Illustration of confused students not being able to read their teacher's cursive written on board

Ilustration by Dean MacAdam; Debate photos courtesy of families; Shutterstock.com (background)

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Should Schools Teach Cursive?

Learning to write in cursive used to be as common as learning to read or add. But today, this flowing form of handwriting looks like a foreign language to many kids.  

Lawmakers in California want to change that. Starting next school year, all public schools there will be required to teach cursive to students from first to sixth grade. California is joining 21 other states that have similar laws.

Many people think it’s important to learn cursive, also known as script. They point out that kids need to know it to sign their names and to read historical documents like the U.S. Constitution. 

But others say cursive is outdated. They argue that teachers should focus on subjects like math and reading instead.

Here’s what two of our readers think.

We learn cursive at my school. I think it’s fun! It’s easier and faster than writing in print because I don’t have to lift my pencil off the paper as often. I also find it easier than typing.

Writing in cursive helps me focus. Some studies have found that learning to write in cursive improves your memory and helps you perform better in school. My handwriting also looks nicer when it’s in cursive!

I learned cursive in school, but I never use it. In fact, the only people I know who write in cursive are my teacher and my grandparents. It’s much easier to read handwritten print or something that has been typed on a computer. 

Learning to type on a keyboard should be more of a focus in the classroom because everything is becoming more digital. It’s a skill that we’ll need much more for our future jobs.

What does your class think?

Should schools teach cursive?

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