Russian handwriting in US classrooms in the computer age

[Patricia Chaput]

This is a very quick reply to your question.

We require students to do all of their work in handwritten form during 
the first year, with the exception that students who want to start 
writing compositions on the computer in the second semester may do so.

We require most of the work in second year to be handwritten as well.

We insist on correct Russian shapes of the letters, use special 
"handwriting practice" paper to get correct and consistent letter height 
and letter shapes.  There are sometimes errors that don't get corrected, 
but generally the results are pretty good.  (Our second-year course 
includes a cursive review.)

The reason for all of this is that research and experience show that the 
physical/kinesthetic shaping of the letters aids in recognition, 
spelling, retention.  Human brains are very much programmed for "doing," 
not just observing, reading, etc.  Writing, copying, making one's own 
handwritten flashcards—all of these traditional techniques continue to 
help students learn words, phrases, remember grammar because of the 
kinesthetic dimension to learning.

We do incorporate some computer-based materials, but only as a supplement.

(As an aside, we occasionally have students who do their own practice on 
the computer.  One recently remarked that it had been a mistake, that he 
should have spent that time writing out his practice, that keyboarding 
just wasn't the same for helping him to learn and retain the material.  
Although our "sample" is very small, we continue to have good results 
with having our students write almost all of their work in cursive.)

Pat Chaput
Harvard University



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