From Luria-learning.blogspot.com
Should we still teach handwriting?
This year, though, I have taking a different tact. I still don’t teach much handwriting in school, but I’ve been sending home handwriting practice for homework. Over the course of the year, most of my students can now write cursive as well as manuscript. They like being able to write in cursive.
That is not the biggest benefit. Why do I now thinking teaching writing makes sense? They spend less time focusing on how to write the letters, and more time actually writing during our lessons.
Learn to decode = now you can focus on comprehension
Learn math facts = now you can think about the problem and spend more time on higher level skills
Learn to form letters fluently = spend time on your story, not laboriously writing the words