Getting to grips with the basics

■ There have been comments in the media that students can’t hold pencils or pens as they use iPads and similar technology. They point a finger rather than a nib. Although iPads and similar gadgets are pervasive and all-consuming for younger children, the tests and exams they do are generally handwritten. The use of internet testing for end-of-year national exams is a long way off, as connection dropouts happen and with this many users, access slows down.

As a teacher I have told a number of students the simple truth that “if they can’t read it they can’t correct it”, which is probably a bit simplistic, although most examiners are correcting hundreds of papers in a short time and they don’t want to try to unscramble scribblings.

A quick check of a child’s pen grip shows many hold it in a claw, scratching into the paper rather an elegant light grip which enables the pen to swivel easily and flow.

The basics are there for a reason and all students must be able to communicate their ideas in a manner that can be read.

Perhaps the educational experts should revisit the basics rather than the latest trendy innovations. Let’s sharpen our pencils and tell the students to use

the pointy ends gently and fluidly, and start earning their pen licences. Dennis Fitzgerald Melbourne, Australia