1 April 2016

“Not so cautious!” – An article on the “Handwriting 2020 campaign” in “Grundschule” magazine

The Schreibmotorik Institut and Didacta Association “Handwriting 2020” campaign calls for improved promotion of handwriting in kindergartens and schools. Laura Millmann’s article in the April edition of the “Grundschule” magazine provides concrete information about the “Handwriting 2020” campaign and describes its practical application in a childcare centre in Cologne.

Dr. Christian Marquardt presented playful exercises for promoting writing motor skills to five children and the head of the childcare centre. The boys and girls eagerly raced coloured pencils across paper racetracks, wrapped stick men they had drawn themselves in many colourful clouds and thus playfully trained their motor skills. Under no pressure at all and with a lot of fun.

Children need targeted support in developing their handwriting, preferably before they start school. This is exactly what the “Handwriting 2020” campaign aims to provide. According to the current Schreibmotorik Institut parent survay and teacher survey, an extensive programme should be implemented to minimise the problems many children currently have with writing. Every child should have the chance to develop flowing, legible handwriting.