I remember wondering about how important is good handwriting in first grade. Every morning when I was in first grade, my teacher would start the day off by handing out stacks of handouts to each of us in the class. They were always warm, and they had that distinctive smell of the purple ink which would sometimes smear onto the side of your hand when you wrote. My six year old brain would cringe at the thought of all of that work just waiting on the edge of my desk. A large chunk of that work always included handwriting. I was always good at handwriting, but it was never my favorite, as it always made my hand ache from being stuck in the same position for far too long.
Since my formative years, there has been a lot of discourse that has centered around the importance of teaching handwriting skills. After all, the argument goes, who writes by hand anymore? Doesn’t it make more sense to teach the child how to type instead?
Let me take this time to mention the fact that I am very much in favor of teaching children how to type properly using the home row. This is a necessary life skill and it is helpful that a child is taught the proper technique, before too many bad habits have time to be formed and reinforced. Handwriting, however, still has an important place during the course of your school day. Handwriting is still a valid subject for many reasons.
5 Reasons to Keep Handwriting in Your Curriculum
1. Better handwriting skills have been linked to better reading skills. (When children practice writing letters top-to-bottom and from left-to-right, it reinforces reading skills.)
2. Writing has been linked to better retention of information. (If you want to remember something, it is best to write it down.)
3. It is difficult to do research using primary source documents if you cannot read cursive handwriting.
4. Cursive handwriting is easier for note taking.
5. Cursive handwriting is used for the basis of hand lettering, which can be a powerful motivational tool that links writing with art.
Handwriting does NOT, however, need to be practiced like I practiced it in elementary school. A few minutes a day is all that is really necessary. Handwriting should also be taught separately from writing. When a child is writing, it is important that the flow of ideas be emphasized, not necessarily handwriting or spelling during the rough draft portion of the writing process.
Handwriting can be taught in a 5-10 minute segment of your day. Home School Navigator’s My Best Handwriting Booklet reviews the word wall words for the week and allows the child to practice handwriting in a manageable 5-10 minute daily timeframe.
It is important to remember, however, that if a child has be diagnosed with dysgraphia, dyslexia, or ADHD, handwriting will often pose a challenge. In these cases, handwriting should still be practiced (sometimes teaching cursive actually helps these kids because it allows them to get their ideas written down faster) but extra grace should also be given. Handwriting can be a real struggle for some kids and it should not be turned into a battle with your child. With kids that struggle with these issues, encourage their efforts, even when the efforts are not perfect.
Handwriting is not a lost art. It has a place in the school room and is an important activity for brain development and the retention of learning. The good news? You no longer need a pile of handouts and a purple, aching hand every day. A few minutes is all you need!
Home School Navigator’s program includes handwriting so you don’t have to find your own! Check it out today! www.homeschoolnavigator.com