The Comeback of Cursive Writing
Doyouknowhowtowriteincursive?
你會寫草書嗎？
Canyoureadit?
你能讀懂嗎？
Manyyoungpeopleanswernotobothquestions.
許多年輕人對這兩個問題的回答都是否定的。
That’swhyagrowingnumberofstateshavestartedtomakecursiveinstructionmandatory.
正因如此，越來越多的州開始強制要求教授草書。
ThiswasasurprisetoAndyYatsko.
這讓安迪·亞茨科感到意外。
Ithoughtcursivewasold-timey,” thePennsylvaniafifthgradertold.
「我以前覺得草書很老式，」這位賓州五年級學生說。
LastFebruary, hisstate’sgovernor, JoshShapiro, signedabilltorequireelementaryschoolstoteachcursive.
去年二月，他所在州的州長喬許夏皮羅簽署了一項法案，要求小學教授草書。
Thelawisineffectthisschoolyear.
該法律在本學年生效。
Andysayshefeelsprettymuchokaywiththenewrequirement, butheexpectsmixedreactionsfromclassmatesandfriends.
安迪表示他對這項新要求基本上沒問題，但他預計同學和朋友的反應會不一。
Nomatteryouropinion, cursiveismakingacomeback.
無論你的看法如何，草書正在復興。
CursiveusedtobecommonlytaughtinschoolsintheUnitedStates, butabout15 yearsago, neweducationstandardsledmanyschoolstostopteachingit.
過去，美國學校普遍教授草書，但大約 15 年前，新的教育標準導致許多學校停止教授草書。
Now, atleast25stateshavepassedlawstobringcursiveback.
現在，至少有 25 個州通過了法律，恢復使用草書。
PennsylvanialawmakerDaneWatrowrotehisstate’snewhandwritinglaw.
賓州議員戴恩沃特羅撰寫了該州新的筆跡法。
Cursiveismorethanhandwriting.
草書不只是書寫。
It’sabridge,” hesaidinastatement.
「這是一座橋，」他在一份聲明中說。
Itconnectsustoourhistory, strengthenslearning, anddeepensourunderstandingoftheworld.
它將我們與歷史連結起來，增強學習能力，加深我們對世界的理解。
Manypeopleagree.
很多人都同意這一點。
Supporterssaycursivehandwritingimprovesmemory, spelling, andreadingskills.
支持者認為，草書可以提升記憶力、拼字能力和閱讀能力。
Theyalsosaykidsneedtoknowcursivetoreadhistoricaldocuments.
他們也說，孩子需要學習草書才能閱讀歷史文獻。
Othersarguethatmoderntechnologymakeslearningcursivelessimportant.
也有人認為，現代科技使得學習草書變得不那麼重要了。
MorganPolikoffisaprofessorattheUniversityofSouthernCalifornia.
摩根·波利科夫是南加州大學的教授。
Hestudiestrendsineducation.
他研究教育發展趨勢。
WhenIthinkofvirtuallyeveryonethatIknow,” hesays, “cursiveisnotapartofourdailylife.
他說：“當我想到我認識的幾乎所有人時，草書都不是我們日常生活的一部分。”
Still, ShawnDatchukseesvalueinputtingpentopaperandspendinglesstimeonscreens.
不過，肖恩·達楚克仍然認為，動筆寫作、減少螢幕使用時間是有價值的。
He’saprofessorofspecialeducationattheUniversityofIowaandanexpertonhandwritinginstruction.
他是愛荷華大學特殊教育專業的教授，也是書寫教學的專家。
Inourdigitalage, hesays, handwritingprovidesamorehumanconnection.
他說，在當今的數位時代，手寫能夠提供更人性化的聯繫。
Handwritingisuniquetoeverybody,” hesays.
「每個人的筆跡都是獨一無二的，」他說。
Withtyping, everybody’sTlooksthesame.
打字時，每個人的 T 看起來都一樣。
SherisseKenersonrunstheCursiveClubatHolmesMiddleSchool, in Alexandria, Virginia—astatethatrequirescursiveinstructioninelementaryschool.
謝麗絲·肯納森在維吉尼亞州亞歷山大市的霍姆斯中學開設了草書俱樂部——維吉尼亞州要求小學教授草書。
Twiceaweek, ahandfulofsixth, seventh, andeighthgradersshowupforKenerson’safter-schoolclubtopracticepenmanship.
每週兩次，一些六年級、七年級和八年級的學生會來到肯納森的課後俱樂部練習書法。
They’reexcited,” Kenersonsays.
「他們很興奮，」肯納森說。
It’saspecialstudentthatwantstodosomethingdifferent.
這是一位想要做一些與眾不同的事情的特別學生。
Forkidsnewtocursive, Kenersonhassomeadvice.
