Like it or not, cursive writing is returning to countless classrooms.
At least half of the nation’s states have adopted policies requiring cursive writing instruction in recent years. That reverses a sharp decline in cursive instruction after the subject was left out of the Common Core State Standards, launched in 2010.
The reasons for bringing back cursive instruction vary across states.
Some lawmakers cite cursive’s ties to history as a reason to bring it back. In Minnesota, where a cursive bill is currently under review, lawmakers say students who can read cursive will be able to access primary sources such as the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.
Cursive advocates also point to its potential cognitive benefits. A 2025 review of scientific literature on the topic, titled “The Neuroscience Behind Writing: Handwriting vs. Typing—Who Wins the Battle?”, concluded that, compared to typing, handwriting—both cursive and print—“...activates a broader network of brain regions involved in motor, sensory, and cognitive processing. Typing engages fewer neural circuits, resulting in more passive cognitive engagement.”
This context is helpful, but elementary teachers will also need to know how to teach it.
Today’s veteran teachers may be rusty. Many educators never did teach it. And today’s youngest teachers probably never learned it. But it’s never too late.
Check out our printable downloadable for six practical tips on helping students learn cursive.
