‘It’s hard to read’: What’s curbing our use of cursive writing

Watch: Is perfect penmanship a thing of the past? What's curbing our use of cursive writing.

It’s not a surprise to most that handwriting isn’t taught the same way to students as it once was, but with the absence of cursive the question arises; are we at risk of losing important learning and communication tools?

Most cursive used by many students nowadays is a stylized version of joining letters together that may have some resemblance to the proper form.

“I learned handwriting in grade 3, and I used it then, and it sucked then,” grade 10 student William Weiman told CTV News.

It’s still part of the curriculum in Saskatchewan, taught in grade three mostly.

For the students we spoke to, there are merits in cursive for quicker writing because it flows easier, especially when trying to write down what a teacher is saying in a lecture.

“I use, a mix of both (printing and cursive) and I actually like it more now. It just makes it easier to take notes,” Weiman said.

For older generations, it was taught aiming for perfection with each stroke, but the formal way to make the letters is becoming a code of sorts.

“Oh, it’s hard to read my grandma’s. I couldn’t read it, and I don’t like that,” student, Jared Lacoursiere said.

An expert from the University of Saskatchewan linguistics department says with the rise of computers in the 90’s, handwriting has become used less and less. In the future we may have to decipher cursive like we do with hieroglyphics.

“For people that want to learn cursive, it will be come like an artform like calligraphy,” Professor Jesse Stewart said.

Stewart says some languages like Arabic are based on cursive, while countries like France focus on it in schools and everyday life.

Provinces in Canada have varying degrees of enforcement according to Stewart. It’s optional in B.C. and Newfoundland and Labrador.

“For historical purposes, those who are studying old scripts will have to learn cursive. So, I think that’s going to kind of become like a niche,” he said.

But for retired primary teacher, Lori Armstrong, who has taught in Alberta and Saskatchewan, that is a missed opportunity.

“Because you’re actually having to form the letters and really thinking about it, it stimulates your brain and it cognitively helps you learn better,” Lori Armstrong told CTV News.

Armstrong was in the classroom for 20 years. She says learning cursive also helps students who have disabilities and overall improves focus and helps with retaining content.

“People that do cursive writing are actually better learners,” she said.

Handwriting is also very individual, whether that’s an autograph or personal notes from family.

“It is beautiful. So, when grandparents write cards to children it becomes a keepsake,” she added.