Handwriting Without Tears

Children's handwriting matters.  It matters now, next year, and for years to come.  Handwriting skills affect school success (Feder and Majnemer 2007).  Handwriting is a skill that must be taught.  We teach it deliberately and systematically because we want children to write with good habits automatically.  This skills mastery frees children to focus on their content of their writing, instead of the mechanics.  Elementary students spend the majority of their day doing handwriting work, and good handwriting skills help students write with speed and ease in all their subjects.  The earlier children master this skill, the more likely they are to succeed in school.