A Lichfield expert has recommended that parents of children with dyslexia should invest in a fountain pen for their child this Christmas.
Dr Daryl Brown, headteacher at Maple Hayes Dyslexia School, believes that while toys, books and computer games are all the rage, parents should include a more traditional gift in order to improve their child’s literacy and encourage handwriting.
Dr Brown said: “Writing in cursive makes every letter feel different, so is a form of kinaesthetic learning. A child with dyslexia can learn correct spellings by the individual feel of each letter.
“A fountain pen gives a much better feel than a ballpoint pen, as there is a considerable difference between the upstroke and downstroke when forming letters – which makes each letter easily distinguishable.
“Cursive handwriting also keeps the pen in contact with the paper through the word. Once a child has learned cursive writing they do not have to focus their attention on visually forming and placing each letter. This enables them to write faster.”
Although the teaching of handwriting is a requirement in UK primary schools, there is no national style or official model for teaching handwriting, meaning the technique and style varies from school to school.
The compulsory teaching of handwriting has been dropped completely in the US, with Indiana being the latest US state to scrap the teaching in favour of typing skills in July.
However, researchers at Indiana University have criticised the move. Its independent research, conducted using baseline brain scans, has shown that handwriting is an important tool in brain and motor skill development as well as reading skills.
Dr Brown said: “I am not at all surprised by the University’s findings and I think it is dangerous to rule out the teaching of cursive handwriting completely. I have seen for myself how it can aid educational development, particularly with dyslexic children. If you are stuck for stocking fillers this year, a good fountain pen is a gift that could go a lot further than you think.”
For more information on the work Maple Hayes Dyslexia School undertakes, visit the website.
