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RTÉ News
26-05-2025
- Health
- RTÉ News
4 tips for improving handwriting in the Junior and Leaving cert
Analysis: At this point in the academic year there is little that can be done to improve your speed, but there are quick ways to increase legibility It is that time of year again when approximately 120,000 students will sit the Irish Leaving and Junior Certificate examinations. Like in many countries, students in Ireland continue to write their State examinations by hand despite the huge surge in technology. This is not a bad thing as there are many benefits to writing by hand including better recall and learning. However up to 15% of students (12,000-15,000) heading into their exams will have a handwriting difficulty of some sort characterised by either reduced writing speed, poor legibility or both. Some children may present with handwriting difficulties due to a developmental disorder such as Developmental Coordination Disorder/'dyspraxia, dyslexia, Developmental Language Disorder, ADHD or Autism. Other children may find it challenging due to environmental factors such as lack of practice or explicit teaching of the skill. Handwriting speed (or typing in the case of keyboarding) is crucial to writing performance. We know from research that the number of words a person can handwrite or type per minute predicts not only how much they will write in a free writing task (such as an exam) but how good that piece of text will be ie grammar, punctuation, spelling, idea development and cohesion. This is because when handwriting or typing is laboured, the individual must divert valuable cognitive resources away from generating content and toward the mechanics of writing—such as forming letters or locating keys. From RTÉ Radio 1's Drivetime, Novelist Ally Bunbury reacts to new research which shows that handwriting may boost brain connections more than typing does For most people handwriting begins to become speedy from eight to nine years of age at which point they can start to devote cognitive resources to higher-level processes of writing such as planning, generating and reviewing text. They will no longer need to focus on producing letters on the page as this process should now be automatic. However for children who have not yet developed handwriting speed this can impact on overall productivity and the quality of their written communication. At this point in the academic year there is little that can be done to improve handwriting speed as it takes time to rectify and develop. However there are quick wins for increasing the legibility of writing which just as important as speed though for a very different reason – to ensure the exam text is readable. Unlike handwriting speed, legibility does not develop in a linear way and does not increase with age or experience. Many of us will have our own unique style despite being taught (or not) to form letters in a particular way. Handwriting legibility is important for examinations in particular due a phenomenon known as legibility bias where text that is easier to read may yield a more positive evaluation. While examiners are very experienced with navigating text that is difficult to read there are some strategies that can be implemented by students to make their text more readable in time for the June exams. Spacing: Letters and/or words that sit too closely together or overlap can be difficult to read. To improve this, take a look at something you've written recently. Are your letters crammed together, overlapping, or stacked on top of each other? If spacing is an issue, come up with your own simple reminder to leave space as you write. When a strategy is your own, you're much more likely to remember it and use it. Size: Letter size can also play a key role in how readable your handwriting is—especially when letters are too small. Letters fall into different categories: tall ascenders like l, f, t, h, b, d; descenders that go below the line like p, g, y, q; and mid-height letters like r, n, m, o, w, z. The key is to avoid writing so small that letters become hard to distinguish. For instance, if letters like a, d, or e are too tiny, they can lose their inner spaces and start to look like l or i. Tip: If your writing is very small try to generate a strategy to remind yourself to write larger letters as it allows for all gaps to be visible in letters that require them. Sitting: Letters that sit properly on the line are much easier to read. This is because consist ent alignment gives handwriting a cleaner, more structured appearance. When combined with good spacing and appropriate letter size, consistent placement helps the reader follow the text more easily. Tip: Make sure your letters sit as close to the line as possible. Avoid "floating" letters, as they disrupt consistency and reduce overall readability. Alterations: Another key issue that affects legibility is the addition of extra strokes to letters or words. In exam situations, students often try to correct mistakes by writing over letters or adding to them, which can make the text harder to read. Instead, it is more effective to simply cross out the incorrect word, place it in brackets, then rewrite it clearly. This will keep the text cleaner and more readable for the examiner. Letter formation plays a crucial role in handwriting, but—much like developing speed—it isn't something that can be fixed overnight. However, frequent and explicit teaching of handwriting in the classroom can lead to better outcomes. Good Practice for Handwriting resource by the National Handwriting Association.
