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
Share This:
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manuscript and cursive is an outdated relic from bygone days and is no longer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.
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.
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.
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.
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/.
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
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!).
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Copyright
© 2015 International Dyslexia Association (IDA). We encourage sharing of
Examiner articles. If portions are cited, please make appropriate reference.
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