[SENco-forum] Handwriting

From: <SEN at tringham.net>

Human beings are...human and individually we are attracted to things that
are like ourselves.

 If we have nice writing and use extended expressive language we respond
more positively to those who do the same.  However fair or liberal the views
we express research shows it is hard to shake of preconceptions and
stereotypes and gender or stereotypical behaviour and as teachers our
responses to student's written work is the same.  Even Ruth puts the worst
ones to last and grits her teeth and I would say she is one of the good
ones.

Believe me I would rather the news were otherwise.   I have a scrawl that I
find hard to decipher if I go back and try to read it after any length of
time.  My son's writing is so slow (< bottom 10%) and poor that it looks
like a 6 year olds whereas he is 11 with a 130+ IQ & dyslexia.  He would
love to be able to use a computer all the time, but schools do not allow it.
Likewise may employers are now asking for hand written applications to help
them whittle the list down.  Grossly unfair?  Discriminatory?

I have recently heard that teachers have now overtaken doctors as having the
most illegible writing!  Perhaps I am aiming the Speed Up & cursive lessons
at the wrong people!

Sharon

-----Original Message-----
From: senco-forum-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk
[mailto:senco-forum-bounces at lists.becta.org.uk]On Behalf Of Jamie Munro
Sent: 23 July 2007 10:26
To: SEN at tringham.net; Sharon Fawcitt; Becta Senco
Subject: Re: [SENco-forum] Handwriting

I feel I've wandered into a discussion from a previous century.  It's 2007
not 1897 (or even 1987), why are we placing so much emphasis on handwriting
when a lot of us not in school simply don't do it at all any more.  The only
handwriting I ever do is writing cheques, and chip and pin have seen to most
of that.  Oh, maybe the odd shopping list that only I will read.

I'm communicating this by email, over the weekend I communicated with my
local council via their web site, wrote a letter to my local newspaper via
email.  In meetings I take notes using a laptop, I write appointments in my
electronic diary on my mobile phone/PDA.

An essay in flowing cursive deserves an exam grade better than one in print?
Bizarre and grossly unfair!

Jamie

> From: <SEN at tringham.net>
> Reply-To: <SEN at tringham.net>
> Date: Mon, 23 Jul 2007 09:30:33 +0100
> To: Sharon Fawcitt <sfawcitt at dsl.pipex.com>, Becta Senco
> <senco-forum at lists.becta.org.uk>
> Subject: RE: [SENco-forum] Handwriting
>
> Those who are adamant they do not need to change - style or speed are the
> most resistant so it has to be student choice.  I tell them the facts -
> print essays while equal in speed are likely to be marked down by one exam
> grade.  Untidy writing (2 comparable essays) was marked down 2 grades C as
> opposed to A.  My  11 year olds are not to worried by this as GCSE's are
not
> for another 5 years.  As teachers we should be really worried.  For the
> students I am dealing with this is going to be the difference between a
GSCE
> pass and fail and this needs addressing.  The biggest question for me is
> when is the best time to tackle the current handwriting problems -
Reception
> or  KS2.  Secondary students are going to have acquired habits that are
> really hard to influence positively.

--
No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.5.476 / Virus Database: 269.10.14/912 - Release Date: 22/07/2007
19:02

No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.5.476 / Virus Database: 269.10.14/912 - Release Date: 22/07/2007
19:02

No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.5.476 / Virus Database: 269.10.14/912 - Release Date: 22/07/2007
19:02