Why We Should Never Forget Cursive Writing

Sharon Moore July 02, 2013

With computers becoming a commonplace, most people consider cursive writing as an obsolete art. Nowadays, many of us rarely write using pen and paper because we can always communicate through emails, chats and text messages. In fact, many young people can’t even write their own name using this kind of penmanship. In the US, there is no requirement for cursive writing to be taught in schools. In the UK, there’s still a debate as to whether or not this style of writing should be totally dropped from the curriculum.

Cursive, bold, or type-written – does it really matter?

When we are young, we are first taught to write our names using plainly the upper and lower cases of the alphabet. As we advance in age, we are then taught to write our names and other words in a way that all letters are written in a flowing manner, using only a single stroke. We call it cursive our script. But because of the modern technology, particularly the use of computing devices, writing has greatly turned into typing. Even notes and ‘reminders’ that consist of only a few lines are no longer written, rather typed on our mobile phones and iPads.

It turns out however that typing is not as effective as freehand writing when it comes to mental health.

Basically, expressing our thoughts using a pen and paper requires more cognition than doing tweets or Facebook posts. Studies suggest that cursive writing stimulates both the left and right hemispheres of the brain – something that does not occur when we type letters using the computer keyboard.

Aside from being an additional skill, learning cursive is far beneficial than we think. It is essential in promoting cognitive function, particularly in developing functional specialisation. According to a 2009 study published in the journal Cognitive Neuropsychology, learning how to write legibly using cursive helps the brain form functional specialisation that integrates sensation, movement control, and thinking. Studies suggest that cursive writing activates areas in the brain that are not involved when people engage in typing.

Enhanced Brain Function

In a study by Indiana University, researchers looked at the cognitive impact of printing by hand and typing among pre-literate 5-year olds. They found that children who practised self-generated printing by hand experienced enhanced neural activity than those who simply looked at letters. Using a brain scan, they also found that the ‘reading circuit’ in the brain that lights up whenever we read are activated in writing, but not in typing. Additionally, they discovered that writing letters in meaningful context led to more profound cognitive improvement than simply writing them as objects.

Another research by University of Washington suggests that cursive writing has positive implications on the brain’s ability to formulate thoughts and ideas. The study found that children wrote more words faster and expressed their ideas better when they wrote by hand than when they used a keyboard. Furthermore, researchers from University of Stavange in Norway and University of Mediterranean in France found that cursive writing helps train the brain to integrate visual and tactile information, and fine motor dexterity.

Even with the modern technology, the benefits of cursive writing will never ran out of fad. It doesn’t matter if our slants, loops and curls are not perfect; the most important thing is that we take time and effort to practise it! By writing in cursive, we are also helping our cognitive abilities improve.