The Writing On The Wall

Handwriting is essential. Computers are great for typing as fast as one thinks as posted by Soto2000, but handrwriting forces your mind to slow down - to make sure you are thinking about what you are saying. Handwriting also has a direct correlation to eye/hand coordination. It's a visual learning experience as well as a physical one, forcing the brain to expand it's capabilities. I too have become very dependen upon a keyboard on the computer, but when the computer is not available I write - in cursive! Some people have such wonderful handwriting that it can be considered an art form as well. I will ensure my children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren do not lose the ability to print, write in cursive, and learn the use of a computer keyboard.

This is a great topic for discussion. When I first learn the characters in the English alphabet, I thought it was great! I looked forward to learning cursive, because I associated this with being a grown up. As time passed, we moved to California where the elementary school teachers refused to accept anything other than cursively written documents. By now, I started disliking cursive writing. I wished I could revert back to printing, as non-cursive writing was called. My printing was superior to any cursive writing. Then I discovered the typewriter. and later the computer. At this point in time, the only cursive writing that I do is when I signed documents or checks. Even in college, I never wrote my notes in cursive. When I wrote term papers and such, I brainstormed on the computer. I found it to be a waste of time to write out the paper by hand then transfer it onto a wordprocessor. I think faster than I write and typing is the only thing that can barely keep up. Anyhow, I disagree on how important cursive writing is. Once you learn it as a child, use it to perfect your signature, and drop it. If you are concerned about keeping up during notetaking, learn shorthand. That is a more effective way to capture your notes.

We live an a new ere where trees are becoming a scarce commodity. Handwriting will probably go by the wayside as signet rings and wax of old did. Technology will definitely bring a welcomed end to cursive writing.

As an occupational therapist, I have seen printing and cursive writing go out the door. Kids are not properly being taught how to write, and this is affecting their academic performance. Furthermore, these kids are likely to have behavior problems as they need to expend so much effort trying to figure out how to form the letters correctly when given a task, such as writing a story or essay. Handwriting needs to be addressed appropriately in the early grades to avoid problems later in life!

I am all for continuing the teaching of penmanship. I can feel the difference in myself whenever I write a nice note to someone, or receive one in return. The feeling is one of a direct connection to the person, without the "intermediary" or veil of electronics. I am not saying wonderful things are not typed! I use my computer constantly for a variety of tasks. And, I love having the ability to choose.

Being a state assesment test scorer for essays, I can say from experience how important good pensmanship is. When reading childrens answers to essay questions more times than not I am unable to descipher what the child is saying. What they don't realize is if i can't read it I can't give them credit for being correct. These test determine if a child will be passed on to the next grade level and for high school students could mean graduating or not! Please parents, teachers, require that handwriting be at the very least...legible!

Boy, have times changed. I hadn't planned on commenting on this article, but after reading the comments below I felt it was necessary. I am currently a college student going through her last year of college. And I must say that I don't think we have put less emphasis on writing and spelling. In fact, I feel as if we have put more emphasis on it, however busy lives and little time has allowed us the luxury of double checking what we have written. I believe the electronic age has not led to laziness but to increasing our work load. Before a (good) research paper would take 3 weeks to create. You would have to go to the library, get 3 good books, find an article, and a source. Now they (meaning instructors) would like students to give it to them in a week, with twice the amount of sources that they previously required. Now yes, a student can do all his work sitting down in front of a computer and then calling up two sources but the time has been shortened. Thereby shortening the time one has to create notes and outlines. During that shortened time, I am not thinking about how my penmanship looks on paper, or if it is even spelled correctly. Nope, I am thinking about how to give my professor this research paper on top of the other homework that he has assigned me, on top of the other homework/projects my other 3 professors have assigned me, while working a part time job, and maintaining a clean house. With my apparent lack of time, do you really think a person such as myself would be concerned with how my writing looks? For myself, I have to say that I am not. However, I will take the time to make sure that my spelling is correct and my penmanship is legible when I go to fill out an application. Because that is when it counts.

