COLUMBUS, Ohio – While much communication in the digital age takes place at the keyboard or on a smart phone, some Ohio lawmakers want to keep cursive writing from disappearing from the classroom.
READ MORE: In the Columbus Dispatch
A bill introduced yesterday in the House with bipartisan support would require cursive writing to be taught in all elementary schools, according to a report in the Columbus Dispatch.
Students would receive handwriting instruction in kindergarten through fifth grade. They would be expected to print legibly by third grade and write in cursive by the end of fifth.
Rep. Cheryl L. Grossman, one of the sponsors of House Bill 146, said she’s heard complaints about the disappearance of cursive writing from teachers, parents and others.
“I’ve heard teachers talk about historical documents that students can’t read. If we’re not careful we’re going to lose a foundation skill that everyone should have,” said Grossman, R-Grove City. “Maybe I’m old-fashioned, but we’ve lost the art of correspondence and communication.”
Ohio schools base their curriculum on Common Core academic standards issued in 2010. They do not require that students be taught cursive handwriting, leaving such instruction to the discretion of local school districts.
“Cursive has been over the last 10 years removed from the basic curriculum and many of the schools no longer teach it,” said Rep. Andrew Brenner, R-Powell and one of the bill’s co-sponsors.
He dismisses arguments that students no longer need to know how to write cursive. He said research both in the U.S. and abroad shows that cursive writing helps brain development and makes better writers, which leads to better readers down the road. Brenner said writing in cursive style also helps dyslexic students perform better.
“It is crucial for students, especially early on.”
Similar bills have passed in other states in recent years, including California, Georgia, Massachusetts and Tennessee. Lawmakers in Nevada and elsewhere are considering such requirements as well.