The state House voted overwhelmingly to send the legislation to the state Senate.
This week, the Pennsylvania state House of Representatives voted 195-8 on legislation requiring cursive handwriting be taught in schools across the Commonwealth.
The legislation now heads to the state Senate.
Representative Dane Watro of Luzerne and Schuylkill Counties explained that the use of pen and paper is diminishing with the classroom becoming more digital. He cited cognitive, developmental, and practical reasons for cursive writing to be taught in schools.
According to Watro, studies have shown that writing in cursive stimulates areas of the brain linked to memory, language, and thinking. He says cursive writing supports fine motor development and strengthens hand-eye coordination and dexterity.
He noted that many historical documents are written in cursive, including the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution. Learning to read and write in cursive will allow students to absorb and comprehend historical documents.
Another critical skill that comes from cursive writing is one’s signature. The ability to sign a check or a legal document is a practical skill that will be utilized many times throughout a student’s life.
“At least 24 states have laws requiring cursive instruction because those states understand cursive provides students another way to learn, express themselves and be better prepared for their future academic, professional and personal lives,” Watro said in a statement.
Watro’s bill says, “A growing cursive illiteracy poses a threat to accessing and comprehending key historical sources, such as the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. Mandating cursive writing education will allow students to actively read seminal documents that shaped our democracy, which is vital for an informed, engaged citizenry for generations to come.
Recently, Georgia and Kentucky instituted similar laws that will require cursive to be taught in schools beginning this fall.
Under the new legislation, Pennsylvania would become the 25th state to require schools to teach students how to read and write in cursive.
