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The Science of Reading has brought renewed clarity to how children learn to read and write. Grounded in decades of interdisciplinary research, it emphasizes explicit, systematic instruction in the foundational skills that support literacy. While phonemic awareness and phonics are often highlighted, handwriting is an essential and often overlooked component of instruction that aligns directly […]

Guest Post By Kristen Shawley, first grade teacher, Garrett County Public Schools Introduction My name is Kristen Shawley. I am a first grade teacher in a rural school. I had the opportunity to first implement the Handwriting Heroes program in the spring of 2022. I saw amazing results in the short time that we had

Pencil Wars: the pencil is not going quietly. Digital tools are now an essential part of education. Students type, swipe, and interact with screens from an early age. While technology has expanded access to information and communication, it has also led many educators to question whether handwriting is still necessary. Research consistently shows that handwriting

p>Automaticity is the point at which handwriting no longer requires conscious effort. Letters are produced accurately, efficiently, and without deliberate attention to each stroke. When handwriting reaches this level, students are able to focus on spelling, sentence construction, and meaning rather than the mechanics of writing. Automaticity does not develop through time alone. It is

How the Brain Coordinates Handwriting Handwriting is one of the most neurologically complex skills students learn in school. While it may look simple on the surface, writing a single letter requires multiple areas of the brain to communicate and coordinate in real time. Understanding how the brain supports handwriting helps explain why writing can be

Writing by hand does far more than produce words on a page. It actively shapes how the brain processes information, organizes ideas, and builds understanding. When students write by hand, they engage multiple systems in the brain that support learning in ways typing alone does not. This connection between handwriting and cognition helps explain why

Video Script Hi! Today we are going to discuss 5 essential practices to keep in mind when teaching handwriting. Small Groups The first is that handwriting should be taught in small groups. This enables one to closely observe students while they are writing and to provide immediate feedback to correct errors as they occur. When

Video Script Hi, and welcome to the first edition of Teaching Handwriting. Today, I’m excited to talk to you about the importance of using three-lined paper when writing. I refer to the top, dotted-middle, and baseline as the sky, clouds and grass. The area below the grass is the dirt. This structure helps children to

In more than 25 years of practice, I have seen nearly every way a child can hold a pencil. While some methods are acceptable, others can hinder the development of legible handwriting and affect writing endurance. Here are some things to look for when observing the way children hold pencils, as well as some tips

Poor handwriting is often misunderstood. When a child’s writing is difficult to read, it is easy to assume she is rushing, unmotivated, or not trying hard enough. This assumption becomes even more confusing when handwriting appears neat one day and nearly illegible the next. In reality, poor handwriting is rarely about effort alone. Handwriting is