Handwriting has become a bigger and bigger problem, starting with Gen Z. Students’ handwriting is so ugly and indecipherable that it is impossible for examiners to grade their papers correctly.
Handwriting is a problem among students. Photo by Alina Mitran
Beginning with Gen Z, handwriting has deteriorated with each generation of students, to the point where handwriting has become a “barrier to success,” as some experts say, because it’s virtually impossible for teachers to write in appropriately something I can’t read, notes the DailyMail.
“Handwriting is a barrier to success. Many candidates seem to struggle to write clearly and intervention would be recommended in this case. It is impossible to give a fair grade to something that cannot be read. Consider using a word processor if a candidate’s writing is very difficult to decipher,” Recommends UK teachers a report from English language test review boards.
The problem of handwriting is widespread worldwide, however, and some experts warn that it could deteriorate further in the near future as schools increasingly use laptops and tablets in teaching, and students are frequently asked to write projects also on electronic devices.
On the other hand, there are also teachers or examiners who say they require that, in the future, candidates use word processors or even “scribes”, who write down what a student dictates, during exams.
Historian Drew Gilpin Faust, who was also the first female president of Harvard University, says that about two-thirds of Generation Z cannot write cursive, and the teaching of handwriting is already on the decline as laptops, tablets and lessons of ” typing” occupies an increasingly important place in the classroom.
Calligraphy, as an independent subject, has disappeared from school curricula all over the world, which has led to the ever-increasing deterioration of handwriting. This while specialists warn that there is a strong connection between writing and memory, attention and the ability to speak correctly, and giving up this habit can be dangerous.
The fact that handwriting requires the mind to a greater extent is reflected in the increase in cognitive abilities. Handwriting activates certain parts of the brain involved in thought processes and allows for easier storage and management of information, say psychologists.
