Dayton Daily News education reporter Scott Elliott writes about schools, kids, teaching and learning.
Home > Blogs > Get on the Bus > Archives > 2006 > October > 13 > Entry
Cursive may be toast (good riddance!)
Actually, it’s not just cursive writing, it’s handwriting at all. Kids are learning keyboarding and other digital entry platforms at younger and younger ages, says the Washington Post. Cursive was used by just 15 percent of 1.5 million essay writers who took the SAT last year.
I’m already on record opposing cursive writing, although my primary objection as a southpaw is that cursive is a tool of right-handed oppression.
About a year ago, I made a conscious effort to give up all handwritten note-taking. It’s mostly been an amazing success. With a laptop, I’ve found that I can take notes almost anywhere. I have always typed much faster than I can handwrite, so I find my notes are better and more complete than ever. And the days of having to go back and decipher my wrench-wristed writing are mostly gone.
The only downside is that there are still some circumstances in which I must take handwritten notes and I’ve noticed I am slower than ever these days.
I’m certain our kids will have more and better tools for note-taking, and that hand writing will become more unnecessary. Which, as I’ve said, is fine with me. What about you? Are you one of those sentimentalists who pines for curvy penstrokes on lined yellow paper?
(Image credit: searle.ss.uci.edu)
Permalink | Comments (7) | Categories: Teaching and Learning
Comments
By Oldprof
October 16, 2006 8:57 AM | Link to this
Claims that SAT measured aptitude were overblown. The only thing that it predicted was performance in the first year of higher education, and that correlation was weak. There are other measures that correlate more strongly. The standardized-testing industry too often makes decisions based on cost rather than comprehensibility or validity; that’s why so many of them—including SAT—might as well be abandoned. Unfortunately, our state school board lacks the expertise to do a thorough critical analysis of these tests so that the reliable ones can be winnowed out.By Mary
October 15, 2006 10:11 PM | Link to this
Do you mean because the current SAT configuration added a writing portion because supposedly students are graduating from high school without some basic writing skills? I am not familiar with the current content, but the SAT used to measure aptitude. I am concerned about some standardized tests being biased toward speed and drill rather than challenge. However,I also have concerns about teacher generated tests, grade inflation, and class rank games.By Oldprof
October 15, 2006 5:12 PM | Link to this
Mary, I’ve never met a standardized multiple-choice test I couldn’t dominate. Yet I advocate doing away with the SAT as it’s currently configured. New data for your theory.By Mary
October 15, 2006 8:30 AM | Link to this
I am beginning to wonder if people simply advocate doing away with things they are not good at - cursive, SAT, and other standardized tests. I think it is important to recognize some of the values (if there are any)along with the flaws. Whatever happened to learning to improve? Not too many of us are a natural at things. I am lousy at art. My son did not like his art classes. Should we be advocating doing away with art? I do not think so - our walls at home are covered with the art of others.By Andrew Pass
October 14, 2006 11:52 PM | Link to this
Scott, I posted an entry last week about the same article and provided a few suggestion as to how teachers might encourage students to consider the possible disapparence of hand-writing - http://www.pass-ed.com/2006/10/will-handwriting-disappear-who-cares.html Andrew Pass http://www.Pass-Ed.com/blogger.htmlBy Oldprof
October 14, 2006 11:14 PM | Link to this
Yet more proof that the SAT is of marginal value. Overall, the point isn’t hand vs. key or cursive vs. block—it’s clarity of expression. We ought to be giving kids the opportunity to practice handwriting—in any typeface—at least enough to be able to do legible handwritten notes. After all, what’re you gonna do when you’re stranded on a desert island—cram your laptop in a bottle?By Terri
October 14, 2006 5:04 PM | Link to this
Scott - I just finished proctoring the SAT this morning and noticed that about half of the students in my room printed their essays. Interestingly though, the SAT requires students to copy a paragraph that outlines an honor code for students which must be handwritten - not printed.