Am I in the majority on this one? Does anyone else feel that handwriting remains a useful skill?
I gave a handwritten card to a friend’s teenager only to have them give it back asking me to read it – what? Are you kidding me? I was shocked that they couldn’t read it. I knew that cursive wasn’t being taught anymore – it never dawned on me that this meant they couldn’t read it.
Fewer students are learning cursive writing, as evidenced by it being optional in Ontario, British Columbia, and Newfoundland. Thankfully, Manitoba still requires students to learn this skill. Many educators don’t see a problem with dropping cursive writing. With handwritten signatures being replaced by electronic signatures and PIN codes.
The argument: If the only reason for learning cursive writing is to sign legal documents, perhaps we should phase it out of education.
