The quality of children’s handwriting has declined so significantly that many teenagers now require handwriting lessons in secondary school.
Experts in the UK are pointing to society’s increasing dependence on technology as the main reason behind this worrying trend.
Liz Maguire, creator and curator of Flea Market Love Letters, recently spoke on Newstalk Breakfast about how technology has impacted children’s handwriting skills.
“Handwriting is an art form, and like any art, it requires practice,” she said.
According to Maguire, our culture’s “over-reliance” on screens has changed the way we communicate, meaning there are fewer opportunities for children to practice handwriting.
Writing is quickly becoming a skill that’s falling behind as kids and teenagers use more digital devices more regularly
Beyond the loss of skill, Maguire spoke about the broader mental health benefits that come with writing by hand.
“There is a proven link between memory and the act of writing,” she explained, highlighting research that shows how physically putting thoughts on paper aids memory retention.
Maguire added that writing by hand can provide a mental break from screens, which became particularly important during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The trend of letter writing and journalling surged during lockdowns, with people looking for ways to reconnect that didn’t involve a screen.
However, as life resumed a sense of normalcy post-pandemic, many families struggled to maintain reduced screen time.
Maguire observed that children were often “handed back the iPads” as families returned to pre-pandemic routines.
“The impact of this shift back to screens really hadn’t been considered,” she said.
Maguire suggested that parents take simple steps to support their children’s handwriting skills, like encouraging them to write letters to friends and family.
This practice not only builds fine motor skills and letter formation but also fosters emotional connection in a way that digital messages simply cannot replicate.
As screens become even more integrated into daily life, a renewed focus on handwriting could help children reap both academic and emotional benefits.
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