WESTCHESTER --
Illinois schoolchildren will now be taught cursive writing, thanks to a new law spearheaded by state Rep. Emanuel "Chris
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Welch, D-Hillside.
Welch last year sponsored House Bill 2977, requiring public elementary schools in Illinois to teach at least one unit on cursive writing in their curriculum. Welch noted cursive writing has been shown to help children improve their reading, writing and critical thinking skills, and many historical documents – from the Constitution to the Declaration of Independence – were written in cursive.
The bill was initially vetoed by Gov. Rauner but the Illinois House and Senate overrode the veto. The law took effect this summer starting with the upcoming 2018-2019 school year.
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Reading and writing cursive helps students in many ways, from choosing their words more carefully to improving their writing quality and understanding of their topics,
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Welch said.
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I hope by requiring cursive writing in schools, students will be empowered to improve how they communicate and embrace new creativity in their writing and their learning.
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For more information, please visit Rep. Welch’s new website –
www.emanuelchriswelch.com
– to stay informed and up to date with his latest events.
