Right to write

HAVING recently retired from teaching, I was interested to read about the effect of tablet computers on children (Mail).

Handwriting requires physical and mental co-ordination, not to mention the need to learn spelling and grammar. It also assists in the retention of information.

When the school I was working in was transformed into an academy, all the children and staff were issued, at great cost, with an iPad. My reluctance to jump on the digital bandwagon saw me labelled as a reactionary and a dinosaur.

The result of this experiment, which has now been abandoned, was the worst GCSE results for 20 years.

Typing might be the norm these days, but for the sake of our children’s development, we must not let schools abandon handwriting and the fine motor skills and hand, eye and brain co-ordination it helps develop.

Name and address supplied.