Summarised by Centrist
In the age of technology, cursive writing, along with the fine motor skills it requires, is going extinct. The new generation is more comfortable with swiping and double-clicking on a device than holding a pen. Studies indicate that reduced handwriting practice is partly contributing to a decline in IQ scores.
In the US, many observe young people struggling with basic cursive skills. Some even struggle to sign their name. This trend has prompted legislative efforts to reintroduce writing into school curricula in several jurisdictions.
According to reporting by the Daily Mail:
“Last year, researchers at the University of Oregon and Northwestern reported that IQ scores had dropped because technology shortens attention spans and decreases the need to think deeply.”
Experts say the cognitive benefits of handwriting warrant its preservation for historical understanding and cognitive development. If the ability to read cursive is entirely lost, historical documents, like Anne Frank’s diary for example, will become unreadable to the average person.
According to Professor Emerita Hetty Roessingh from the University of Calgary, the cognitive benefits of handwriting, specifically cursive, include its role in memory retention. She said the importance of learning handwriting skills is due to children being “essentially tactile and sensory beings who take in the world through engagement.”
