Prepared by Latofat Mukhamedjanova

Topic: Handwriting

❓Do you usually write by hand?

Not really anymore. These days I find myself typing a lot on computers and texting on my phone, so I rarely use paper and a pen anymore. That said, I still have to jot down notes in some classes because laptops are not allowed. I think it’s a pain, really.

❓Nowadays, how do most people write things?

Most people of my age use their smart phones to make simple notes. But, the elderly, I think still rely on paper-based writing, for example, making the grocery list. Other creative people like writers also prefer diary writing over computer notes.

❓Do you think handwriting is important nowadays?

Definitely yes, handwriting is an important thing. No matter, how much we have moved towards digitization, good handwriting does save a day. When people are always working on computers, to be able to write allows the mind to function in a different way, making it active.

❓Do you think handwriting will be replaced by computers?

Definitely yes. I think the speed with which we are adapting technology, it is very much possible that our next generation would be dealing with computers all the time. However, it is highly unlikely that handwriting will be replaced by computers in schools in the near future. But, as for professional work, digital notes in their full form are just around the corner.

❓Is it still necessary to keep handwriting?

Definitely. I think it’s important to teach young kids to handwrite. I think handwriting exercises really do wonders for their cognitive development. For example, my brother who has a really beautiful handwriting is a brilliant kid.

❓Is your handwriting easy for other people to read?

I am proud to say yes, most especially when I write in cursive. I remember when I was a student, my teacher often put some high marks on my composition because my penmanship was the most legible one in my class. I was always attached to filling in important documents because of my clear handwriting.

❓What impression does a person ’s handwriting have on other people?

I think handwriting can speak volumes about somebody’s personality. For example, if you have neat handwriting, people tend to think that you are a good-hearted person. On the other hand, if your writing is unintelligible, they may think badly of you. It’s quite an antiquated way of thinking, I guess.

❓Can we tell someone’s personality from his or her handwriting?

Perhaps, it does but not totally and I think it’s hard to generalize like if one has good penmanship, he’s already organized and if one doesn’t have, he’s already unorganized person. Well, we need to consider that sometimes a person can write neatly, especially when he’s not in a rush or when he’s in the mood to write, but if not, he can be as messy as a grader. Although we can get an idea of the personality of person through his handwriting, it’s still not the ultimate basis.

❓When do children begin to write in your country?

Nowadays children have started writing a lot earlier. They normally join the schools at the age of 4 and they will have already learnt to write by the age of 6.

❓How did you learn to write?

I learnt it at the age of 5 while I was in kindergarden. I clearly remember finding it really difficult and begging my sisters to write intead of me to not to be punished. But as I grew older, I mastered this skill and started enjoying it.

❓How can children improve their handwriting?

The only thing that can help is practice and doing it perfectly. So, parents can buy practice books which focus on developing handwriting. For instance, cursive books. Children should try to imitate the way things are written there. Only by imitating good handwriting, a child can learn how to write properly.