Which to Choose: Manuscript or Cursive Handwriting? A Review of the Literature

Handwriting is a necessary skill for children to learn during school. Most children in North America learn two formats, manuscript and then cursive. Approximately one-fourth of school children have difficulty producing writing. With success and self-esteem of children negatively impacted by writing challenges, is it necessary for all children to learn both formats? This paper reviewed relevant literature on writing to summarize the history and to discover whether evidence exists to support teaching both forms. The components of complexity of the manuscript and cursive writing are highlighted, the implications are discussed, and future research is suggested.