Authored by Alana J. Tutwiler in Child Education
Published on 07-01-2009

So many people use email and text messaging to communicate each day that some have come to regard handwriting as a lost art. Handwriting is still very important for many types of communication, however, so it is really important that it is still emphasized in school.

The most obvious reason that good handwriting is important in school is that for the majority of class and homework assignments, the student’s work is handwritten. If a child doesn’t have good handwriting, then the teacher will have a hard time deciphering their work and this can lead to lower grades. If a child has bad handwriting, they may not be able to understand it themselves, so they make take notes or complete a study guide, only to find it difficult or impossible to read it back and thus hinder their study efforts.

Handwriting is also important in schools because it prepares students for using handwritten communication in everyday situations. While email is useful for a lot of things, sometimes it is not the most appropriate way to communicate in written form. There are times when a more personal touch is needed and this is achieved by using handwritten notes or letters.

For example, if a child receives a gift from a relative or friend for their birthday or another special occasion, writing a handwritten note is more appropriate than sending an email. This is especially true if the person who gave the gift is an older person, such as a grandparent, who may not use email. Family members also treasure the handwritten notes of children as momentos to be held onto.
Another example of an occasion when a handwritten note is appropriate is when writing a letter of apology. If a child does something wrong, like running in Grandma’s house and breaking a figurine, writing a handwritten note of apology shows sincere remorse. Of course, taking money from the child’s allowance may show even more remorse!

Handwriting is important when students get older and begin applying to colleges or for jobs. After interviewing with an admissions counselor or a hiring manager, sending a handwritten note is a good way to thank the person for their time and to remind the person why you are a good candidate for the school or the job. Career experts highly recommend this technique when looking for a job and almost all of them agree that sending an email is not the best way to accomplish this.

Handwriting is important in schools because the school setting gives students the chance to practice their handwriting, as well as their spelling and grammar, so that they will be able to use handwritten communication as a part of business and social etiquette. In this way, schools can help to lay a good foundation of handwriting skills so that students will be prepared to be successful in everyday life.