Ten Reasons People Still Need Cursive

A few years ago at the end of an evaluation, I asked a 7th grade student what he wanted to learn next year. His answer surprised me when he said, "Cursive Handwriting."  Doesn't everyone learn around the 3rd grade to write in cursive?   

So why learn cursive?  Educational policymakers pose this question as they face the increasingly digital and app-based twenty-first century, a world in which the curls and flourishes of longhand seem increasingly outmoded.  Jennifer Doverspike lists ten reasons to emphasize cursive handwriting.

1. Cursive helps people integrate knowledge;
2. Writing long-form teaches us how to write;
3. Our hands should be multilingual;
4. We learn better when we write it down;
5. Handwriting leads to cognitive development, self esteem and academic success;
6. It may help those with special needs;
7. It reduces distractions and inspires creativity;
8. It keeps our brains active in old age;
9. We need to be able to read cursive;
10. We can create something beautiful and unique.