It has been suggested that handwriting is no longer relevant or important given that students are exposed to technology at an increasingly young age and can type their work.  Laptops, desktops, iPads and smartphones are being integrated into the educational system as tools for communication in the 21st century.

 

At Foundations for Learning I strongly believe that all students should be able to produce readable and legible handwriting at a rate which meets their needs.

 

I equally strongly believe that all students should also be able to touch type accurately and efficiently to meet school, work and social demands.

 

The photograph above shows the powerful interplay of  written language from keyboarding combined with written language by hand.  It is taken from President Barack Obama's State of the Union Address in Washington in 2012.

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Experts on writing believe that pens and keyboards support different cognitive processes. An American research project compared over 300 university students to establish whether those who took written notes were  better able to answer questions on a lecture than those who used a used a laptop.  Notetaking with a pen gave students a better grasp of the subject as they had to engage with the content and paraphrase, since their rate of output was typically slower than the typists.  Typists were more able to quickly and literally transcribe the presented information.

 

Touchscreens and styluses, such as the  Apple Pencil can now successfully combine the creativity of handwriting and drawing with the speed and efficiency of a computer.

 

Technology can enhance communication; however it is dependent on it being used well to provide the optimal outcome.  Typing using one finger on each hand is not an efficient way of generating text.

 

Proficiency in keyboarding includes being able to maintain a good typing posture, touch type, open and edit basic documents and spreadsheets, use key board shortcuts, print documents, complete and submit electronic assignments for school, send and receive emails and navigate the internet using a web browser. Internet safety is another issue that needs to be addressed as well as issues involving personal safety and appropriate interactions.

 

In Australia the standardised national assessment for students, NAPLAN, is now offering the options of pen-and-paper  or computer testing.   In 2019 there were problems with unsuccessful computer access across several states. Some students were required to re-sit the test at a later date, provoking concerns about increased stress and pressure for students.  The Victorian Minister of Education intervened to allow schools to decide which form of test-taking to use. Students are disadvantaged if they are not competent in both handwriting and keyboarding.

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Foundations for Learning can help to select and implement a keyboarding program that meets each client’s needs and can be screen-based or paper-based.  Occupational therapy can help to provide the structure, planning and support to organise screen-based projects, and in particular, can help students to sort through the mass of information that comes from Google searches to avoid the danger of plagiarism.