對於初學草書的孩子，肯納森有一些建議。
Inordertogetgreatatit, youhavetopractice,” shesays.
「要想在這方面有所成就，就必須練習，」她說。
Justlikewalking.
就像走路一樣。
Weallcrawled.
我們都爬著來的。
WealldidtheFrankensteinwalk.
我們都走了弗蘭肯斯坦步。
Wefell, wegotbackup, wetriedagain.
我們跌倒了，我們爬起來了，我們再次嘗試。
Andit’sgoingtobethesamethingwithcursive.
草書也是如此。
It’sgoingtolookreallyruggedandroughinitially, butthemoreyoupractice, it’lllookreallysmooth.
一開始看起來會很粗糙，但練習得越多，就會越光滑。
AndyinPennsylvaniaiswillingtotry.
賓州的安迪願意嘗試。
Idopreferwritinginprint,” headmits.
「我確實更喜歡用紙質方式寫作，」他坦言。
Hesuspectsthathestillwillasanadult.
他懷疑自己成年後仍然會如此。
UnlessIbecomethegovernor,” Andyjokes.
「除非我當上州長，」安迪開玩笑說。
ThenI’llhavetodocursive.
那我得學草書了。
Thisyear, Americaiscelebratingthe250thanniversaryofitsindependence.
今年是美國獨立250週年。
Thatmeansithasbeen250 yearssincethesigningoftheDeclarationofIndependence.
這意味著距離《獨立宣言》簽署已經過了250年。
TheDeclarationofIndependenceisoneofthemostimportantdocumentsin U.S. history.
《獨立宣言》是美國史上最重要的文件之一。
Andit’swrittenincursive.
而且是用草寫的。
JohnHancockwasthefirsttoaddhissignaturetothedocument.
約翰·漢考克是第一個在文件上簽名的人。
Today, apersonaskingforyourJohnHancockisaskingyoutosignyournameincursive.
今天，如果有人要你提供約翰漢考克簽名，那就是要求你用草書簽名。
Do you know how to write in cursive?
Can you read it?
Many young people answer no to both questions.
That’s why a growing number of states have started to make cursive instruction mandatory.
This was a surprise to Andy Yatsko.
I thought cursive was old-timey,” the Pennsylvania fifth grader told.
Last February, his state’s governor, Josh Shapiro, signed a bill to require elementary schools to teach cursive.
The law is in effect this school year.
Andy says he feels pretty much okay with the new requirement, but he expects mixed reactions from classmates and friends.
No matter your opinion, cursive is making a comeback.
Cursive used to be commonly taught in schools in the United States, but about 15 years ago, new education standards led many schools to stop teaching it.
Now, at least 25 states have passed laws to bring cursive back.
Pennsylvania lawmaker Dane Watro wrote his state’s new handwriting law.
Cursive is more than handwriting.
It’s a bridge,” he said in a statement.
It connects us to our history, strengthens learning, and deepens our understanding of the world.
Many people agree.
Supporters say cursive handwriting improves memory, spelling, and reading skills.
They also say kids need to know cursive to read historical documents.
Others argue that modern technology makes learning cursive less important.
Morgan Polikoff is a professor at the University of Southern California.
He studies trends in education.
When I think of virtually everyone that I know,” he says, “cursive is not a part of our daily life.
Still, Shawn Datchuk sees value in putting pen to paper and spending less time on screens.
He’s a professor of special education at the University of Iowa and an expert on handwriting instruction.
In our digital age, he says, handwriting provides a more human connection.
Handwriting is unique to everybody,” he says.
With typing, everybody’s T looks the same.
Sherisse Kenerson runs the Cursive Club at Holmes Middle School, in Alexandria, Virginia—a state that requires cursive instruction in elementary school.
Twice a week, a handful of sixth, seventh, and eighth graders show up for Kenerson’s after-school club to practice penmanship.
They’re excited,” Kenerson says.
It’s a special student that wants to do something different.
For kids new to cursive, Kenerson has some advice.
In order to get great at it, you have to practice,” she says.
Just like walking.
We all crawled.
We all did the Frankenstein walk.
We fell, we got back up, we tried again.
And it’s going to be the same thing with cursive.
It’s going to look really rugged and rough initially, but the more you practice, it’ll look really smooth.
Andy in Pennsylvania is willing to try.
I do prefer writing in print,” he admits.
He suspects that he still will as an adult.
Unless I become the governor,” Andy jokes.
Then I’ll have to do cursive.
This year, America is celebrating the 250th anniversary of its independence.
That means it has been 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
The Declaration of Independence is one of the most important documents in U.S. history.
And it’s written in cursive.
John Hancock was the first to add his signature to the document.
Today, a person asking for your John Hancock is asking you to sign your name in cursive.
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