# Discussion on Teaching Handwriting to Children

IELTS Academic Listening - 10 questions - 9 minutes - Multiple choice (choose more than one), Multiple choice

Source: Recording, questions and answer key from Cambridge IELTS 20, Test 4, Listening Part 3. © Cambridge University Press & Assessment. Used for educational practice. Explanations and evidence notes are written by Testmigo.

## The recording

8 minutes of audio. Practice it with the player on the page; the transcript is on the answers page.

## Questions

### Questions 21-22: Multiple choice (choose more than one)

Choose TWO letters, A-E. Which TWO benefits for children of learning to write did both students find surprising?

- **A** improved fine motor skills
- **B** improved memory
- **C** improved concentration
- **D** improved imagination
- **E** improved spatial awareness

### Questions 23-24: Multiple choice (choose more than one)

Choose TWO letters, A-E. For children with dyspraxia, which TWO problems with handwriting do the students think are easiest to correct?

- **A** not spacing letters correctly
- **B** not writing in a straight line
- **C** applying too much pressure when writing
- **D** confusing letter shapes
- **E** writing very slowly

### Questions 25-30: Multiple choice

Teaching handwriting. Choose the correct letter, A, B or C.

25. What does the woman say about using laptops to teach writing to children with dyslexia?
   - A. Children often lack motivation to learn that way.
   - B. Children become fluent relatively quickly.
   - C. Children react more positively if they make a mistake.

26. When discussing whether to teach cursive or print writing, the woman thinks that
   - A. cursive writing disadvantages a certain group of children.
   - B. print writing is associated with lower academic performance.
   - C. most teachers in the UK prefer a traditional approach to handwriting.

27. According to the students, what impact does poor handwriting have on exam performance?
   - A. There is evidence to suggest grades are affected by poor handwriting.
   - B. Neat handwriting is less important now than it used to be.
   - C. Candidates write more slowly and produce shorter answers.

28. What prediction does the man make about the future of handwriting?
   - A. Touch typing will be taught before writing by hand.
   - B. Children will continue to learn to write by hand.
   - C. People will dislike handwriting on digital devices.

29. The woman is concerned that relying on digital devices has made it difficult for her to
   - A. take detailed notes.
   - B. spell and punctuate.
   - C. read old documents.

30. How do the students feel about their own handwriting?
   - A. concerned they are unable to write quickly
   - B. embarrassed by comments made about it
   - C. regretful that they have lost the habit

[Practice online with a timer and instant marking](https://testmigo.com/ielts/listening/discussion-on-teaching-handwriting-to-children) - [Answers and explanations](https://testmigo.com/ielts/listening/discussion-on-teaching-handwriting-to-children/answers)