Looping Letters Are Back in Style: Georgia Schools Reintroduce Cursive
In today’s tech-driven world, it’s entirely possible to go days — sometimes even weeks — without picking up a pen or pencil. With keyboards and touchscreens doing most of the work for us, handwriting quietly slipped into the background and cutting cursive education seemed like a no-brainer. Many schools across the country quit teaching cursive around 2010.
Now, in multiple states, including Georgia, cursive has made a comeback. In the 2025-26 school year, standards changed to include cursive education, introducing the traditional handwriting style in third grade.
How Cursive Education Works
This school year, under Georgia’s English Language Arts (ELA) standards, students develop handwriting and fine motor skills beginning in kindergarten. Cursive handwriting is introduced later with goals for holding writing tools appropriately, forming cursive letters and words legibly and more. Practice continues in the fourth and fifth grades, with the eventual ability to read cursive writing as well. Previous standards didn’t include specific handwriting instruction.
“Our ELA teachers intentionally incorporate cursive instruction into their daily lessons. Students use dedicated handwriting tablets to practice proper letter formation, fluency and consistency,” says Katie W. Neal, the principal at Buford Senior Academy. “As a school, we are committed to finding the right balance between meaningful technology integration and preserving the importance of handwriting. This is an essential life skill that supports fine motor development, reading and written communication.”
Fine motor skills are the small, precise movements made with hands, fingers, feet and toes; these skills are required for multiple everyday tasks. Learning to hold a writing utensil and practicing cursive can teach and refine fine motor skills.
A majority of pre-K-3 teachers said more children were struggling with fine motor tasks compared to five years ago, according to Education Week’s State of Teaching Survey.
“When we came back into the building after the pandemic, students were unable to write their first and last names, because the instruction had been taught on the computer,” says Dr. Kim C. Williams, DeKalb County School District’s Interim P-5 Assistant Superintendent. “If print’s important, cursive is important.”
When considering private schools, parents may want to inquire if cursive is included in the curriculum. Carlisle Montessori starts teaching cursive handwriting at age 4.
“More than 150 years ago, Maria Montessori knew the hand feeds the brain,” says Gina Ward, director, founder and teacher at Carlisle Montessori. “Cursive has a deeper connection to brain and recall. By the time our students are 6 or 7, they have beautiful cursive writing.”
To learn cursive, Carlisle Montessori students begin by tracing sandpaper letters. They learn one letter at a time, building the muscle memory of how letters are formed. Eventually, they trace the letters on sheets and write words on chalkboards. “We really want them to explore the form. They master the easier letters first for the flow and repetition,” Ward says. “They begin to build those skills, and the number of letters they can master on their own grow and connect with each other. If students have a strong foundation in cursive, they can transition to print on their own.”
Carlisle Montessori
Carlisle students also read cursive books and sight words, so students are immersed in the handwriting.
“Writing in cursive connects the whole experience to the child. The hand is keeping up with the mind, with the thought flow and process,” Ward says. “Students are putting words on paper and having the time to create this sensorial experience. You’re thinking what you’re feeling and writing and connecting fully to that experience.”
The Importance of Cursive Education
Cursive education is entangled with literacy. Research shows writing information down helps your memory. It gives you a visible reminder. For example, written notes have a greater chance of being remembered than typed ones.
“We are embracing evidence-based practices rooted in the science of reading and employing multimodal strategies to teach literacy concepts,” Neal says. “This includes explicit instruction in phonics and decoding, rich opportunities for oral language and writing and the thoughtful integration of technology balanced with hands-on, teacher-led instruction.”
Handwriting practice also improves reading, spelling and literacy skills. Because cursive writing is more intricate than printing or typing, it can activate different parts of the brain. Reading and writing engages the brain differently, which helps strengthen student’s development.
“Handwriting supports brain and cognitive development, enhances fine motor skills and strengthens hand and eye coordination,” says Tara Seals, the entrepreneur, speaker, philanthropist, author and educator known as The Bossy Educator. “If students are not introduced to it, parents don’t know it and teachers are not teaching it, students struggle with fine motor skills and handling a writing utensil. One out of three students have illegible handwriting. Bad handwriting or spelling can be reversed with practice, but where are you picking up this skill or getting to practice?”
Students should learn to read cursive. “Historical documents are written in cursive, and students are unable to read those documents,” Williams says. “With this historical information, we’re depending on someone else to tell us what it means. Now, students can take ownership of it. Cursive is not being taught in a silo.”
Cursive provides students with the opportunity to feel more connected to their learning.
“Students enjoy the ability to express themselves. Handwriting is self-expression, creativity. Their light bulb goes off, and their creativity comes alive in a piece of paper,” Seals says. “Everybody is going to be creative and express their handwriting differently. I teach the strokes of the letter, but if you want to add a curve to your ‘K,’ do your thing.”
Educators, students and parents are excited about the return of cursive.
“Students truly enjoy learning to write in cursive. While it can be challenging for some, it is much like any other new skill; with the right practice, modeling and preparation, all students can grow and be successful,” Neal says. “Cursive allows them to persevere, build confidence and celebrate their progress along the way.”
“They are excited to write and create,” Ward says. “It’s a natural phenomenon as well. If you provide a child with pencils or crayons or markers, their first impressions are circles, swirls and curls. It feels like art to them.”
Learning cursive connects students to other parts of their education.
“It’s a part of the curriculum, a part of learning to read and comprehend,” Williams says. “This is for the advancement of students. We want to do what’s right by children in DeKalb County and in the state of Georgia.”
State School Superintendent Richard Woods
and Dr. Kim C. Williams
Sign Your John Hancock
To encourage schools to start thinking about cursive curriculum, the Georgia Department of Education introduced the John Hancock Award in the 2024-25 school year. If 90% of students could write their name in cursive, the school received the John Hancock Banner and Proficiency Ribbon. In schools where 90% of students could write both their name and the preamble to the U.S. Constitution, they were awarded the John Hancock Banner and Ribbon of Distinction.
At the time, Williams was the principal at Robert Shaw Traditional Theme School, and she remembers the enthusiasm surrounding the announcement. The school received the John Hancock Banner and Ribbon of Distinction, and 24 other schools in DeKalb County received one of the two awards. “The district was extremely proud. We’re excited when our kids learn, and we’re excited when they learn new things,” Williams says.
In Buford City Schools, Buford Senior Academy was awarded the John Hancock Banner and Ribbon of Distinction. “Any time our students, staff and school are recognized, it is a great day for Buford Senior Academy. Our staff works tirelessly to ensure that students are learning and growing each day, and this recognition serves as a small but meaningful reminder of their dedication,” Neal says.
How to Help Your Child
Tara Seals
If it’s been a while since your handwriting instruction or you were never taught cursive, you may be nervous to help your children with their homework. You don’t have to have beautiful handwriting to help your student.
Remind your child of the importance of cursive. “Let students know that this is a unique and special skill, which piques their curiosity,” Seals says. “It takes work and effort.”
Seals is the author of “Print & Cursive Handwriting Workbook for Kids & Adults.” Along with her book, there are other resources available to parents so they can learn alongside their child.
Seals suggests breaking the practice down into manageable pieces. “Cursive is not naturally easy. Pack your patience,” she adds. “Celebrate small wins, because a win is a win.”
Give your child as many opportunities as possible to practice. “Offer some type of real writing opportunity to increase confidence and fluency,” Seals says. “Instead of typing your grocery list on your phone, ask them to write it down in cursive on a notepad.”
