Children who grip their pens too close to the writing point are likely to be at a disadvantage in examinations, {{U}}(31) {{/U}}to the first serious investigation into the way in which writing technique can dramatically affect educational achievement.
The survey of 643 children and adults, ranking from pre-school to 40-phis, also suggests{{U}} (32) {{/U}}pen-holding techniques have deteriorated sharply over one generation, with teachers now paying far{{U}} (33) {{/U}}attention to correct pen grip and handwriting style.
Stephanie Thomas, a learning support teacher{{U}} (34) {{/U}}findings have been published, was inspired to investigate this area{{U}} (35) {{/U}}she noticed that those students who had the most trouble with spelling{{U}} (36) {{/U}}had a poor pen grip. While Mr. Thomas could not establish a significant statistical link{{U}} (37) {{/U}}pen-holding style and accuracy in spoiling, she{{U}} (38) {{/U}}find huge differences in technique between the young children and the mature adults, and a definite{{U}} (39) {{/U}}between near-point gripping and slow, illegible writing.
People who{{U}} (40) {{/U}}their pens at the writing point also show other characteristics{{U}} (41) {{/U}}inhibit learning, {{U}}(42) {{/U}}as poor posture, leaning too{{U}} (43) {{/U}}to the desk, using four fingers to grip the pen{{U}} (44) {{/U}}than three, and clumsy positioning of the thumb (which can obscure{{U}} (45) {{/U}}is being written).
Mr. Thomas believes that the{{U}} (46) {{/U}}between elder and younger writers is{{U}} (47) {{/U}}too dramatic to be accounted for simply by the possibility that people get better at writing as they grow{{U}} (48) {{/U}}. She attributes it to a failure to teach the most effective methods, pointing out that the differences between{{U}} (49) {{/U}}groups coincides with the abandonment of formal handwriting instruction in classrooms in the sixties. "The 30-year-old showed a huge diversity of grips, {{U}}(50) {{/U}}the over 40s group all had a uniform 'tripod' grip."