Sky News
09-02-2025
- General
- Sky News
Almost half of parents of children with disabilities struggle to find a school that meets their child's needs
"It breaks my heart," says a parent of a child with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD). But navigating the Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) system can be an overwhelming battle. Tiya Currie, a mother from north London, knows this struggle all too well. She has spent years fighting to secure the right educational support for her five-year-old son, Arun. Arun has DLD, a lifelong language disorder that affects at least two children in every classroom. "We were completely broken hearing this news. It was absolutely earth-shattering," she told Sky News. Ms Currie added: "We had to very quickly accept his disorder and disability and focus on how to secure his future. "It's really heartbreaking to see that he can't engage with everyone around him. "It breaks my heart to see him go through that. "He is my baby." For Ms Currie, the process of securing an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) was exhausting. "At every step, there were hurdles, obstacles, challenges. It was really, really difficult the whole way through," she explained. After facing repeated dismissals from professionals, the family was forced to spend £16,000 on private assessments, reports, and legal support to prove Arun's needs. Ms Currie said: "We were met with a lot of dismissive attitudes, just acknowledging something was wrong was a battle." But beyond the financial and bureaucratic struggles, the emotional impact of DLD on Arun has been distressing. "Arun becomes quite isolated. It can be so frustrating for him. This shatters his confidence completely," she said. Arun has secured a place at a mainstream primary school with a specialist speech and language unit, but it's 13 miles away, and the local authority has yet to arrange transport. Ms Currie is not alone. Growing demand for special education Many families of children with special needs say the system is broken and specialist schools are feeling the pressure too. Ms Currie's local authority said it always works with families to try to resolve disputes despite stretched budgets and increasing demand. It said: "It is also worth noting that we are seeing growing demand for special education provision, while costs increase, and budgets are stretched. The National Audit Office has warned that the system is financially 'unsustainable' and 'in urgent need of reform'." It added that, in spite of "severe pressures on our services", it was one of a few local authorities to deliver 100% of their EHCP plans within the legal time limit of 20 weeks. Kevin McDonnell, headteacher of Stormont House Special School, said: "Local authorities haven't had the power to open special schools, and it's been illegal for them to do so. "They often get unfair blame, but I hope the new schools bill will help change this." 'Breaking point' • 45% of parents of disabled children say they have struggled to find a school that meets their child's needs; • 45% have had difficulties getting their EHCP delivered; • 38% say their child must travel a long way to access the right support. Harriet Edwards, head of policy, public affairs and research at Sense, said: "We've got evidence across the board that local authorities are not meeting their statutory obligations. Fifty per cent don't assess children in the timelines that are required. "We need far more accountability for the areas of failing on that obligation to support disabled children. "The emotional impact cannot be underestimated. Many of these families are at breaking point, battling for support on every front, social care, education, health. "It shouldn't have to be this way." The government has allocated £1bn for SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) provision in the latest budget. But many say funding alone won't fix the deep-rooted issues within the system. Mr McDonnell said: "It will make a difference, but school budgets are already struggling. "The funding for additional support hasn't kept pace with inflation or with our understanding of how these needs should be met." A spokesperson for the Department for Education told Sky News: "Every child and young person deserves the best life chances, which is why we announced a significant £1bn investment into the SEND system and a further £740m for local authorities to create more specialist places where they are most needed. "But in a system that is too skewed towards specialist provision and over-reliant on EHC plans, we know families are too often forced to fight to get the right support. "We are determined to rebuild families' confidence in a system so many rely on. The reform families are crying out for will take time, but with a greater focus on mainstream provision and more early intervention, we will deliver the change that is so desperately needed."
