Shunned in computer age, cursive makes a comeback in California
By Daniel Trotta
FULLERTON, California (Reuters) — A generation of children who learned to write on screens is now going old school.
Starting this year, California grade school students are required to learn cursive handwriting, after the skill had fallen out of fashion in the computer age.
Assembly Bill 446, sponsored by former elementary school teacher Sharon Quirk-Silva and signed into law in October, requires handwriting instruction for the 2.6 million Californians in grades one to six, roughly ages 6 to 12, and cursive lessons for the «appropriate» grade levels — generally considered to be third grade and above.
Experts say learning cursive improves cognitive development, reading comprehension and fine motor skills, among other benefits. Some educators also find value in teaching children to read historic documents and family letters from generations past.
At Orangethorpe Elementary School in Fullerton, about 30 miles (50 km) southeast of Los Angeles, fourth- to sixth-grade teacher Pamela Keller said she was already teaching cursive before the law took effect Jan. 1.
Some kids complain about the difficulty, to which Keller has a ready answer.
«We tell them, well, it's going to make you smarter, it's going to make some connections in your brain, and it's going to help you move to the next level. And then they get excited because students want to be smarter. They want to learn,» Keller said.
While teaching a cursive lesson this week, Keller dished out gentle tips to her students such as «Lighten up a little — do it really gently… An eraser is our best friend… That loop is wonderful. I love that loop.»
During a recent visit to the school library, Keller said one student grew animated upon seeing an image of the U.S.
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