Ballpoint Pen Killed Cursive Analysis

Since the developments of

computers and other newly developed technologies, children are now adapting to

new ways in which they write and learn to write. In two separate articles by Emily

Yoffe and Josh Geisbrecht, they discuss the way in which children are now learning

to write in school, and furthermore, the types of technologies they are using. These

adaptations are steadily changing the ways in which newer generations of children

learn to write.

In the article “How the Ballpoint Pen Killed Cursive” by Josh Geisbrecht, He

discusses the introduction of new technologies like the ballpoint pen. When using

the ballpoint, he started to notice subtle changes in his style of cursive writing. This

was do to the change of pen he was using to write with. When josh switched from a

fountain pen to a ballpoint pen, he had to make adjustments to the way in which he

wrote. Taking that into consideration, could newer advancements in technology be

changing the way in which children are learning to write? In recent years, cursive

writing is slowly being cut from the schools curriculum. But why is this? I feel that it

has something to do with the way in which we communicate. With the introduction

Josh makes note of this in his article.

He states, “As a teacher whose kids are usually working with numbers and

computers, handwriting isn’t as immediate a concern to me as it is to many of my

colleagues” (josh 2). He then goes on to state from articles he has read that, “Writing

has been supplemented by newer, digital forms of communication – typing, texting,

Facebook, etc.” (Josh 2). While it is still necessary to learn how to write, it