Press releases
Press release April 2019
STEP 2019 study results: More time for handwriting!
The vast majority of teachers in Germany are seeing a worsening of the skills needed for the development of handwriting and of pupils’ handwriting in general. These results are taken from a representative survey carried out by the VBE Verband Bildung und Erziehung together with the Schreibmotorik Institut from September 2018 to January 2019.
Press release January 2019
Handwriting Day: The Schreibmotorik Institut launches project for schools
Handwriting Day is on January 23. To mark this occasion, the non-profit Schreibmotorik Institut is inviting secondary schools to take part in a special project. The project is entitled “Educational Opportunity Handwriting – better written than forgotten” and aims to get students to recognise the value of their personal handwriting.
Press release: Handwriting Day: The Schreibmotorik Institut launches project for schools (PDF)
Press release November 2018
What’s the deal with handwriting? VBE and Schreibmotorik Institut ask teachers
How well can students write by hand? The VBE Verband Bildung und Erziehung has worked with the Schreibmotorik Institut to create a survey among teachers that should provide current answers to these questions.
Press release January 2018
Handwriting Day: scientist demonstrates effective early promotion of writing motor skills
23 January is Handwriting Day. More and more children are having problems with handwriting – a preventative approach to promoting motor skills can counteract this. Four- and five-year-olds at a pre-school in Cologne demonstrate just how effortless this is in practice under the guidance of a scientist from the Schreibmotorik Institute.
PRESS Release November 2017
Handwriting remains – even in the digital age. But…
“The media are changing, but handwriting remains.” And, “Education needs handwriting in a sensible digital context.” These are two working theses that scientists, teacher trainers, representatives of culture ministries as well as teachers and occupational therapists want to discuss at an international symposium held by the Schreibmotorik Institut in cooperation with the TU Darmstadt’s Institute for Ergonomics on 10 November in Darmstadt. The focus will be upon the opportunities and risks of handwriting in the context of digitalisation as well as upon addressing the fundamental issues of future educational practice.
Press release: Handwriting remains – even in the digital age. But… (pdf)
PRESS Release October 2017
Most children start writing their name at the age of four
Pre-school children are usually highly motivated to learn to write. Through a survey of mothers, the Schreibmotorik Institut, Heroldsberg, has now investigated children’s first attempts at writing. After all, even in the digital age, handwriting is still of vital importance. An international symposium held by the Schreibmotorik Institut in cooperation with the TU Darmstadt’s Institute for Ergonomics on 10 November in Darmstadt will be addressing precisely this topic.
Press release: Most children start writing their name at the age of four (pdf)
PRESS Release August 2017
“Handwriting 2020” campaign: State Secretary Stefan Müller pledges political support
The “Handwriting 2020” campaign for the promotion of writing motor skills gets political backing: “We want to do everything we can to support this important initiative”, said Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister of Education and Research Stefan Müller during his visit to the Schreibmotorik Institut, Heroldsberg, one of the founders of the Handwriting campaign.
Press Release June 2017
Handwriting in the age of digitalisation – an international Symposium addresses the latest developments
Handwriting and digital technology – by no means a contradiction, as shown, for example, by the development of digital pens that are used to convert handwriting into text files. On the other hand, there are international efforts aimed at increasingly replacing handwriting with typed letters in schools. Where are developments headed? A conference at the TU Darmstadt turns a spotlight on this issue.
Press Release May 2017
The ‘Scribble Mentors’ programme kicks off at PUMA – children get introduced to writing with motion games
In the ‘Scribble Mentors’ programme, adults work with four and five-year-olds practicing special motion games that have been developed by scientists to improve hand and finger coordination. The start of the campaign in the headquarters of the sports company PUMA on 19 May 2017 at 10am will show just how much fun this can be.
Press release:The ‘Scribble Mentors’ programme kicks off at PUMA (pdf)
PRESS Release January 2017
Handwriting Day: improving the promotion of handwriting
23 January is Handwriting Day. More and more children are having problems with handwriting –the “Handwriting 2020” campaign aims to counteract this.
