Our sixth and final debate of the course seemed to be a hot topic for a number of people in the class. As this was the debate topic I signed up for, I naturally already had thoughts on the issue going into my research. First, I want to address the “cursive” component of the topic. It was clear that this was the easiest one to argue against keeping in rotation, and we have seen schools phasing out cursive instruction over the past decade already. People, myself included, get nostalgic about cursive writing, but even I have to agree that, for the most part, it does not make sense to eat up dozens of curricular hours making kids practice writing lines of cursive. However, research does show that cursive improves information retention and comprehension, and strengthens fine motor skills and cognitive development. Research also supports the benefits of cursive writing for students who struggle with dyslexia. I saw this firsthand with my own daughter, whose school did not teach cursive, but she was given the recommendation to learn after completing a psychoeducational assessment. I got her a cursive handwriting booklet and helped her learn at home. We noticed the difference it made in strengthening her writing and especially her reading skills. It helped her, but even I don’t think it necessitates the amount of hours I experienced learning cursive writing when I was in grade three. I do feel that it is good to teach the rudimentary fundamentals of cursive so that students have an understanding of it at the very least.

Researchers James & Engelhardt found that “writing letters has been shown to activate brain regions associated with reading. This research suggests that explicit handwriting instruction may support early reading skills.”

Spelling was the next component of the debate, and the strongest argument against spelling is that the method of teaching spelling via spelling tests and rote memorization is outdated and ineffective. On this point, I do not disagree. Spelling, however, needs to continue being taught in early elementary school as it is a core component of literacy. How we teach it may need to change. Spelling instruction should be paired with phonics and vocabulary instruction from the beginning of kindergarten literacy instruction. The science of reading encourages integrating spelling into early phonics lessons. Research has shown that strong spelling skills enhance reading and writing fluency and language comprehension. Over-reliance on spellcheck and AI may hinder this development, especially in the early elementary years. Use of these tools should wait until foundational skills have been developed.

“Spelling kickstarts the process of reading and writing, and it does this by connecting to [brain] circuitry, where the sounds and pronunciation of words already exist in spoken language. Spelling literally ignites the reading and writing process.” – Richard Gentry

Along with the issue of rote memorization in spelling came the same concern in the debate, with the same outdated approach to teaching multiplication times tables. Regardless, having a firm grasp of times table multiplication is key for moving on to more advanced maths. Having automatic recall reduces the cognitive load for students, allowing for more complex problem-solving with greater ease. And memorization is not the only method for teaching these skills. Conceptual instruction over solely teaching rote memorization gives students a deeper understanding of multiplication concepts, setting them up for greater success down the road.

In no way do I think we should avoid teaching modern technology, but I do think it is essential that we continue to teach these vital foundational building blocks in education. Early years education needs to ensure that students get an adequate foothold in these fundamental skills so that when they do step into technology and higher maths, they have the skills to set them up for success. These skills are essential building blocks for effective communication skills that students will need for moving into the technological world – keyboarding, blogging, podcasting and beyond.

Ultimately, multiplication, spelling and handwriting are foundational building blocks in early elementary education. Without them, our children will not have the skills they need to become proficient in reading, writing, and math as they progress through school and into the real world. These skills not only open doors for strengthening those key components of academia, but they also hardwire the brain for higher-level thought processing and critical thinking. As those skills become second nature, children are able to free up brain space for higher-level thinking and will be more ready to learn skills using the tools of technology.