Practice Handwriting on the iPad

While STE does not have any plans to begin using iPads for teaching purposes, I know many of you have them and your children are quite gifted when it comes to navigating their way around the apps and the games they play.

Below is another article sent to me from Caroline Means.  It discusses using handwriting apps on the iPad, which could be a way to get your children to continue practicing their cursive over the summer. I have had mixed results using note taking apps on my iPad, especially with a stylus.  It could be my cursive has deteriorated to such a horrible extent that the apps just cannot cope!

I have found that if I write in BIG cursive letters, the apps using a stylus replicate my writing better than the tiny sloppy script that has developed over years of neglect coupled with constant keyboarding.

Since our lower school students are taught to write their cursive with BIG letters, both lower and upper case, cursive practice on an iPad might be a good and fun summer discipline.

The research follows:

Practice Handwriting on the iPad

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April-May 2015

By Dr. Cheesman’s App Chat: Practice Handwriting on the iPad

Attention: parents, educators, and tutors! If your child or student spends just 10 minutes a day in a simple activity that would strengthen cognitive development and achievement in all academic areas, would you make time for this in your busy schedule? Of course you would. Consider this: Replace unproductive “down” time with handwriting practice. Imagine kids quietly practicing handwriting instead of idly waiting between activities. It’s a win-win situation for all!

Simply provide daily time to practice writing individual letters, words, phrases, and sentences. This does not involve composing original text (e.g., writing in journals that involves thinking time); instead, the focus is on learning to form letters and development of automatic letter formation skills. Developing automaticity in forming individual letters and connecting cursive letters is crucial, but frequently neglected.

You may feel that legible handwriting in both manuscript and cursive is an outdated relic from bygone days and is no longer necessary in today’s world of technology. For cursive, I would argue that a person who cannot read and express himself or herself in all written forms of a language is not fully literate. I recently heard an interview by a renowned scientist who received a request for information from a child. “But please don’t write in cursive,” the child implored, “because I cannot read cursive.” The scientist thought it was funny, but I thought it was tragic. Here was a child who wanted to learn more about advanced science, but was not fully literate in his own language.

For a variety of reasons, handwriting has been reduced to secondary status in educational standards, K-12 instruction, and university teacher preparation courses. This practice disregards some compelling facts:

·       Poor handwriting costs businesses and government agencies millions of dollars annually through poorly written phone numbers, mailing addresses, tax returns, etc. (Wolf, 2011).

·       Automatic letter formation reduces reversals and letter confusions (e.g., b and d, p and q, h and n) (Wolf, 2011).

·       In a study by James and Engelhardt (2012), when pre-literate children wrote letters in freehand, it activated the brain’s reading and writing circuit. In contrast, when the children typed or traced letters, this “literacy circuit” did not activate.

·       When handwriting becomes fluent and automatic, people have more mental resources available to transform ideas into print, increasing both the quality and quantity of writing (Graham and Santagelo, as cited in Saperstein Associates, 2012).

·       Without consistent exposure to handwriting, people have difficulty remembering how to form letters, reproduce letters, spell accurately, extract meaning from text or a lecture, and interpret the context of words and phrases (Saperstein Associates, 2012).

·       College students who took notes in longhand performed better on conceptual questions than those who took notes on laptops (Mueller and Oppenheimer, 2014).

This last item inspired me to require students in my university teacher preparation courses to take notes in longhand.

For students with dysgraphia—a specific learning disability of impaired handwriting and/or spelling—early intervention with specialized instruction is a vital, non-negotiable part of literacy instruction. For a concise discussion of dysgraphia identification and instruction, download the free IDA Fact Sheet, “Understanding Dysgraphia,” from the website of the International Dyslexia Association (http://eida.org/understanding-dysgraphia/).

Researchers and education thought leaders convened in Washington D.C. for “Handwriting in the 21st Century? An Educational Summit” on January 23, 2012 to discuss research and opinions regarding the role of handwriting instruction in the 21st century classroom. For proposed PreK-8 Written Language Production Standards and handwriting facts related to general education, go tohttps://www.hw21summit.com.

Selecting Apps

This review includes several different sections:

·       Highlights apps that include freehand formation practice.
Research suggests that forming letters freehand activates the reading and writing brain circuits, whereas merely tracing does not.

·       Includes writing styli.
The best stylus enables one to write more precisely than with a finger, and it also provides a writing utensil experience that will better facilitate skill transfer to paper writing tasks.

·       Includes apps that transform handwritten notes into printed text.
As a “techie,” I can understand why some of my university students were distraught when I required note-taking in longhand. After all, it is so much easier to retrieve and study electronic notes than handwritten notes. Letter recognition apps that transform handwriting into printed text offer a compromise.