Press release: Handwriting Day: improving the promotion of handwriting (pdf)
Press Release FEBRUARy 2016
Press conference at Didacta: The Schreibmotorik Institut and the Bundeselternrat [German Federal Parents Council] presented a nationwide parent survey – the “Handwriting 2020” campaign has begun
A recent survey conducted on behalf of the Schreibmotorik Institut, Heroldsberg, with the support of the Bundeselternrat [German Federal Parents Council], makes it clear that even in the digital age, handwriting is still an important educational issue –too many children are having problems with it. The Didacta Association and the Schreibmotorik Institut have now launched the “Handwriting 2020” campaign.
PRESS Release August 2015
Combating increasing problems with handwriting: teachers from North Rhine-Westphalia and Hesse want pupils to train their motor skills more effectively
After the publication of the results of the national teacher survey carried out by the Schreibmotorik Institut together with the German Union of Teachers (Deutscher Lehrerverband), the first qualitative analysis of answers to an open question is now available for North Rhine-Westpahlia as well as Hesse.
PRESS Release APRIL 2015
Survey of teachers clearly shows: problems with handwriting at school are increasing
Teachers in Germany are seeing more and more pupils who have problems with handwriting. This is based on a survey carried out by the German Union of Teachers (Deutscher Lehrerverband, DL) together with the Schreibmotorik Institut in Heroldsberg.
Press release: Survey of teachers clearly shows: problems with handwriting at school are increasing (PDF)
Detailed survey results: Problems in handwriting development (pdf)
Questionnaires: primary school teachers and secondary school teachers (in German)
PRESS release JANUARy 2015
National Handwriting Day: Teachers lament over pupils not able to write properly
January 23rd is the National Handwriting Day – a good reason to focus on the growing problems with handwriting.
Press release: National Handwriting Day: Teachers lament over pupils not able to write properly (pdf)
Press release November 2014
Motor skills prior to shape
When it comes to writing everybody immediately thinks of script. But first we have to understand how writing works. Learning to write is above all learning to move.
Press Release April 2014
10 reasons to write by hand
A current study by Princeton University proves: handwriting leads to learning advantages
The better the development of media technology, the lesser we write by hand. If one takes up a pen from time to time, the result is more often than not a handwriting which is hardly legible, contains many errors and on top of that hurts when writing extensively. But, there are good reasons to write by hand more frequently:
Press release February 2014
Expert Meeting: What is good handwriting?
International dialogue with scientists and specialists from the fields of education, health care and sports
Press release: Expert Meeting: What is good handwriting? (pdf)
Press release January 2014
The Schreibmotorik Institut in a nutshell
The Schreibmotorik Institut is a unique institution in Germany. It compiles the whole specific knowledge concer ning learning to write by hand.
Press release: The Schreibmotorik Institut in a nutshell (pdf)
Press Release November 2013
“Understanding how writing works”
How do children preferably learn how to write with their hand? This question is a key issue for the recently founded Schreibmotorik Institut in Heroldsberg. Dr. Christian Marquardt is one of the scientific advisory committees of the institution. He has been researching for more than 25 years on this topic. His realisation: We could do a lot better.
Press release: Interview with Dr. Christian Marquardt: “Understanding how writing works” (pdf)
Press Release November 2013
Is handwriting on the brink of extinction? Experts demand better encouragement
Writing by hand is no longer compulsory for primary school pupils in most of the U.S. States. Many American children learn how to write only with the keyboard. Handwriting is also being pushed back in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Experts demand to improve its promotion at schools. And that with good reason: There is a close connection between writing with one's hand and the ability to learn.
Press release: Is handwriting on the brink of extinction? Experts demand better encouragement (pdf)
Press Release February 2013
Poor grades for handwriting: foundation of the schreibmotorik institut
The Schreibmotorik Institut wants to help reduce shortcomings when writing by hand with support by reputable scientists and by focussing on motor skills as a key tool. Children should enjoy learning to write from the start.
Press release: Foundation of the Schreibmotorik Institut (pdf)