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SALT LAKE CITY -- Should cursive even be taught in these days of computers and cell phones?
Indiana schools say elementary school students will no longer be taught cursive. They will learn keyboarding skills instead. But Granite School District literacy coach Tricia Bromka says cursive is still relevant.
Technology isn't infallible. Writing is important and cursive is part of that.
–Tricia Bromka
"If you don't allow access to that form of writing, then you are taking away knowledge and knowledge is power," she said.
One report showed writing in cursive helps your brain. Bromka said handwriting is connected to higher-order thinking skills. If you are struggling over how to write every time, your fluency goes down. She said teachers may want to wait to teach cursive, because it depends on where that child or even that whole classroom is with printing.
She said some boys may never master cursive, but fluent writing is important.
"You are taking notes in class, or during a telephone call. What if your computer goes down? Technology isn't infallible. Writing is important and I think cursive is part of that," she said.
She added that people should still be able to read cursive, as there are many documents out there written in cursive.
"You need to expose them to different writing, have them be able to practice, but for their own fluency and mastery, they need explicit instruction on where they are in their developmental stage," she said.
E-mail: mrichards@ksl.com
