Why We Still Teach Cursive (And Why It Matters More Than Ever)

Most schools have moved away from teaching cursive.

At Harmon School, we haven’t—and there’s a reason for that.

While cursive is often seen as outdated or unnecessary, we’ve found that it plays an important role in how students develop as readers and writers, especially for those who struggle with spelling, handwriting, or dyslexia.

The Problem We See

Many students today can type quickly, but when it comes to writing by hand, things break down.

We see:

• letter reversals (b/d, p/q)

• inconsistent spacing

• slow, effortful writing

• difficulty getting ideas onto paper

Writing becomes a frustrating, stop-and-start process—and that makes it harder for students to focus on what they actually want to say.

Why Cursive Helps

1. It Reduces Letter Reversals

Cursive letters are connected and follow a clear, consistent direction.

Instead of forming each letter in isolation, students learn a continuous motion from left to right. This makes it much harder to reverse letters, because the movement itself guides the correct formation.

For many students—especially those with dyslexia—this alone can make a noticeable difference.

2. It Builds Motor Memory

With print writing, students often have to think about how to form each individual letter.

Cursive turns writing into a smoother, more automatic process. Over time, the hand learns the patterns, and writing requires less conscious effort.

When that happens, students can shift their focus away from how to write…and toward what they want to say.

3. It Supports Reading and Spelling

Writing and reading are closely connected.

When students learn cursive, they are reinforcing letter formation, sequencing, and sound-symbol relationships in a more integrated way. This strengthens encoding (writing words), which in turn supports decoding (reading them).

For students who struggle with reading, this added layer of reinforcement can be especially helpful.

4. It Improves Flow and Output

Cursive reduces the constant stopping and starting that happens with print writing.

That smoother flow helps students write more efficiently and with less frustration. It also allows ideas to come out more naturally, without being interrupted by the mechanics of forming each letter.

What This Looks Like at Harmon

At Harmon School, cursive isn’t treated as a separate or optional skill.

We integrate it into our literacy instruction alongside reading and spelling. Students receive clear, explicit instruction and have regular opportunities to practice in meaningful ways.

The goal isn’t perfect handwriting—it’s building a writing process that supports learning.

A Simple Idea

Not everything that’s been phased out has lost its value.

In some cases, we’ve moved away from tools that actually support how students learn best.

For many of our students, cursive isn’t extra—it’s helpful. And in some cases, it’s a turning point.