Letter Formation Apps (Latin or Roman Script)

There are two major issues to consider when choosing letter formation apps:

1. Developers often include letter-sound associations instead of linking the letter name with its shape.

·       More often than not, vowel letters are indicated by long vowel sounds, not the short vowel sounds in closed syllable words appropriate for beginning readers.

·       The letter x is frequently associated with /z/ as in xylophone, rather than /ks/ as in fox, the most common sounds associated with x and most appropriate for beginning readers.

2. The apps do not include free-hand practice activities, but only letter recognition or tracing activities. If an app had both of these issues, it was not included in this list.

·       Handwriting Without Tears: Wet Dry Try by No Tears Learning ($4.99)

This is my all-time favorite app for practicing letter formation. It gives clear verbal instructions, models each stroke clearly, and provides both tracing and freehand practice. The oral feedback is both prompt and specific (e.g., “Don’t go outside the line!”). In addition, the app allows each student in a classroom to sign in and practice letters while the app records progress and errors. Via the Live Insights website, the instructor can access reports, view graphs, and analyze the data for each student individually or collectively as a class. Cons: None. I wish the developers would make a cursive version!

·       Writing Wizard and Cursive Writing Wizard by L’Escapadou ($4.99) Uppercase and Lowercase Letters.

This app pronounces the name of the letter before modeling the strokes; thus, it links the name of the letter with the shape, provides accurate and common related sounds associated with the letter, and gives immediate corrective feedback. One can customize the font style, size and writing image (colorful stickers or plain pen tip), and add custom words with audio. Under Profiles and Reports, the data collection feature tracks the progress of unlimited users. There are many other customization options as well. Cons: It does not provide an opportunity for freehand practice.

·       StarDot Handwriting by TrishCO www.stardothandwriting.com ($4.99)
This app has two learning sequences: “kinesthetic” (arranged by common shape) and alphabetical order. It supports unlimited users and provides reports. The website has printable worksheets. Cons: There is no immediate corrective feedback. One can write very poorly and still be rewarded.

·       LetterSchool by Boreaal ($4.99)
This engaging app provides three modes of progressively more difficult letter formation practice with immediate corrective feedback. The final version is a freehand mode. Cons: Some vowels are represented by long vowel sounds; the keyword for x is “xylophone“ /z/ rather than “box” /ks/.

·       J’écris en cursive-apprendre à écrire by L’Escapadou (4,99 €)
The developer is a native French speaker. This version is comparable to the English versions

Handwriting Recognition Apps

Once letter formation has become accurate and fluent, one can use handwriting recognition apps for note-taking when voice recognition apps are not appropriate. Digital keyboards cannot match the speed or versatility of writing by hand, particularly when using cursive script. These apps transform handwriting into text. A feature called “palm guard” allows the user to rest one’s palm on the tablet surface without creating errors.

·       Notes Plus by WritePad Pro ($9.99 plus $2.99 for the handwriting recognition add on)
This app produces standard HTML document files that can be viewed on any computer using practically any internet browser. You can also export documents as PDF files and translate to other languages. This app learns to recognize your handwriting and vocabulary, and offers multilingual support in English (UK, US), German, French, Spanish, Portuguese (BR, EU), Italian, Dutch, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, and Finnish. It also features a spell checker with a customizable auto-corrector (although on the website, the word “corrector” was misspelled!).

·       My Script Smart Note by My Script http://myscript.com (free, with premium in-app purchase)
This app turns handwritten words (in 54 languages) and math formulas into text. It also can display a word’s definition, search with a web browser, or send a page or notebook to a contact name in your address book. One can add voice recordings and images into the text. Just as with word-processed text, one can search terms within the text. The free version includes one notebook (10 pages). The premium (paid) version has unlimited pages, enables the user to print pages, and connects with several other apps.

·       My Script Memo by My Script http://myscript.com (free, with premium in-app purchase)
This app is also available in Android, although with lower ratings. This note-taking app does not require perfect handwriting. It supports handwriting recognition in 31 languages and various scripts (e.g., Arabic, Hebrew, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean). It can be adapted for left- and right-handed users. Another helpful feature is the personal word bank that recognizes the user’s vocabulary.

·       My Script Calculator by My Script (free)
This app allows one to write the mathematical expression on the screen. The app converts symbols and numbers to digital text and then performs the calculation. It is much faster than a calculator with a keyboard! Sloppy handwriting is not recognized, so this is the perfect app for perfecting digit formation skills.

