I have finished my master’s project, entitled “Good Writers in ‘Dys-guise’: An Experience with Dysgraphia and Legibility in the English Classroom.” (You knew I would write about teaching young writers how to be better writers).
Poor handwriting. (sigh). Some student essays are composed well, but I wouldn’t know, because I can’t read them! I am exploring ways English teachers can deal with poor penmanship, because it is next-to-impossible to read the chicken-scratched essays some kids turn in. It takes too long to figure out what each word says! I need to move fast, people. I have one hundred students and only one weekend, which I do not want to use entirely for grading. Well, which I do not want to use AT ALL for grading.
More importantly, I am considering whether illegible handwriting decreases the self-esteem of four sixth grade boys I studied in my class this year. I want to know those boys’ prospects for the future. How will their handwriting affect them? Should I have done more to teach them to write clearly and neatly?
My questions for you: Do you think handwriting matters? Elementary teachers are spending less and less time teaching it, so now kids are reaching the upper grades with some junky written skills. One school of thought is that handwriting will be obsolete soon, what with all of the digital resources available for communication and note-taking. Do you think it will be? Are you in a profession that necessitates the use of handwriting? What is your realistic prediction for the future of handwriting, and what do you wish the reality would be? Are those two ideas different? Is your handwriting clear or illegible? Whom do you credit for the state of it? If I were your kid’s teacher, would you want me to spend some time on handwriting instruction, or just focus on other things? Do you have any handwriting stories (a time you misread a messy memo, or something)?
I’m just curious.
(You can let me know through comments, wall posts, or individual messages to me, whatever …)