Increasing number of students find print faster to write and easier to understand

By Caroline Zhang
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Junior Ben Klutzke has regressed over the years when it comes to his handwriting. He said he learned to write in cursive in third grade. By the end of his freshman year here, he had stopped writing in cursive and switched entirely to printing. “I felt like cursive was slower,” he said.

Klutzke is not alone. In the 2006 SAT writing portion, only 15 percent of the test-takers wrote in cursive. Indiana’s Academic Standards requires students to learn and write in cursive only in the third and fourth grades. According to English teacher Rebecca Malenkos, Klutzke is one of an increasing number of students choosing print. Malenkos said she might know why.

“I suspect it has to do with the individual and what they find faster,” she said. “Everything, from books to the Internet, is typed, so maybe our eyes and brain read and process the printed word faster.”
Klutzke said he attributes his switch to print to the need for faster writing skills. “(In my freshman year) I was doing a lot more writing and I felt like I needed a change,” he said.
However, freshman Aabha Anekar said she plans to continue writing in cursive due to personal preference. “I’ve been writing in cursive since first grade and I’m used to it,” she said. “I think it’s a beautiful handwriting.”

Another factor in the decline of cursive may be due to the fact that an increasing number of people think printing is clearer. Anekar said, “My teachers write in print when writing on the board so it’s more clear and students can understand it better. However, when they’re grading papers or writing a letter, they will often use cursive.”

Malenkos said, “I think printing is easier to read. Sometimes, people who write in cursive like to be a bit flamboyant in their writing, and will add curly Q’s and embellishments.”

She also said from a practical standpoint, the decline of cursive is not something to regret since an increasing number of people find print clearer and faster to write.
“In terms of communication and education, it’s not regretful,” she said. “But I think when beautiful penmanship disappears it is a little sad.”

According to second and third grade teacher Linda McHugh, cursive’s decline is due to teachers spending less time on teaching cursive. McHugh said via e-mail, “Teachers have to prioritize what is most important and cursive is not on the top of the list.

“In years past, I can remember allowing 10 to 20 minutes a day for cursive instruction.  Now I add cursive to (my students’ morning activities).  Sometimes I show how the letter is formed, but most

of the time I have the students follow their (handwriting manuals), so the students are pretty much on their own.”
Cursive may also be victim to the modern and more informal style of writing prevalent in today’s society. Klutzke said, “I think cursive is reserved for extremely formal writings. Writing has gotten a lot more informal because of e-mail and text messaging.”

Malenkos also said she sees cursive as a more formal style of writing that is dying out. “I think cursive writing used to be a signature of academics,” she said. “Having beautiful penmanship was a sign of class and prestige. Nowadays it is all about speed and how fast you can get writing on paper.”