Chapter 9 – Handwriting

Consider the following statements and click to reveal the answer.

1. List some ways in which handwriting is linked to memory and thinking.

Answer:

The experience of handwriting is linked to the cognitive activities involved in reading; handwriting experience before schooling has been found to predict later academic achievement; handwriting also seems to help cement ideas / memories into writers’ minds.

2. What is orthographic-motor integration?

Answer:

Orthographic-motor integration is the ability to call to mind and write letter shapes, groups of letters and words efficiently and effectively.

3. Why is automaticity in handwriting so important in the development of writing?

Answer:

Automaticity in handwriting is achieved when a process can be carried out swiftly, accurately and without the need for conscious attention. The development of skill in writing requires the automatization of lower-level skills such as handwriting so that they use less of the available working-memory resources, which are more easily devoted to composition.