In today’s digital world, where children often commute electronically using acronyms such as IDK – for “I don’t know” – and emojis, educator Dianna Henn is sure there is still a need for students to learn handwriting and cursive skills.
The national organization Learning Without Tears believes learning cursive is still a valuable skill, and invite parents and educators to attend a workshop March 22 and 23, for tips on how to teach cursive to children.
“It is imperative that we continue to teach handwriting to students,” said Dianna Henn, national presenter for Learning Without Tears. “And cursive is the most efficient. When students can write quickly and efficiently, they can express themselves better.”
The conference, which will be held at the Marriott Denver Westminster, uses a novel approach to teaching the skill of cursive. An approach that replaces grueling repetition and curly-cues of yesteryear with a focus on efficiency and legibility, according to Henn.
The program uses a Magic C bunny puppet, and encourages students to become physically involved and have fun.
“Think about your day. Have you ever gone an entire day without picking up a writing utensil?” asked Henn. “Even though we have access to smartphones, iPads and computers, we still pick up a writing utensil every day.”
According to Learning Without Tears, learning cursive may improve brain development in areas involved in thinking, language and working memory. A recent UCLA/Princeton study found college students remember lectures better when they’ve taken handwritten notes rather than typed ones, and a similar study showed that jurors recalled details of the trial better if they took handwritten notes. According to Henn, some professors are no longer allowing laptops or devices in the classroom.
“The conference is open to anyone—parents, teachers or therapists, who want to learn how to teach cursive and print to their children from pre-kindergarten to 5th grade,” said Henn.
Friday’s workshop will be held from 8 a.m. to noon, and will cover pre-k and writing. Saturday’s workshop will be held from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with cursive instruction from 1-4:30 p.m. To register, visit lwtears.com.