The Case for Cursive: Should Schools Teach It Again? An MGA Faculty Q&A With Dr. Kelly Causey

Author: Sheron Smith
Posted: Wednesday, March 18, 2026 12:00 AM
Categories: School of Education and Behavioral Sciences | Pressroom | Faculty/Staff

Macon, GA

Dr. Kelly Causey

As classrooms have become increasingly digital, one traditional skill has faded from the curriculum: cursive handwriting. In recent years, however, cursive instruction has begun returning to some Georgia classrooms through state education policy, and lawmakers have considered legislation that would make it a requirement for all students. Supporters say learning cursive can support literacy, cognitive development, and an understanding of historical documents, while critics question whether valuable classroom time should be spent on handwriting in a digital age.

To better understand the debate, we asked Dr. Kelly Causey, assistant professor of education, for insight.

Cursive instruction has already returned to some Georgia classrooms as a matter of state education policy. Lawmakers considered bills that would have made it a requirement in state law. From an educational perspective, what are the strongest arguments for returning cursive instruction to schools?

As a former elementary school teacher and now a professor preparing pre-service teachers, I firmly believe that teaching students to read and write in cursive is not optional. It is essential for literacy development, cognitive growth, and academic success. From my classroom experience, I saw firsthand how students who developed strong handwriting skills, particularly cursive, were able to write more fluently, express ideas more clearly, and engage more confidently in literacy tasks. What I once observed intuitively is now strongly supported by research and state guidance.

The Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) explicitly includes handwriting, including cursive, as part of the foundational literacy domain in K–5 standards. Cursive instruction begins in third grade and continues through fifth grade to build fluency and automaticity in writing. This is critical because when handwriting becomes automatic, students can shift their cognitive energy away from forming letters and toward higher-level thinking, such as organizing ideas and composing meaningful text.

Critics argue that classroom time might be better spent on digital literacy and keyboarding skills. How should schools balance traditional handwriting skills like cursive with the demands of an increasingly digital world?

I do not believe this is an either/or issue; it’s a both/and responsibility. Our pre-service teachers need to understand that manuscript and cursive handwriting are foundational skills for K–5th, and keyboarding and digital literacy are applied skills for 3rd–12th and beyond. In our schools, this looks like prioritize handwriting automaticity (print to cursive) in primary and intermediate grades. Moving into intermediate grades, students must integrate cursive and keyboarding, and then in upper grades, teachers can allow students to choose the most effective tool for the task. Just as we would never say, “Because calculators exist, we shouldn’t teach number sense,” we cannot allow digital tools to replace foundational literacy processes—they should build on them. Manuscript and then cursive writing are part of the foundational literacy process.

Some educators say cursive writing can support reading fluency, spelling, and even help students with learning differences such as dyslexia. What does the research actually show about the cognitive benefits of cursive writing?

Research shows that writing fluency reduces the cognitive load for students. Cursive’s continuous motion reduces interruptions. Students are not constantly stopping to form letters, which allows the brain to focus on composition and meaning. Fluent manuscript and cursive writing support reading and spelling development because handwriting (especially cursive) strengthens orthographic mapping - the connection between sounds, letters, and words. This directly supports reading and spelling development. Handwriting activates more areas of the brain than typing and improves retention and recall. Cursive’s continuous flow reduces visual confusion and motor demands, and experts note it helps students who struggle with letter formation and spacing by treating words as connected units. From a “Science of Reading” perspective, this aligns perfectly:  literacy is multisensory, and handwriting is part of that system. not separate from it.

What practical value does cursive still have for today’s students as they move into college and the workforce?

Cursive still has very real, practical value, even in a digital world. Taking notes in cursive is often faster and more fluid than print or typing. Having a signature relates to your identity, and is important for legal, professional, and personal reasons. Being able to read and write in cursive allows one to communicate using notes and cards and engage with historical texts. Handwriting for things like planning, drafting, and brainstorming allows for cognitive engagement far beyond using a keyboard. All of these are important, real-world applications. However, most importantly, fluent handwriting helps students become fluent thinkers, not just fluent typists.

As a former elementary teacher, I saw students struggle when handwriting was weak - they couldn’t keep up with their own thinking. As a professor, I now teach future educators that cursive is not an “extra,” it is part of structured literacy. Georgia’s move to bring cursive back is not a step backward, it is a course correction grounded in research, brain science, and what we know about how children learn best. 

Dr. Kelly Nagle Causey was an elementary teacher and principal for nearly 30 years and is currently an assistant professor of teacher education at MGA. Dr. Causey had a wonderful great aunt who “encouraged” her to learn to write in cursive in the second grade by rewarding her with a shiny new Mickey Mouse watch with a red leather band. She not only learned how to write in cursive, but also took courses in calligraphy, and now happily addresses wedding invitations for friends and family along with teaching pre-service teachers to write and instruct others to write in cursive.