Pencil, Paper and AI: Why Handwriting Still Matters at NAS Abu Dhabi

More than letters on a page

Handwriting asks a lot of a child: coordination, muscle control, concentration and perseverance. None of it arrives overnight, and writing stamina has to be built step by step through Primary.

It starts in Early Years, with finger gyms, handling tools, mark-making and bigger movements that build coordination and core strength. It doesn’t stop once children can form their letters. Throughout Primary, we keep teaching handwriting directly and give children chances to write by hand across the whole curriculum, not just in English. As they grow, the focus moves to fluency, presentation and stamina, so they can get more complex ideas onto the page. Clubs and #MEtime sessions offer extra practice too.

Why it matters

The Education Endowment Foundation recognises how important it is for children to build their handwriting, spelling and writing skills, so they can focus more on composing and sharing their ideas. Research also shows that the physical act of handwriting can support early letter and word learning.

There’s a simple reason for this. When forming letters takes less effort, children have more room to think about their vocabulary, their sentences and their creativity.

There’s also something valuable in giving children time to think, plan, write, reflect and improve their work. Not every answer needs to be instant, and we don’t want children to depend on technology to come up with their ideas for them.

Technology with a purpose

We often say our curriculum should be ‘fit for time, purpose and place’. It means that what we teach, and the tools we use, are right for our children and the world they’re growing up in. Just because a digital tool exists doesn’t make it the best way for a child to learn. Technology should support learning, not replace it.

In Early Years and Year 1, learning is hands-on and play-based rather than screen-based. Children can still start to understand AI through practical activities, like exploring how computers spot patterns and sort information. As they move through Primary, technology is introduced with a clear purpose. We also teach AI literacy: what AI can do, how it works, where it falls short and why we should always question what it produces.

The OECD’s 2026 Digital Education Outlook points the same way. It found that generative AI can improve the quality of students’ work, but that doesn’t mean they understand more. AI works best when it has a clear educational purpose, rather than standing in for the thinking and effort that learning needs.

A school full of words

Reading, spelling, vocabulary, handwriting and writing are all taught directly at NAS Abu Dhabi. They’re also built through learning in every subject, whether children are writing a story, explaining their scientific thinking or recording what an enquiry has shown them.

Our library sits at the heart of the school. Author visits, good books and time to read for pleasure all help children fall in love with reading. We teach vocabulary in every subject too, from everyday words to subject-specific terms, because children need a strong base of knowledge and language to think deeply and say what they mean.

Thinking for themselves

Our enquiry-based approach asks children to ask questions, investigate, make connections, challenge ideas and reach their own conclusions. These skills matter even more in a world where information, including AI-generated content, is everywhere.

It was never really a question of handwriting versus technology. What matters is knowing when each one helps most.

“Sometimes the most appropriate tool will be a pencil and paper. At other times, technology or AI may open up opportunities for creativity, collaboration, exploration or learning that would otherwise not be possible.”
— Leah Atkins, Deputy Head of Primary

What we want is children who can think for themselves: curious, creative, knowledgeable and confident. Leading the way in education doesn’t mean leaving the basics behind. It means preparing children for the future while making sure they have the foundations to thrive in it.