The reasons for the proposal go “beyond nostalgia” for the writing style, he said.
Thiesfeldt, chairman of the Assembly’s Education Committee, said research suggests taking notes by hand, as opposed to typing, can lead to better comprehension and understanding of material, and cursive has long been billed as a faster method of note-taking compared to print handwriting.
The use of cursive also requires a higher level of hand-eye coordination, which can be particularly helpful for younger children, he said.
“It’s not just a nostalgic sort of skill that we want to maintain it just because people used to do it,” said Thiesfeldt, adding he’s had staffers in his office that have had difficulties reading his notes written in cursive.
In recent years, a push to return to cursive instruction has taken hold across the country.
Despite spending far more than most taxpayer supported K-12 school
Districts, Madison has long tolerated disastrous reading results.