Should Computer Typing Class Replace Teaching Cursive?

Writing Off the Written Word: Typing to Replace Cursive Class?

September 6, 2010

Some people consider handwriting an art. Others believe that technology makes the angled script obsolete. Kids start sitting and typing at computers as early as kindergarten; is there a point to teaching them cursive? While fancy penmanship certainly adds a classy touch to personal letters and flair to a person's signature, is it worth taking time away from the school day since the world is moving toward keyboard communication?

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17 Comments

2 years 16 weeks

In grade school, I was devoted to copying from the instructional printout as accurately as I could, and ended up with a breathtaking print. I did the same with my cursive, but because of this, it has no obvious personal style and can only be considered above average. I actually identify with my print hand more than my cursive and believe that one does not need to write in cursive to write beautifully.

lilkimbo 2 years 35 weeks

Muppets, wat to assume. However, while I am not a teacher, my sister and several of my best friends are teachers. My sister was actually the one who told me to say, "Can't we just teach both?" And, she knows exactly what it's like to add new things to a curriculum. Basic skills like typing and handwriting absolutely can both fit into the curiculum. And my sister teaches elementary school and guess what, she manages to fit in both typing and cursive! I understand that it's a stressful time to be a teacher, but every job has its stresses. Also, it's obvious that the people reading this website take an active interest in their childrens' development. (Why else would they bother reading?) So, I don't think any of us need you to tell us to take a more active role in the lives of the children around us. And I don't think anyone said that it would be reasonable to expect teachers to do everything.

lilkimbo 2 years 35 weeks

Muppets, wat to assume. However, while I am not a teacher, my sister and several of my best friends are teachers. My sister was actually the one who told me to say, "Can't we just teach both?" And, she knows exactly what it's like to add new things to a curriculum. Basic skills like typing and handwriting absolutely can both fit into the curiculum. And my sister teaches elementary school and guess what, she manages to fit in both typing and cursive! I understand that it's a stressful time to be a teacher, but every job has its stresses.Also, it's obvious that the people reading this website take an active interest in their childrens' development. (Why else would they bother reading?) So, I don't think any of us need you to tell us to take a more active role in the lives of the children around us. And I don't think anyone said that it would be reasonable to expect teachers to do everything.

MuppetsForDinner 2 years 35 weeks

As an 8th grade English teacher, those of you who voted "can't we just teach both?" don't get what it's like to add new things to a curriculum. There is such an extraordinary pressure to teach every single new skill while retaining all of the old that what comes out is a mushed up, cursory review of it all. Something has to give. Did I mention that I now have more students, my colleagues are being laid-off, and I'm paying for any professional development to teach me new strategies on my own? I don't mean to rant, only to present the facts. We need to decide as a nation what absolutely should be taught in schools, what should be taught at home, and what can we allow to fall by the wayside. If people want it all, we need to commit to coming together as a community to teach our children. Volunteer, help your family, tutor...because everything cannot be handled in the 180 days I see my students.

MuppetsForDinner 2 years 35 weeks

As an 8th grade English teacher, those of you who voted "can't we just teach both?" don't get what it's like to add new things to a curriculum. There is such an extraordinary pressure to teach every single new skill while retaining all of the old that what comes out is a mushed up, cursory review of it all. Something has to give. Did I mention that I now have more students, my colleagues are being laid-off, and I'm paying for any professional development to teach me new strategies on my own?I don't mean to rant, only to present the facts. We need to decide as a nation what absolutely should be taught in schools, what should be taught at home, and what can we allow to fall by the wayside. If people want it all, we need to commit to coming together as a community to teach our children. Volunteer, help your family, tutor...because everything cannot be handled in the 180 days I see my students.

2 years 36 weeks

While typing is obviously taking over, I think it's very important to still teach cursive as it teaches you how to spell correctly. I see that a lot at work, especially with out interns who are all under 25 - their handwritings are terrible and their spelling even worse. Plus I think handwriting something adds a nice, personal touch to a note.

Brookelorren 2 years 36 weeks

They need to learn both. I don't always have a computer with me; sometimes I only have paper.

MissSushi 2 years 36 weeks

I agree with lil, I think both should be taught. I learned cursive as normal, and took optional typing classes each year. Learning both has served me well, and I still use both. My last job was a call center heavy on using email communication, but we still wrote many many things. Cursive is much faster and smoother to write in. I think typing classes are a great idea - in addition to cursive. My ability to touch type 96wpm boils down to my jr high typing class where the keyboard had dots of nail polish on it.

lilkimbo 2 years 36 weeks

I don't see why this has to be an either/or thing. Can't we just teach both?

Girl Jen 2 years 36 weeks

Wow, I'm so torn on this that I can't even vote. Typing is obviously more practical and more useful. But cursive is a form of art, and for some people (not me) it results in absolutely beautiful handwriting! It's also different enough from printed letters that learning to recognize specific cursive letters is worth it.I'm going to teach my daughter cursive if the school doesn't, and make sure her printed penmanship is legible.

Girl Jen 2 years 36 weeks

Wow, I'm so torn on this that I can't even vote. Typing is obviously more practical and more useful. But cursive is a form of art, and for some people (not me) it results in absolutely beautiful handwriting! It's also different enough from printed letters that learning to recognize specific cursive letters is worth it. I'm going to teach my daughter cursive if the school doesn't, and make sure her printed penmanship is legible.

amber512 2 years 36 weeks

I can understand an overview, but I think typing is a more useful skill to focus on.

2 years 36 weeks

At the very least if we aren't teaching cursive, can we PLEASE teach NEAT printing and proper grammar? There are far too many people that can't print neatly and have no idea about the differences between their, there and they're that it makes me crazy! I believe cursive is an important skill, but if it must fall by the wayside, there are other skills that need to be improved over typing.

MissSushi 2 years 36 weeks

get ready to read chicken scratch from here on out

miss leanne 2 years 36 weeks

They have to learn to sign their name somehow! I write cursive all the time anyway.. it's way neater than my printing.

isahrangme 2 years 36 weeks

cursive is TOTALLY useful! when i write notes in class, sometimes i have to write REALLY FAST! cursive makes that a LOT easier than writing in cursive in my normal day-to-day writing, i'll often mix the two styles AND, when kids get to upper levels of math/science, how will they differentiate between different variables!? i've used a cursive "v" to indicate something different than a regular "v". quite useful~ but if they don't know about cursive, they might never know how useful the cursive letters are!

isahrangme 2 years 36 weeks

cursive is TOTALLY useful! when i write notes in class, sometimes i have to write REALLY FAST! cursive makes that a LOT easier than writing in cursivein my normal day-to-day writing, i'll often mix the two stylesAND, when kids get to upper levels of math/science, how will they differentiate between different variables!? i've used a cursive "v" to indicate something different than a regular "v". quite useful~ but if they don't know about cursive, they might never know how useful the cursive letters are!

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