Handwriting Classes

[Anchor Lead]

Accustomed to typing on a keyboard or smart device, many people have abandoned the practice of writing by hand. This explains why handwriting skills seem to be on the decline. Some have even enrolled in classes to improve their handwriting skills.

[Pkg]

This office worker in his 20s is in his first year at his job. He does most of his work on a computer or smartphone and he feels nervous when he has to write something by hand. The situation is even worse for young students. Because of their prevalent use of smart devices, their hand grip strength, the basis for good handwriting, is weaker.

[Soundbite] Lee Jong-gyeom(6th Grade) : "My friends and teachers frequently can't read my handwriting."

A comparison of their handwriting against that of elementary and middle school students in 2010 shows that the writing has become paler and messier. 94 percent of teachers answered that more students demonstrate poor handwriting.

[Soundbite] Yoo Seong-young(Head of Handwriting Correction Institute) : "When you write by hand, the strength used to write the first letter should be maintained until the end of the sentence. But nowadays, many people cannot write properly because they lack that strength."

As a result, handwriting correction classes are packed with students ranging from children to adults. Their lessons often begin with the most basic step of properly gripping a pencil. The Ministry of Education plans to focus especially on the 'writing' portion of the Korean language curriculum in elementary schools which is to be strengthened starting next year.