Writing Styli

·       Cosmonaut ($25.00)
This stylus has a thick, wide-grip device akin to a dry-erase marker, which may make it the best app for children were it not for the price! It has a rigid tip that requires more pressure than a conventional soft tip.

·       Adonit Jot Pro Fine Point Stylus for Apple, Android, Kindle, Samsung and Windows Tablets ($29.95)
The Jot Script is 15 inches long and has the natural feel of a real pen, although it is wider in order to accommodate the battery and electronics inside. It has a small tip like a pen or pencil instead of a fat rubber tip. It requires power to work (i.e., a single AAA battery), so you must have a spare battery available. It will work on a variety of touch screens, including Android tablets and smartphones. The stylus has two modes of operation: battery power and Bluetooth. The battery power mode gives the user a writing experience that is akin to pen on paper. Without power, stylus tips need to be much fatter (like a fingertip) to be registered on the screen. The Bluetooth enables the device to connect with compatible applications like Evernote and GoodNotes. The precision tips deteriorate with time, and you must purchase spares. These tips can detach unexpectedly, so use the protective cap.

·       Adonit Jot Mini Fine Point Stylus ($19.95)
This is a smaller, portable version of the Jot Pro. It has a small, circular disk on the point and may also take a bit of adjustment time.

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REFERENCES

Wolf, B.J. Teaching Handwriting. In Birsh, J.R. (2011). Multisensory Teaching of Basic Language Skills, 3rd Ed. Baltimore, Paul H. Brookes, Inc.

James, K.H. and Engelhardt, L. (2012). The effects of handwriting experience on functional brain development in pre-literate children.Trends in Neuroscience and Education, 1(1) pp 32-42), ISSN 2211-9493, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tine.2012.08.001.

Mueller, P.A. & Oppenheimer, D.M. (2014). The Pen Is Mightier Than the Keyboard: Advantages of Longhand Over Laptop Note Taking.Psychological Science, 25(6), 1159-1168.

Saperstein Associates (2012). Handwriting in the 21st century? Research shows why handwriting belongs in today’s classroom. A summary of research presented at Handwriting in the 21st Century? An Educational Summit. Columbus, OH: Saperstein Associates. Retrieved from hw21summit.com/media/zb/hw21/H2948_HW_Summit_White_Paper_eVersion.pdf.

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Dr. Cheesman is an associate professor at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs. The courses she developed were among the first nine university programs officially recognized by the International Dyslexia Association for meeting the Knowledge and Practice Standards for Teachers of Reading.

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Copyright © 2015 International Dyslexia Association (IDA). We encourage sharing of Examiner articles. If portions are cited, please make appropriate reference. Articles may not be reprinted for the purpose of resale. Permission to republish this article is available from

Why Bother with Cursive?

Many thanks to Carolyn Means for passing this on to me!  The research continues to show the need to teach cursive writing from a young age.

Why Bother with Cursive?

April-May 2015

By Diana Hanbury King

In the first place, cursive is undeniably much faster. “Kate Gladstone, a handwriting specialist based in Albany, estimates that while a student needs to jot down 100 legible words a minute to follow a typical lecture, someone using print can manage only 30” (Freedman, 2005).

When writing cursive, the word becomes a unit, rather than a series of separate strokes, and correct spelling is more likely to be retained.

All lower case cursive letters can begin on the line, so fewer of them are likely to be reversed.

Most critically, handwriting engages more cognitive resources than keyboarding does (Berninger, 2012).

Other benefits from teaching cursive include the ability to read cursive. The Declaration of Independence and many other important archival documents are written in cursive. A cursive signature is more difficult to forge than a printed one.

Anna Gillingham advocated teaching cursive from the beginning, and many schools designed for students with dyslexia do the same (e.g., The Kildonan School, Camperdown Academy, and Sandhills School). In France, and in many other European countries, cursive is taught from the beginning.

It has been argued (by some who should know better) that learning to write using cursive makes it more difficult for beginning readers. This is simply not the case. Reading and writing, although both tasks involve written language processes, engage different circuits within the brain. First graders can easily master formation of lower-case cursive letters by Christmas. When working with older students from fourth or fifth grade on up, I have never needed to spend more than two weeks establishing formation of these letters. Upper case letters take longer, but students can certainly continue to print upper case letters in the meantime.

Before the student begins to write on paper, all cursive formations should be practiced with the student standing up and working on a whiteboard or chalkboard. The four-step multisensory procedure known as “Trace, Copy, Cover, Closed” is vital (March 2015 Examiner).  Be sure that each letter begins on the line and ends with a “smile” that is the beginning of the connecting stroke to the following letter.

