Once a staple in elementary school classrooms, teaching the art of cursive writing may be a thing of the past.
As the elegant penmanship behind the language has been tossed out due to more technology entering the classroom, some Ball State University education majors are in debate as to whether too much time is being spent teaching cursive writing to students.
A study released in 2007 by Vanderbilt University showed cursive writing is still widely taught throughout the U.S. According to the study, 90 percent of the teachers who responded to the survey said their schools require handwriting instruction.
Teachers say current technologies have brought a flurry of new information to the classrooms.
Freshman elementary education major Kelsie Gould said she supported the idea that cursive writing hours should be reduced.
"I remember having spent too much time learning how to write in cursive. When we could have been learning other more important things, she said."
Gould said she thought students would not be affected in any way by reducing the hours dedicated to cursive writing hours.
Anthony Kline, an instructor of elementary education from Ball State University, said cursive writing and typing should be taught at the same time in a classroom so the student can develop both skills.
"A lot of studies show that it takes three years of practice for a person to learn a skill," he said. "So if we integrate both handwriting and typing in projects, children will learn both skills in less time."
Kline said he believed students should be adapted to whatever new technology comes out.
"As time goes on you get new technology to teach to children," Kline said. "Our job is to prepare our students for the future."
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