The Lure of the Elusive Quick Fix

In the 21st century 21% of elementary children have a mental health diagnosis, with 15% on psychiatric medication (Michael and Crowley 2002). While there are many problems associated with medicating children, the most worrisome fact is that there are no psychiatric medications available that have been tested on children, only medications that have been tested on adults (Fisher and Fisher 1996, Antonuccio et al 2002).

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Progress and Prospects from 1980 to 1994

This study documents that in 1993, 70% of teachers indicated that handwriting was "not as good as it should be", and expressed concern regarding the "downward plunge in the standards of handwriting legibility required of elementary school children".  Authors also state that students who have difficulty with automaticity of writing, thus achieving poor quality and quantity of written output, results in avoidance and minimization of the writing process.  Authors state that for beginning writers, both visual and verbal modeling appears to be the most effective means of introducing a letter prior to practice (i.e. the teacher demonstrates how a letter is made while describing how it is formed). 

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