Use of “Simultaneous Oral Spelling” (i.e., SOS) is important. As students form each letter when writing a word, they say the letter name (not the sound) out loud. Say to the student, “Always tell your hand what to do.” This procedure, known as Simultaneous Oral Spelling, or SOS, reinforces letter formation.

From the beginning, it is essential to establish correct posture, paper position, and pencil grip:

·       Posture
The student sits with back straight or tilted slightly forward and feet firmly on the floor. The desktop should be no more than two inches above the elbow when the arm is hanging down by the student’s side. If the desk cannot be adjusted, use a pillow and a box or stool so that the feet are not left to dangle. Both elbows should be on the table—we call this the “listening and learning position.”

·       Paper Position
The paper must be slanted at a forty-five degree angle that is parallel to the writing arm. Thus the arm can pivot freely from the elbow as the writing moves across the page. The non-writing hand is kept at the top of the page to anchor the paper and to move it up—like the roller in a typewriter. Correct positioning is especially important to avoid the left-handed hook. Anna Gillingham said that people who use this hooked position are “a monument to the ignorance or laziness of that child’s teacher.” Taping or painting a “V” at the bottom of the desk can serve as a reminder. Another method is to have parallel lines slanted according to the child’s handedness as a guide.

·       Pencil Grip
The pencil is gripped between the thumb and index finger, with the middle finger forming a shelf underneath. The end of the pencil should point toward the shoulder. All fingers are slightly bent. This is known as the “tripod grip” and is the most efficient.

There are various pencil grips and pencils on the market designed to help students hold their pencils appropriately. Avoid cheap ballpoints that write only when the pencil is held vertical to the paper. Sometimes gel pens or felt-tipped pens work best. Experiment to find what is most helpful to the individual.

Students should learn to write cursive letters in an order based on ease of formation. The “finish-later letters” (i.e., i, t, f, j – below in cursive) need special practice so that the student does not stop in the middle of the word in order to add the dot or the cross. The most difficult to connect are the “bridge letters” (i.e., b, v, w – below in cursive). Connecting these letters requires targeted practice.

Practicing a letter formation a few times is more effective than writing endless lines of a single letter. Once the alphabet has been mastered, it should be practiced daily at the beginning of every session. The twenty-six letters should be written in two lines, a to m and n to z.

Encourage students to work slowly and carefully at first. Eventually, they should be able to write the lower-case alphabet in less than two minutes.

Upper-case cursive letters are more problematic. All lower-case cursive letters begin on the line. In contrast, only four upper-case cursive letters begin on the line (i.e., I, J, G, and S – below in cursive). For this reason, cursive capitals are best taught in groups according to beginning strokes. Most cursive capital letters end on the line and join directly to the next letter, but six do not (i.e., D, P, T, V, W, X – below in cursive).

The earlier cursive is mastered, the more likely it is to become established as a life-long habit. Never forget: Writing exercises the brain, keyboarding the fingers.

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REFERENCES

Berninger, V.W. (May-June 2012). Strengthening the Mind’s Eye: The Case for Continued Handwriting Instruction in the 21st Century. Principal, 28-31.

Freedman, S. G. (January 19, 2005). Back to the Basics of a Legible Hand. On Education. The New York Times.

Klemm, W.R. (March 14, 2013). Why Writing by Hand Could Make You Smarter. Psychology Today.

Mueller, P.A. & Oppenheimer, D.M. (2014). The Pen Is Mightier Than the Keyboard: Advantages of Longhand Over Laptop Note Taking. Psychological Science, 25(6), 1159-1168.

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Diana Hanbury King, Lit.hum.Dr.h.c., F/AOGPE, was the founder of Camp Dunnabeck in 1965 and co-founder of The Kildonan School in 1969. She was a Founding Fellow of the Academy of Orton-Gillingham Practitioners and Educators (AOGPE). Her vision created cutting edge education for students with dyslexia, and she developed a program for training teachers at Kildonan that has become a model program. Dr. King has also published teaching materials, particularly in the area of written language skills that have been used by thousands of educators throughout the world. The International Dyslexia Association awarded her the Samuel T. Orton Award in 1990 in recognition of her gifted teaching that “has enhanced beyond measure the quality of life for a myriad of dyslexic students and their families.” In 2013, she was awarded the Margaret Byrd Rawson Lifetime Achievement Award by IDA in recognition of her compassion, leadership, commitment to excellence, advocacy for people with dyslexia, and work nationally recognized as furthering the mission of IDA.

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Copyright © 2015 International Dyslexia Association (IDA). We encourage sharing of Examiner articles. If portions are cited, please make appropriate reference. Articles may not be reprinted for the purpose of resale. Permission to republish this article is available from info@interdys.org.