20 Pros and Cons of Teaching Cursive in Schools

Have you ever wondered if cursive writing still matters in a world full of keyboards, touchscreens, and voice-to-text?

I asked myself that same question as I helped my niece with her homework. She stared at a handwritten note from her grandmother, struggling to read it. “What does this say?” she asked. I realized then that cursive was becoming a lost language.

But is bringing cursive back to the classroom the right move? Should schools spend precious time teaching it when so many other subjects compete for attention? Or does it offer cognitive and developmental benefits we’ve been ignoring for too long?

You can read our article on 10 reasons why cursive should not be taught in schools

Let’s explore the 20 pros and cons of teaching cursive in schools. We’ll weigh the arguments on both sides so you can decide where you stand on this surprisingly emotional debate.

“Cursive isn’t just about handwriting; it’s about identity, history, and mental development.”

As someone who learned cursive in elementary school—and still uses it today—I can honestly say it shaped how I think, how I write, and even how I remember. But not everyone shares that view. Many see it as outdated and unnecessary.

So, let’s dive in. Below are the 10 reasons why cursive should be taught in schools, followed by 10 reasons against it. Then, we’ll wrap things up with a quick comparison table.

10 Reasons Why Cursive Should Be Taught in Schools

1. Boosts Brain Development

Cursive activates different areas of the brain than print writing or typing. It engages motor, visual, and cognitive skills all at once. This helps children develop more integrated thinking.

2. Improves Fine Motor Skills

Writing in cursive requires small, controlled hand movements. This helps build muscle memory and hand coordination—essential for other tasks like drawing or even typing later on.

3. Enhances Spelling and Reading Skills

Cursive writing helps students recognize words as a whole instead of letter by letter. This supports phonemic awareness, an essential skill for early reading.

4. Increases Writing Speed

Cursive is faster than print because the letters connect. Students can take notes more efficiently, which can boost learning and comprehension in class.

5. Helps Students with Dyslexia

Surprisingly, cursive writing can help some students with dyslexia. The fluidity of connected letters can reduce confusion between similar letters like ‘b’ and ‘d.’

6. Connects Students to History

Many historical documents are written in cursive. Being able to read cursive means students can access primary sources like the Declaration of Independence or old family letters.

7. Encourages Individual Expression

Cursive handwriting is more personalized than print. It allows children to develop a signature writing style—something unique to them.

8. Improves Memory Retention

Studies show that writing things by hand, especially in cursive, can help with retaining information better than typing.

9. Teaches Patience and Focus

Cursive writing isn’t easy to learn. But that challenge can help students build discipline, focus, and perseverance—skills that extend far beyond handwriting.

10. Develops Signature Writing

Let’s face it—everyone needs a signature. Cursive writing equips students to sign their name, an essential adult skill.

10 Reasons Why Cursive Shouldn’t Be Taught in Schools

1. Takes Time Away from Core Subjects

Every minute spent on cursive is a minute not spent on math, science, or digital literacy. Many argue it’s not the best use of class time.

2. Is Becoming Obsolete

In our digital world, students type more than they write. Critics say cursive is no longer relevant in modern communication.

3. Few Adults Use It Daily

How often do you write in cursive? For many, the answer is almost never. That raises questions about whether it’s worth teaching at all.

4. Difficult for Left-Handed Students

Left-handed kids often struggle with cursive. The slanted writing style can cause smudging and frustration.

5. Hard to Assess in Large Classrooms

With different handwriting styles and speeds, it’s tough for teachers to grade cursive fairly or track progress consistently.

6. Students Forget It Quickly

Unless regularly practiced, cursive writing fades fast. Many students forget how to write or read cursive after a few years.

7. Technology Replaces Handwriting

Most homework, notes, and even exams are now done on computers. Typing skills are more valuable than cursive in today’s world.

8. Can Confuse Early Learners

Introducing cursive too early may confuse students who are still mastering print writing. It can overload them cognitively.

9. Not on Standardized Tests

Standardized assessments rarely include cursive writing. That makes it a low-priority skill for many school districts.

10. Creates Inequality Among Students

Some children have better fine motor skills than others. Teaching cursive can widen achievement gaps in early grades.

📋 Quick Comparison Table of Cursive in Schools

Pros of Teaching Cursive	Cons of Teaching Cursive
Boosts brain and memory development	Takes time from more relevant skills
Improves fine motor skills	Considered obsolete in the digital age
Enhances spelling, reading, and comprehension	Not commonly used in daily adult life
Enables faster handwriting and note-taking	Can frustrate left-handed learners
Helps students with dyslexia	Hard to teach and assess consistently
Builds historical literacy	Easily forgotten without regular practice
Fosters individuality and personal expression	Technology replaces handwriting in many tasks
Aids in memory retention through writing	May confuse early learners
Encourages focus and discipline	Not prioritized in standardized testing
Teaches practical skills like writing a signature	Can increase learning disparities in early grades

Should Cursive Be Taught in Schools?

Is there a clear winner? Not exactly.

The decision to teach cursive in schools isn’t just about penmanship. It’s about what we value in education—tradition or innovation, depth or efficiency, identity or practicality.

Personally, I believe cursive has a place. Maybe not as a daily classroom subject, but certainly as part of a balanced curriculum. Just like art, music, or foreign languages—it nurtures parts of the brain that core subjects don’t reach.

But I also get the resistance. We live in a fast-paced, digital-first world. Teaching cursive feels like swimming upstream. If schools don’t have time to do both cursive and coding, most will understandably choose coding.

Still, we shouldn’t forget what cursive offers. It connects us to the past, strengthens our thinking, and gives students another tool for expression. Even if it’s only a small part of the school day, it might still be worth it.

So what do you think? Should cursive make a comeback—or is it time to let it go?