Video: Optimal Instruction Through Building Connections

Connections are the lifeblood of learning. We learn by connecting new ideas to what we already know. This video uses an example from the Handwriting Without Tears program to show the role of connections in effective instruction. Besides aiding note-taking skills and other study skills, handwriting can serve as a model for best practices in education generally.

We look at how Handwriting Without Tears groups letters so their shapes build on each other, instead of treating each shape as an isolated fact to learn. Susan discusses the strategy’s effectiveness in teaching handwriting to her own son.