Boy, have times changed. I hadn't planned on commenting on this article, but after reading the comments below I felt it was necessary. I am currently a college student going through her last year of college. And I must say that I don't think we have put less emphasis on writing and spelling. In fact, I feel as if we have put more emphasis on it, however busy lives and little time has allowed us the luxury of double checking what we have written. I believe the electronic age has not led to laziness but to increasing our work load. Before a (good) research paper would take 3 weeks to create. You would have to go to the library, get 3 good books, find an article, and a source. Now they (meaning instructors) would like students to give it to them in a week, with twice the amount of sources that they previously required. Now yes, a student can do all his work sitting down in front of a computer and then calling up two sources but the time has been shortened. Thereby shortening the time one has to create notes and outlines. During that shortened time, I am not thinking about how my penmanship looks on paper, or if it is even spelled correctly. Nope, I am thinking about how to give my professor this research paper on top of the other homework that he has assigned me, on top of the other homework/projects my other 3 professors have assigned me, while working a part time job, and maintaining a clean house. With my apparent lack of time, do you really think a person such as myself would be concerned with how my writing looks? For myself, I have to say that I am not. However, I will take the time to make sure that my spelling is correct and my penmanship is legible when I go to fill out an application. Because that is when it counts.

As a state assessment test scorer I can speak from experience about the importance of good pensmanship. I have to grade test that will determine if a child is passed on to the next higher grade and there are times (more times than not!), where the handwriting is so "poor" as to be unreadable! What the children don't realize is that if I can't read your answer, I can't give you credit for it being correct! Teachers as well as parents should require that the students handwriting be legible!

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I hope you do not speak for all teachers. I had great teachers growing up. The teachers who did not complain where the best at the job. I also had teachers who complained all day about hoe hard they had it, they were the teachers your parents feared you would wind up with. I believe your comment was uncalled for.
If a parent is upset because the school system failed the child don't beat the parent up for that. I get that teachers make sacrifices but in todays world you are not the only profesion that does.

I see some posters stating that their own children can't sign their names, and they're in HIGH SCHOOL. That's a problem. At work I review lots of contracts and releases that require print and signature. It's amazing how many people do either one or the other, and if they do both they are both illegible. You are often asked to print in case the signature is illegible (sometimes we develop quirky signatures as an expression of personal style, which is understandable). Just the same, it's a problem if you can't read either one.

I don't think there's a direct correlation between the ability to write AND think creatively or critically. Expression isn't less creative if a keyboard is employed. Just the same, people HAVE to be able to pick up a pen and piece of paper and be able to communicate coherently. I don't see how this can even be debated. We all don't walk around with computers and PDAs as our sole communication tool. We ALL have to be able to be literate to function in society. Computers are still just tools for communication in ADDITION to our ability to write and spell. You can't be considered completely literate if you CAN'T SIGN YOUR NAME. It's also not about the ability to take notes, or write thank you notes and letters. It's simple - writing will ALWAYS be necessary, and the ability to do it coherently is invaluable. Being able to write in script gives you the ability to write faster - printing is less fluid and time-consuming. Occasionally, like when filling out a form, you will need to print, but it is usually without time constraints. You are usually asked to print when clarity is required, and usually in block letters. Everyone should be able to do this without difficulty. If we can't, that's a problem.

Even though I'm a good typist, I still write out my thoughts before typing them. I edit while typing, but my notes are handwritten. That's how I wrote my papers in college (I was using a typewriter then), and that's how I still write anything that's at least a page long.

It's shocking to me that we've come to a point where we would consider the ability to write and spell correctly somehow less important, just because of the emergence of the computer. I see writing and typing as two distinctly separate skills. Both are necessary, but typing should never be considered an adequate replacement for solid writing skills. It's embarrassing the poor handwriting I encounter in my daily life - handwriting so poor that the author themselves have difficulty deciphering their own scrawlings. I've been told that I "write like a girl" because I write neatly in both print and script/cursive. I've developed my own distinctive style by replacing letters like Q from the standard (like a large #2) to the print version, as well as other letters. Just the same, I ALWAYS write legibly. Some don't even distinguish between the two - their writing is an illegible combination of the two.

