Some say writing – especially cursive writing – has become somewhat of a lost art. After all, in these days of tablets and 1:1 computer usage, why should we focus on something that can seem downright 15th century?
Well it turns out there are many benefits to studying long-form writing and penmanship. Today on TeachHUb.com, guest contributor Nelma Lumme investigates what she calls the “Great educational debate of our time:” Cursive writing.
Why has cursive writing gone by the proverbial wayside? Nelma lays it out: “The reason for the demise of cursive writing instruction is obvious. We have become a society that depends on technology in the classroom and the information that comes from that technology in the classroom.”
Nelma points out that cursive writing can stimulate areas of the brain that typing can’t:
· The neural pathways developed relate to vision-motor control.
· The neural pathways developed enhance fine motor skills – neuroscience calls these proprioceptive and vestibular senses.
· With practice, children learn spatial relationships – positioning paper and pencil and planning how to move their arms, hands, and fingers as they form the next curve/movement.
Nelma sums up her article like this: “It will be up to educators and neuroscience to collaborate, especially as more research sheds additional light on the types of activities, physical and mental, that will develop all parts of a growing/developing brain. And for those who lament the loss of cursive writing instruction, remember that education, like every other sector of life and business, changes and adapts to disruptions.”
Do you have any plans to reintroduce cursive writing into your classroom? Or will you keep using technology in the classroom to communicate effectively? Let us know in the comment section of today’s article!
