Common Core State Standards: Is Penmanship Worthwhile?

From the founding of the United States of America, penmanship has been a highly regarded virtue. This can be seen in historical documents, such as the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, through more modern times when samples of cursive were left on a plaque affixed to the moon’s surface in 1969 (Carpenter). However, recent changes in the national curriculum standards have seen a move away from this emphasis on good handwriting. The current standards, also known as the Common Core State Standards or CCSS, only include requirements for handwriting instruction through 1st grade and replace cursive skills with keyboarding. As a result of these changes, students are now only receiving ten to fifteen minutes of handwriting instruction

One argument against teaching handwriting is the belief that technology supplants the need for writing by hand. An example of this is the belief that it is more important for students to learn digital citizenship skills, such as keyboarding, than it is to focus on penmanship. One proponent of this school of thought is Special Education Professor Dr. Stephen Graham who states that many students with Learning Disabilities benefit from writing on a keyboard rather than handwriting due to the ability to express themselves faster without the frustrations of concentrating on their handwriting skills. While his point that writing notes out by hand takes longer because the brain is faster than the fingers and students can type faster than they can write (Carpenter), there are still many benefits to writing notes out by hand and many practical applications for handwriting for students who are able to learn it. Another example is the argument that it doesn’t matter what method a student uses to write, whether by hand or on a computer, as long as they write. Despite the importance of this part of the argument, there are still many benefits, as previously demonstrated, to writing by hand whenever possible. Another argument is that the motor skill improvements that can be gained through handwriting can be accomplished through other means such as sewing, cooking, learning an instrument, and playing video games. It may be possible to learn the fine motor skills or hand-eye coordination that handwriting provides through these examples, however, not all children have access to these resources or have someone willing to teach them how to use them in a way that is developmentally beneficial. The most common arguments against the inclusion of handwriting tend to be aimed at cursive specifically. Many of these opponents state that the benefits of handwriting can be achieved