Like magrob, I got turned on to fountain pens while in high school, and now in my 40's I still write with them. I own a Sheaffer and a Brooks Brothers Limited Edition Tie Clip model. Though I communicate by email with friends daily, I still write letters, with a fountain pen, for more personal communication. All thank yous are handwritten. I've always enjoyed penmanship - it's a combination of artistic expression AND basic communication. It's invaluable to be able to express yourself properly and clearly by writing. The electronic age has led to laziness in grammar and structure, even in business communication. If we can no longer find the proper time in the school day, we should give penmanship assignments that students can complete for homework, and encourage students to practice it.

Born in 1956, reading, writing and arithmatic were required and stressed, as well as science, history and language. When it was my son's time to go to school, I worked three jobs so my son could attend a school with the same teaching curriculum. The local schools did not teach penmanship, math, science, reading and writing; they stressed passing tests, with no reqards to retention of the information. Penmanship was practiced daily, and if my son misbehaved at school, sentences were added to his homework to reinforce discipline. As a single mother, I removed my son from the school in 7th grade; I could no longer afford it. My son tested in the gifted program at public school, at least one year ahead of his peers. Today, as an electrical supervisor, those "never to be used" skills contribute tremendously to his financial well-being. My siblings have children that have been taught in the Georgia public school systems, what a tragedy. No writing skills, no verbal skills, no logic. When is the public school system going to realize that no matter what advanced information and tests are used, without the basics, the "why's", the "reasoning power", "the ability to write down your thoughts in a legible format, these childred can't get a job!!! As a manager for 30 years, Why should I have to interview 25 people to find one or two that can count change, or answer simple questions? Poor education processes hurt everyone, student, parent, and job force. Wake up! Cherokee5623

I'm in my 40's, and in elementary school I LOVED pensmanship, especially cursive writing. I can't imagine how it could be seen as less important. Even in the computer age, you still need to know how to write and spell properly and legibly. It amazes me the poor handwriting that I encounter in everyday life, with some people writing so illegibly that they can't understand their OWN writing, let alone have someone else be able to decipher it. Like you, magrob, I got turned on to fountain pens while in high school. I started with the inexpensive ones, and eventually upgraded to a Sheaffer, and recently a Brooks Brothers limited edition Tie Clip Model. I love that they allow you to write more lightly, avoiding that "writer's cramp" you referred to. Even in the age of email, I still enjoy writing letters, using a fountain pen.

Though I remember learning cursive letters by the book, over the years I developed my own style, replacing letters such as the standard cursive Q (which looks like a large #2) with a version closer to the print Q. I also did the same with other letters. I've always been told I write "like a girl" because my handwriting is neat. So many have developed handwriting where there is no difference between print and cursive - both are an illegible combination of the two. I think we need to get back to an emphasis on writing. If more time can't be devoted to it during the school day, give penmanship assignments for homework.

As a single mother, I am very proud of my son who is almost thirty, with a child on the way. He learned his basics with the Beka Learning System; old fashioned reading, writing and arithmatic. Practicing penmanship was not only required, but also used as a tool for misbehavior. My son has beautiful penmanship-precise, legible, well compased. As an electrical supervisor, this has come in quite handy; just as handy as the algebra and geometry for which no one saw the importance of learning. . Back to basics, parents; before you have another generation of children who cannot think for themselves, much less express an idea. Cherokee in Georgia

I am in high school, and there is a definate difference between the students who can write neatly and those who cannot. My handwriting is a mix of cursive and print, but it is legible. There is a friend of mine that is personally asked by teachers to type his papers and homework up because they cannot read his handwriting. This doesn't help him if he can't read his own notes that he takes in class, and this is high school, not college. Neat penminship is definately needed, my parents handwriting is so much more neater then mine, and although i cannot copy it exactly, my own is still neat enough to write up a report and get an A without the need of a computer.