Cursive Handwriting: Dinosaur or Art

Is cursive handwriting dying? http://gmy.news.yahoo.com/v/12124183/fox_news/20090219/av_fox_us/_goodmorningyahoo_fox105463_cursive_writing_loses_ground_in_schools

I hope not. as the reporter said in that story cursive is no longer required in schools in California, but most school do still teach it. In fact the school that I taught in I taught cursive to my preK class, yes... you read that right. From the first day of school I taught cursive to four year olds. They loved it... it's a much more natural movement of the hand than the tradition "ball and stick" letters, and there is no need to transition later to another form. Cursive actually aids kids in learning to read. They see common letter combinations in the beginning and ends of words and as they are forming the words their brains are being reinforced as to the way the letters are connected together. Cursive has very few 'reversible' letters,(ie; dbpq) that tend to confuse new readers. The common question I got from parents was, "will it be harder for them to learn how to print?" my answer, "No". Printing is just copying what you see in a book. If you know how to write cursive, printing is a snap. Here is an excellent piece going into more detail on a few of the points I have just brought up. http://www.donpotter.net/PDF/Cursive%20First.pdf

My mother had the most amazingly beautiful handwriting. She said they were made to practice hours at school, and even though she did not like it, she was happy her handwriting was so nice. In this age of computers it is easy to say cursive is outdated and unnecessary, but is it really? All legal documents need a signature. Your signature is needed to purchase on credit at a store. It's a unique way of identifying you. AND... you must sign with a real signature, NOT print, when you vote! I know.... digital this and cyber that might replace the signature. Why loss cursive all together? Even if it does go the way of he old Underwood typewriter and the personal handwritten letter, it's still going to be something special people will wish they still had when it's gone.