The Lost Art of Cursive

Why bringing back joined-up handwriting can help restore depth, coherence, and the connection between hand and mind.

Cursive Is More Than Just Writing

Cursive is not just a handwriting style—it is a mental exercise. The continuous stroke encourages fluid, coherent thinking and richer associations between ideas. The term cursive comes from the Latin currere (“to run”), evoking thought that flows across the page. By contrast, block letters fragment words into isolated units, interrupting rhythm and phrasing.

An Italian Invention, Now Fading at Home

Modern italic/cursive was refined by Italian humanists and chancery scribes for compactness, elegance, and clarity—then adopted worldwide. Yet many curricula now sideline it in favor of speed and screens. Reintroducing even short daily practice can restore rhythm and coherence to writing.

From Little Essays to Quick Slogans

Primary-school “little essays” once trained order and logic. Today, catchy phrases and quick content often impress more than they make us think. Bringing cursive back is not nostalgia: it is a way to give thought its breath and cadence again.

Key Ideas

• Handwriting activates cognitive processes not triggered by typing.

• Joined-up writing supports sequencing, planning, and cohesion.

• Short daily drills (loops, ligatures, word chains) build fluency.

Voices & Insights

“Man thinks because he has hands.” — Anaxagoras

“Handwriting engages cognitive processes that are not activated by typing.” — Virginia Berninger

“Without breath, there is no thought; without thought, there is no life.” — attributed to Plato (editorial epigraph; not verbatim in the dialogues)

Further Reading

• K.H. James (2012). The effects of handwriting experience on functional brain development in preliterate children (NIH overview).

• UW News (2009). The pen may be mightier than the keyboard (Berninger’s research).

• UW News Blog (2014). Handwriting engages the mind.

• Etymology: cursive from Latin currere (Etymonline; Merriam-Webster).

• Origins of italic/cursive in Italy (Reed College Calligraphy Guide; Italic script overview).

About the Author

Simona Candeli — The Graphology HubGraphologist and educator. I teach and study handwriting with a focus on cognition, learning, and forensic applications. Drawing on decades of classroom experience and extensive work in handwriting analysis, I have seen firsthand how cursive shapes literacy, attention, and emotional development. I work with schools, families, and professionals to bring back meaningful handwriting practices alongside digital tools.