How Combining Handwriting & Literacy Lead to Student Success

It’s every K–5 teacher’s goal to give their students a strong understanding of the basics. Handwriting and literacy are two of the most important parts of young student development. They lay the foundation for the plethora of subjects students will be exposed to in the years to come.

Though they are usually taught separately, the two can be combined to foster confidence in communication skills within students and reinforce the most important parts of each subject.

Here are three reasons why you should consider merging handwriting and core writing lessons:

1. Reinforcement of Proper Handwriting Technique Across Subjects
   
   Combining handwriting and literacy lessons gives students the opportunity to apply the same handwriting technique in various subjects. Journals and paper that contain the same structure as students’ handwriting student editions can serve as additional practice that can happen passively as students become fluent in other academic areas.
    
2. Student Engagement through Creative Lesson Design
   
   Both teachers and students can get creative with core writing activities. Teachers have the freedom to pick themes or create their own, while students are encouraged to analyze and think critically about fun discussion points. One of the best parts of these creative core writing exercises is that students are simultaneously mastering handwriting skills.
    
3. More Teacher Time Due to Lesson Combination
   
   Another bonus to combining handwriting and literacy lessons is the extra time that it puts back into a teacher’s day. It’s simple: by reinforcing two skills at once, instructors can focus more time toward the areas where students need the most attention.

With Building Writers student editions, which combine both core writing and handwriting practice, teachers save even more time by not having to search for random, loose-leaf writing practice materials. Download our Building Writers Infographic or Teacher Resource to learn more.

P.S. Don’t forget to stop by Booth 712 at the International Literacy Association 2019 Conference on October 10–13 so we can continue the literacy conversation in person.

We wish you and your students a Happy International Literacy Day!

By Monet Stevens Monet A. Stevens is a graduate student at Georgetown University. She has interned with several organizations across the Greater Baltimore and Washington D.C. Metropolitan area including the Smithsonian and the Surety and Fidelity Association of America. Monet is passionate about strengthening communities and empowering individuals through mass communication. She recently graduated from Towson University and moved back to her hometown near Washington, D.C. where she hopes to make a positive impact.