DEVELOPMENT
Is the writing on the wall? THE FUTURE IS DIGITAL, BUT THE MARCH OF PROGRESS CAN HAVE UNINTENDED RESULTS
W
hile much about education may feel as if it’s changed, the emphasis on handwriting has stayed recognisably
write letters. Instead, stuck at home, they spent more time online, driving keyboards rather than crayons. Does it really matter? With the exception of calligraphy, it’s a rare profession that requires faultless handwriting as a core skill. Many young children love fun online maths and English games – and who can blame them? Learning to add up as part of a whizzy animated game, rather than on a worksheet, seems like lots of fun. The latter is so last century.
In lockdown, many children missed out on learning to write
consistent. Go into a reception classroom and the sight of four-year-olds’ first efforts at producing wobbly letters that straggle uncertainly up and down will strike a chord with just about every parent. Except, things aren’t quite how they used to be. In lockdown, many children missed out on learning how to form and
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