It is a heated debate that spans generations: should cursive be taught and required in elementary schools?
In March, the New York City Schools chancellor announced a commitment to include cursive writing in third-grade curriculum in city schools. That is set to take effect in the upcoming school year.
The Department of Education says penmanship classes were dropped when the new Common Core educational standards were crafted, but some states are taking steps to ensure cursive instruction remains for elementary school students.
Test your cursive skills with the free worksheets at the bottom of this article!
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Third grade teacher Cindy Stroschein-Lucas will joined us on Facebook live for a lesson on cursive writing. She is a teacher at Edison Elementary and is retiring this year after 32 years of teaching. Stroschein-Lucas learned cursive in second grade and decided she wanted to teach, in large part to her love of cursive.
A Department of Education handbook for the 2016-2017 school year includes an instruction manual for cursive handwriting, and it addresses the question of whether print or cursive are still relevant in the digital age.
"Evidence reveals an advantage for handwriting using pen and paper over keyboarding for students in grades 2 to 6 for amount written, rate of word writing, and number of ideas expressed," the DOE manual states.
The manual continues: "Despite advances in computer technology, research supports the argument that today’s students still need instruction in handwriting for two primary reasons. First, learning to form letters by hand improves perception of letters and contributes to better reading and spelling. Second, automatic letter writing promotes better composing—both amount written and quality of writing."
The DOE goes on to say it is up to school leaders and staff to decide how to incorporate cursive and manuscript instruction, and cursive instruction is not mandated -- nor was it ever.
In Arizona, public schools are required to teach cursive as part of 2016 education standards approved by the state Board of Education. State Superintendent of Public Instruction Diane Douglas says the changes were designed to clarify rules and give teachers and school boards more flexibility.
Colorado's standards in reading, writing, and communicating have never included expectations for handwriting or cursive. In Colorado, which is a local control state, when and how handwriting or cursive is taught has been and still is a local decision. The state standards don’t include it and never have.
Test your cursive skills with these free worksheets!
Handwriting Practice Sentences 2 Printable by 9news on Scribd
Handwriting Practice Sentences 1 Printable by 9news on Scribd
Handwriting Practice Sentences 4 Printable by 9news on Scribd
Handwriting Practice Sentences 5 Printable by 9news on Scribd
Handwriting Practice Sentences 3 Printable by 9news on Scribd
