How the Ballpoint Pen Killed Cursive

[MULTIZ321]

How the Ballpoint Pen Killed Cursive - by Josh Giesbrecht/ Technology/ The Atlantic/ theatlantic.com

"Thicker ink, fewer smudges, and more strained hands: an Object Lesson.

Recently, Bic launched a campaign to “save handwriting.” Named “Fight for Your Write,” it includes a pledge to “encourage the act of handwriting” in the pledge-taker’s home and community, and emphasizes putting more of the company’s ballpoints into classrooms.

As a teacher, I couldn’t help but wonder how anyone could think there’s a shortage. I find ballpoint pens all over the place: on classroom floors, behind desks. Dozens of castaways collect in cups on every teacher’s desk. They’re so ubiquitous that the word “ballpoint” is rarely used; they’re just “pens.” But despite its popularity, the ballpoint pen is relatively new in the history of handwriting, and its influence on popular handwriting is more complicated than the Bic campaign would imply..."

Nayu Kim / Flick


Richard

 

[VegasBella]

The comments on that article are pretty funny. People fighting about cursive.

My son is not learning cursive in school. I've been thinking I might just teach him it at home.

 

[Talent312]

My son is not learning cursive in school.

If kids are not learning cursive, how will they ever sign their names?
Oh, wait... My signature is just a bunch of squiggles. Nevermind.
.

 

[Passepartout]

I've been thinking I might just teach him it at home.

That might be the only way he learns it. I print. My DW uses some form of unintelligible cursive and wonders why the post office occasionally returns her outbound mail for 'unknown address'

Jim

 

[Ty1on]

The comments on that article are pretty funny. People fighting about cursive.

My son is not learning cursive in school. I've been thinking I might just teach him it at home.

Hmmmm. My daughter started learning cursive last year in Kindergarten at Coral Academy.

 

[raygo123]

I don't know if any of you learned to write with the pens you would dip into the ink bottle built into the desk with the little black door that would slide open and you would dip the Quill in ink blot then write. Press too had, which I did, and end bending it and ending up with a giant glob
on your paper, hands, and cloths. Indigo ink stained for days!

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

 

[MULTIZ321]

Hmmmm. My daughter started learning cursive last year in Kindergarten at Coral Academy.

Here's various viewpoints from a previous Tug Thread - The End of Pens: Is Handwriting Worth Saving?


Richard

 

[MULTIZ321]

And some additional viewpoints from another Tug Thread - Generation "Mindset" - What's Cursive?



Richard

 

[Sandy]

I used to have beautiful cursive handwriting. But now I find that I can type/key so much faster after years on a computer. As a result, when I try to write in cursive, I am going so fast that my handwriting is horrible!!! I try to slow down, but my brain resists. My brain is thinking with speed, and my handwriting does not catch up. It is truly horrible, I almost can't read it!

I do believe that keyboarding/typing will someday eliminate the need (or maybe the ability) to write at all As with so many other things, the passage of time causes us to lose some valuable skills while at the same time we gain others.

 

[Beaglemom3]

I saw this somewhere and it gave me pause............. "without cursive, how will future generations understand historical documents ?"


=

 

[visor]

I saw this somewhere and it gave me pause............. "without cursive, how will future generations understand historical documents ?"


=

Probably there'll be scanning OCR software with algorithms that can translate them for us...

 

[chriskre]

If kids are not learning cursive, how will they ever sign their names?
Oh, wait... My signature is just a bunch of squiggles. Nevermind.
.

As Realtors we use docusign which is basically online signatures.
No pen needed anymore except to sign the escrow check.

 

[Tia]

At work can't keep enough pens around , they are always leaving in someones pocket.

Who is it that decided they won't teach cursive in school anymore? If they have software the accuracy could be up for change imho if someone wanted to change history and no one would be the wiser . Sort of like investing I think you need to understand it on your own to an extent or your vulnerable.

 

[MULTIZ321]

Here's an app that was on the Top Ten App list for kids going back to school from the Guardian that I posted as another thread. It's available in the US too from the Google Play Store and iOS store.

Cursive Writing Wizard (£3.99)
iOS / Android
A handwriting app isn’t intended to replace the important physical pencil-practice that children need when learning to write. But it can be a very good complement to it, reinforcing what they’re learning about letter shapes and joined-up writing. This app has been around for a while, but it’s still one of the most accessible examples. It’s also very customisable: you can enter your own word lists for your children to trace the letters of, whether it’s their own name, pets or words that have a particular meaning for your family. Plus you can see stats on how children use the app, and even watch their tracing replayed.



Richard

 

[VegasBella]

"without cursive, how will future generations understand historical documents ?"

Is this a serious question?

First, remember that there are already various forms of cursive, some of which require specialists to read.

Second, remember that language itself evolves and changes. So, for example, we need experts to understand and translate Medieval documents.

Third, archaeologists have at least some understanding of hieroglyphics and other early written language. It stands to reason that future generations will have methods of translating writing from today.

Presumably you learned cursive in school? How well can you read this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cursive#/media/File:Shakespeare-Testament.jpg