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Penmanship Takes a Back Seat in Many Elementary Schools

John Hancock wouldn't recognize the handwriting taught in many schools today. And his loopy slanted script might as well be a foreign language to 21st century students.

Time and technology have largely done away with traditional penmanship, leaving schools with a challenge that mirrors today's fast pace: how to teach a cursive style that's faster to write than older, ornate methods and easily readable.

'The printing and cursive are taking more of a back seat,''

Why teach cursive at all when computers and keyboards are so prevalent? For one thing, younger children may not have the skills to fully learn keyboarding, and not all classrooms have computers.

some who have trouble with writing mechanics have problems with other language-arts skills.

Ultimately, most students and adults end up adopting a hybrid writing style of printing and cursive

'We want things that can be done quickly and efficiently.