By Brooke Cranford | Broadcast Reporter
Somewhere along the way, we moved on from paper notebooks and No. 2 pencils. We now solely rely on a keyboard and a screen to tell our stories. Whether it’s a quick text to a friend or submitting important documents on Canvas, we have shifted solely to communicating on devices.
Today, our conversations depend on electronic assistance like autocorrect and Grammarly to convey our words effectively to others. Communication has become efficient, but in the process, we’ve surrendered part of the intentionality that once defined the written word.
Before the rise of modern technology, writing was not just a method of communication but an individualized intellectual craft. Ancient societies developed their own writing styles, personal scripts and flowing forms of expression. One early example is Ancient Roman Cursive, a script that demonstrated how handwriting served both as a practical tool and a cultural signature. As centuries passed, handwriting evolved into new styles that reflected the values, aesthetics and discipline of each era, one in particular being cursive.
Cursive eventually became a universal marker of education, refinement and personal identity.
Even in the early 2000s, most U.S. schools taught cursive; 25 years later, schools have slowly moved away from that curriculum, shifting the focus to typing and digital literacy. While technological proficiency is undeniably important, this shift has come at the cost of an entire intellectual tradition.
An example of this change occurred at Washington College. The college altered its logo after students complained they could not read cursive lettering. This illustrates how quickly a once-universal skill can disappear when it is no longer valued in society.
Cursive is more than a stylish way of writing; it possesses proven cognitive and developmental advantages. Studies confirm that cursive writing engages the parts of the brain responsible for language, memory and even critical thinking. Learning the technique of writing in this style strengthens hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills by requiring focus in forming connected letters.
One elementary teacher divided her students into groups: one practiced cursive, and the other wrote in print. By the end of the semester the cursive writers not only wrote more quickly, but also retained information better and showed stronger writing fluency. The experiment revealed what many educators once took for granted: that cursive supports deeper learning by engaging multiple cognitive processes simultaneously.
Despite its decline, cursive is not entirely lost. With the help of the State Board of Education, cursive requirement in schools has returned to Texas. This revival acknowledges it is more than a decorative skill with loops and slants. It is a bridge to our past, a cognitive tool for developing young minds and a reminder that not all meaningful learning happens on a screen.
So the next time you sit down in class and prepare to take notes, replace your iPad with a notebook. Reconnecting with cursive writing will not only improve your cognitive abilities but also help you retain information on a deeper level.
