Some people say children no longer need to develop handwriting skills. Others believe that handwriting is still important. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

In the past, clear handwriting was essential, as it was necessary for school and university work,

as well as

for many job-related duties. Many people believe handwriting will no longer be useful in the future.

Although

computers are replacing handwriting in many areas, I still believe it is important for children to learn to write legibly. People often talk about a paperless society.

This

means that all communication is carried out by electronic means. If

this

ever truly comes to pass, there will be no need to write by hand. Today, university and high school assignments have to be typed, so certainly handwriting is less important than it was before.

This

has made written communication simpler, as the material can be reorganised and edited without being rewritten from scratch.

Although

there will be less need for handwriting in the future, it is still an important skill for children to learn. Learning to write helps children learn to read, spell and punctuate. These are skills that computers can help with, but they still need input from the computer user.

Furthermore

, many schools and universities still require examinations to be handwritten, and

this

is likely to continue, as there is considerable concern about the possibility of cheating in assignments produced at home on a computer. In conclusion,

although

handwriting is less important than it was, it is still an important part of young people's education.

This

is because it is part of the learning process, and because there are still areas where handwritten responses are necessary.