Why is Cursive Better for People With Dyslexia?

When was the last time you wrote in cursive? Depending on the year you were born and
the school you attended, cursive may have been the first style of writing you learned.
There seems to be a generational gap between the cursive writers, print writers and
those who blend letters together in their own unique style of modern cursive. Most of the
population born in the 21st century seems to consider cursive obsolete or
unrecognizable.

An article by Drew Gilpin Faust suggests “Gen Z Never Learned To Read Cursive.” This
was a direct result of the U.S. government removing cursive writing from their Common
Core Standards for K-12 Education in 2010. In addition, tablets and digital devices have
greatly contributed to this gap.

According to a 2020 study by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology,
people still benefit from writing in cursive. This study was conducted amid the universal
switch to remote learning with digital devices and screens, increased by Covid-19. Their
findings showed cursive handwriting can improve hand-eye coordination, boost memory
and stimulate brain development for children and adults with, or without, dyslexia.
Print is a writing style originally created for the printing press, not handwriting. Cursive,
on the other hand, was. Cursive is beautiful and aesthetically pleasing, but also has
several benefits that are important for neurological development and specifically help
students with dyslexia.

Writing in cursive develops sensory skills by holding the pen or pencil at a proper angle
and applying the right amount of pressure to the paper while practicing the alphabet.
The unbroken flow of cursive writing allows for fewer opportunities to confuse the
directionality of letters and words. After all, b’s and d’s or p’s and q’s can be confusing
for anyone. This allows someone with dyslexia to encode the word or phrase while
strengthening their motor memory.

Cursive’s fluid style naturally increases one’s writing speed and will lead to better
concentration on the content while retaining more information.

It’s safe to say, cursive is not going away! For more information about writing styles,
brain development or dyslexia services, please visit www.dyslexiahouston.org or follow
us on social media @dyslexiaschoolhtx.