive answers to test questions. As a result, they are not
being graded on what they fully know but rather what little they’ve written down.
33. Handwriting is seen by some as a sign of intelligence. When a PHD student is only able
to produce writing and a signature that looks like it is written by an elementary student,
some, looking only at the handwriting may unconsciously view the writer as not very mature
or intelligent.
34. Capitalizes on unique brain-hand link. When one hand writes words in a flowing motion
(as done in cursive), the brain-hand link stimulates the brain to work in a more creative way.
35. Admirable trait. Others often admire a person with attractive handwriting.
36. Encourages individuality. Learning cursive helps children develop a sense of identity.
Once a student realizes that her signature is a portrait of her emerging individuality, she
tends to practice, improve, embellish, and otherwise take pride in her writing.
37. Motivational. Learning cursive is often the first school-based achievement in which a
child feels that he has control and can take pride in performing. Mastering this skill can
New American Cursive Penmanship Program ~ 502-253-1954 ~ www.NewAmericanCursive.com
increase a child’s confidence and willingness to tackle more advanced tasks.
38. Cognitive training. Since the hand speaks to the brain as surely as the brain speaks to the
hand, the act of writing can be a powerful tool in training the brain in many ways.
39. Complements other hands-on activities. For many people, the hand is the focus of years
of specialized training and the critical instrument for a lifetime of professional and/or
recreational activity. The flowing movements of cursive enhance the skills required for this
work.
40. Additional advantages for the left-handed. Left-handed children gain extra benefits from
learning cursive early. When left-handed students are taught printing, their tendency is to
use the hook-hand position while writing, since both the pencil and paper are positioned
straight up. With this position, the child’s arm will cover what has already been written,
though. However, when the child is taught to write in cursive, he or she can turn the paper
clockwise and can write from the bottom up, since it is difficult to use the hook position if
the paper is slanted clockwise.
41. Personality and individuality. Cursive reveals more personality and individuality than
block printing
42. You will likely receive a more thorough handwriting analysis from a graphologist when
you include cursive writing.
43. Keeps hands actively developed. “In the digital age, don’t forget to use your digits!”
(Lynda Barry, artist)
44. Improves organization. “The multi-sensory art of writing improves organizational skills.”
(Jeanette Farmer, 2005)
45. Mature. Cursive has a more mature look than most printing.
46. Allows for a choice. When a child learns both cursive and printing, he is able to choose
which style he prefers, and for which occasion he prefers it.
47. Helps Logical thinking. Practicing the sequence of lettering, words, grammar, punctuation
through handwriting helps form a basis for logical processing of information.
48. Being able to write by hand makes children feel grown up. There are stages in
childhood development that are marked by certain milestone in handwriting. Children want
to learn to write their names in cursive and this is one important milestone in their
development.
49. Cursive is a valuable tool. Marketing research shows that envelopes with handwritten
names and addresses are seven times more likely to be opened than when they are
mechanically produced.
50. Beauty. “The human heart yearns for the beautiful in all ranks of life.” Harriet Beecher
Stowe. Legible, fluid handwriting is a beautiful thing.
New American Cursive Penmanship Program ~ 502-253-1954 ~ www.NewAmericanCursive.com