“Cursive handwriting shapes the executive functions of the brain for successful academic performance while enhancing creative and critical thinking practices required for meaningful interpretations of what we see. Even more compelling is how handwriting instruction influences neuroplasticity of the brain and contributes to character development and psychological healing.” For generations, American school children were taught to write in joined letters.Current educational policies have eliminated this essential skill from the curriculum and in many school districts, children are no longer taught to read or write in cursive.Now that blackboards have been replaced by smart boards and spiral notebooks have given way to ambient-lit mobile devices, is cursive handwriting an outdated technology, irrelevant in the modern digital world? In this exhaustively-researched study, Celia M. Batan reveals what could be lost to children--and what can be harnessed--by returning to cursive instruction in the elementary grades and continuing the use of joined letters throughout high school.Ms. Batan demonstrates convincingly that cursive is about much more than beautiful penmanship. Drawing on studies from the diverse fields of neuroscience, physiology, and education, she reveals how cursive makes significant contributions to reading, writing, language, and overall cognitive development in early childhood. Read Less