Is technology making the ability to hand write legibly less of a necessary skill in the 21st century? Check out this Associated Press article, Cursive Writing Might Be Fading, But So What?, and let us know what you think. Image is from the AP link.
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Monday, September 21, 2009
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12 comments:
I agree that cursive writing is not something that needs to be taught in schools. I learned how to write in cursive in third grade and I have not used it sense. I wouldn't even blame this on computers. I took notes by hand all throughout my educational career, but I never took these notes in cursive. I think that people are putting too much emphasis on cursive. I believe that children should have good penmanship so that they can write notes and letters and communicate with the world if there is not a computer around, but this doesn't mean cursive.
Cursive is a thing of the past. I would agree that it's becoming an art form. I do admire when someone writes with pretty cursive, but never have I felt that I needed this in my life. I think that children should be taught how to sign their name. Signing ones name is a needed skill at any age. Children can practice signing their signature, a skill they will use for the rest of their life. Beyond this, I don't think cursive as a place in the classroom. I think there are many other issues and topics that should be addressed before cursive.
I agree that cursive writing is not predominantly taught past third grade. As a fourth grade teacher, I have students who can and choose to write in cursive and I have others who use that skill only when required. Overall, I have noticed a decline in the handwriting of my students over the past few years. Even printed word does not appear to be a priority and is not required to be legible. This drives me insane when I'm trying to correct student work.
I don't think that writing with technology will take over in the future. I just think that, as was soon found out in the article, written expression will be less emphasized in the future. As we try to cram all other subjects into an already jam-packed school day it becomes increasingly difficult to focus on cursive. If a child can sign their name in cursive, that is important. I agree with the article in that students need to be able to communicate in writing without technology (the stranded on an island example). Also, my own writing, outside of my classroom, has become a hybrid of print and cursive.
I am a 3rd grade teacher, and teaching cursive is apart of the curriculum. Personally, I would rather teach typing instead for they will use it more as they grow older. As a teacher myself and as someone that is supposed to teach cursive, I can honestly say that apart from signing my name, I don't remember the last time wrote in cursive for any other purpose. Plain and simple, I feel that cursive is not true to life anymore and shouldn't be taught in schools
I have to admit I am one of those students with the hybrid writing that is discussed in the article. It is nice that cursive is still taught in the third grade and necessary for maybe one objective- a signature. Besides this I do not see why teaching cursive is really beneficial in today's society. We are preparing students for the future and they are able to write fluently in print. Adding cursive to the mixture of their written work just seems like an additional form of busy work rather than something they will be able to benefit from in the real world. Computers and typing skills are what we should be focusing on. People prefer typed communication rather than printing on paper. It is a necessary tool to print in order to take notes and communicate when a computer is not available, but cursive has become an unnecessary skill in this new millennium.
Students do not know how to write in cursive. In today's society it doesn't make sense to spend time on an antiquated skill. It's important to spend the little time we have with students teaching them skills that are ESSENTIAL to survive in today's world and cursive is not one of them. It's sad to loose the art of cursive in the next generation, but it's a natural process of evolution that some traditions need to be lost in order to embrace and make room for new ones. I agree with Jen that the students only need cursive to sign their names. They should also be able to read it as it has an important place in history, HOWEVER, the need to spend alot of time and energy to have students master the craft of cursive is unnecessary.
I think the question is should students have to "master" cursive? I do think that students should still be taught cursive. They still need to know how to read it as well as sign their names. While the skill of typing is of equal or greater importance, I feel it is something that should be built upon handwriting. I do not think that "mastery" is imperative, but it should be covered. I spent an entire year in third grade as a para and can not count the amount of times an incoming third grader (as well as students in second) have expressed interest in learning cursive. If there was not an interest by students and it was a bore to them, I could see the push to move away from it, but from my experience students are excited and eager. The interest is there and we need to hear that. Also, Students have to know how to be able to continue writing if technology failed them.
I have over the past few years developed real concerns not just over cursive writing, but penmanship and overall writing quality as well. I believe these skills have a direct bearing on how much reading someone does. Though my data are observational, the more a student reads recreationally the better their handwriting and overall writing skills. This recently showed itself when a student quoted Henry David Thoreau on a short writing assignment, I teach Earth Science. When we spoke about, it was clear she is an avid reader, which allows her to make connections and adopt a variety of writing styles and techniques. The idea that cursive writing and writing in general are less valuable in the computer age is disturbing.
I had a thought after my post. What about cursive as a tool to help younger students develop their fine-motor skill? Technology clearly needs this skill!!!
With a strong desire to teach fourth grade and the memories of diligently writing all those fancy cursive letters, I could no help but read this particular blog. As I read the article, I created a pros and cons chart. I cam e up with a ton of cons and very few pros. I understand that technology is the our students' future but we have to continue to work on fine tuning children penmanship. It is a gift that we as humans are born with; the ability to write. Therefore, I do not feel it is necessary to complete so many hours of cursive writing but I do believe in maintaining handwriting lessons. Cursive is a fancy way of writing where keyboards have typically stepped in. However, it is important for students to realize that there is another form of writing that one can perform.
With the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)emerging through the public school systems, teachers are going to have to teach typing and technological materials more often. However, that should not take away from the art form of handwriting.
I think that it is important to teach cursive for at least one year in elementary school. I feel that this skill enables children to learn to sign their name, but also how to read cursive. I have seen wedding invitations and although they are printed from a computer, a cursive font has been chosen. I think that if anything other than the cursive font was chosen, the invitations would have looked so tacky. I do agree with the article that if cursive is not taught, old writings will not be deciphered in 100 years.
As a fourth grade teacher I find it very interesting to read the different views on whether or not cursive writing- or any writing for that matter and the simple fact- should it be taught in the classroom? Cursive is a part of my class but it is something that gets left out each week because of the high demands of the State test. But then I ask myself if the test readers can't read the students answers how can they grade it? Handwriting needs to be taught.
The Article stressed that if students loses this fine tool of writing cursive letters, they will not be able to read it as well either. How will the future generations read important documents that have been a part of American History for so long? I agree that typing is also an important skill but students need the fundamentals of writing and then they can move on to typing. If a student can't sign their own name on their checkbook we will have a problem.
But as a teacher I don't have time for this kind of practice in my classroom. I use it when a Substitute is in my room or now at the end of the school year to help fill some time. I see both sides- I don’t know what to do?
Someone just told me today that students are required to handwrite an essay on the SAT in cursive and that they have to sign it in cursive. Does anyone know more about this. I have been in 4th grade for 5 years and have only done a little work with cursive. I defiantly prefer if my students print since it is much easier to read. I think students should know how to print legibly for times when technology is not available but I don't know why cursive was ever invented. In this computer age, I wonder if signing is even doing to be feasible in a lot of transitions. I also agree with Scott that as much time, if not more time, should be spent on typing as it is on cursive. I never had one typing class and am suffering for it now. I learned to type quickly out of my love for IM-ing in college! haha!
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