With the National Literacy Trust reporting that children’s enjoyment in writing is decreasing, National Handwriting Day (23 January) feels more important than ever to celebrate the joys of picking up a pen or pencil to write.
Schools have a fundamental role in instilling the skill and joy of writing in young learners. But it is not without its challenges, with the National Literacy Trust’s Annual Report confirming that children’s enjoyment in writing is decreasing, with only 28.7% of children aged 8-18 saying they enjoy writing in their spare time in 2024. However, twice as many children say they enjoy writing at school than in their free time.
Specialist teacher and vice-chair of the National Handwriting Association (NHA), Michelle Stone, told educational publisher, Twinkl that “it is a challenge for teachers when teaching handwriting to a full class, making it difficult to assess how each child is forming their letters.” She believes that consistency is key, and advises KS2 teachers to have a firm understanding of the curriculum to understand the expectations placed on children.
“The DfE hasn’t released a list of recommended handwriting schemes for schools to choose from, unlike with phonics, which can impact the consistency of an approach,” Michelle told Twinkl. “As a result, teachers can often be unclear on how to teach handwriting.”
Caroline McHugh, senior occupational therapist and vice-chair of the NHA said: “Handwriting creates confidence, connection and creativity” and has “personal and cognitive benefits.” She has a number of tips for teachers, including: encouraging children to write for a purpose, involving friends and family, exploring cross-curricular links, creating a display and sharing certificates with learners to recognise achievement.
The importance of handwriting is something Chris Leonard-Morgan, stationery champion and founder of London Stationery Show, is passionate about and he believes handwriting is more important now than ever before in a digital world. “With every new piece of research on the subject, it becomes more and more clear that writing and drawing by hand is not only a crucial life skill but that it enhances cognitive development, and improves memory and creativity. It actually does us good. How powerful is that?”
