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Filed under:  Pupils in the US state of Indiana will no longer be required to learn joined-up, or cursive, writing.
As local news source the Indianapolis Star reports, Indiana joins a growing list of states that no longer require schools to teach cursive writing. Instead, education officials say that keyboards, emails and texts are more useful in the modern employment world and, as such, they will mandate all Indiana schools to start teaching basic typing skills to pupils from primary school age.
Denna Renbarger, an education official in Lawrence Township, Indiana, commented:
“I think it's progressive of our state to be ahead on this. There are a lot more important things than cursive writing.”
The move is part of the Common Core State Standards Initiative, an effort led by governors in 46 states which aims to ensure consistency in US education. The Common Core curriculum was released in June 2010 and has been adopted by nearly all US states, although there is no requirement for them to do so. Cursive writing does not form part of the Common Core curriculum, although typing using a keyboard does and children aged around 11 years old will be expected to ‘demonstrate sufficient command of keyboarding skills to type a minimum of three pages in a single sitting’.
 Education officials say keyboard skills are more useful in the modern world
However, not all parents and educators are onboard with the transition away from cursive writing in favour of typing with keyboards. Jerry Long, the parent of an 11 year old daughter, said:
“I think they should have the opportunity to learn all the skills they will need. How are they supposed to know how to sign their names?”
Ms LaPorte, a retired teacher-turned calligrapher, echoes this sentiment and believes that cursive writing is not merely an art but a practical skill that can and should be taught by schools, even if not required by the state.
However, Education Professor Steve Graham, a nationally recognised expert on handwriting, suggests that some of the arguments for cursive are ‘romantic’. Nonetheless, he does concede that schools have a lot to consider before they cut the amount of instructional time given for handwriting or drop cursive writing altogether, maintaining that “you need to be fluent and legible with at least one type of handwriting and you need to be fluent on the keyboard”.
Responding to the mixed reactions to the controversial move, Indiana officials have been keen to stress that the standards are not exhaustive and that teachers could continue teaching handwriting if they chose.
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