People still have to write, even if it’s just scribbling
I often apologize to people about my messy writing. In fact, long ago, I determined that it could basically write in code if I just, well, wrote. It seems like good penmanship (penwomanship?), is going the way of the dodo, according to a recent Associated Press article, “Cursive writing may be a fading skill, but so what?” My own handwriting may well beg the question as to whether or not the education system ever taught writing past the third grade, but is this a skill that children need to prove their good character in the future? Does handwriting only matter when we are without electricity or a decent charge in our laptop or our cellphone (or other texting device)?
3 comments
1 Rosemary Harris { 09.27.09 at 9:15 pm }
It is interesting about the demise of cursive writing. Yet we are still commanded to teach it in third grade. What is interesting is that many students in the early years of high school print. They don’t use their writing skills to take notes etc they print them. There seems to be a lack of follow through after Grade 3. I suspect a lot has to do with the fact that in the subsequent grades we then expect kids to type rather than handwrite papers. If they do chose to not type a paper the result is usually printed form. I find this all very curious as when I went to school we were required to write till we got to Grade 8 then it was required to type our papers (am I dating myself?) But I do recall taking notes in class with writing not printing as it seemed faster and more efficient. Even today I handwrite never print.
2 Delphine Williams-Young { 11.03.09 at 10:42 pm }
Well that is so interesting. In Jamaica due to cultural lag we are still teaching writing to grade 9. The students do not have much access to printing. Howver the pride and delight that we used to take in forming the letters are fading. My students’ penmanship is not very good . Really terrible on the eyes.
3 lesliedawes { 10.13.10 at 10:23 pm }
I found the information about cursive writing in one respect surprising and in another understandable. I taught handwriting for years with Grade 3’s and prided myself on being a good role model. I still do when teaching letter formation and correct pencil hold to my Grade Ones. From the surprise element I was taken back as I guess I considered handwriting an important element in writing words, especially as one got into the older grades. From the understanding side, everything we read is in printed text. It really makes more sense to represent words in the way that we read, type and text. It is probably more legible in the printed form. How many times have you wondered what the Dr. wrote on the subscription pad?
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