F2F Class Notes (Nemo)[R]

A study shows that new technology is reducing children’s ability to use a pencil or pen. The study is from the National Health Service in the UK. Researchers said that nowadays, children spend so much time swiping iPads or mobile phone screens that they cannot hold a pencil properly. Children are not using pencils, so they now lack the muscle strength in their hands to be able to write properly. Researcher Dr Sally Payne said: “Children are not coming into school with the hand strength and [ability] they had 10 years ago. Children coming into school are being given a pencil but are increasingly not able to hold it because they don’t have the fundamental movement skills.”

The researchers said technology is changing the physical way that children write, draw or make things. Children are increasingly using technology to create. Dr Payne explained why. She said: “It’s easier to give a child an iPad than encourage them to do muscle-building play such as building blocks, cutting and sticking, or pulling toys and ropes. Because of this, they’re not developing the underlying foundation skills they need to grip and hold a pencil.” Some experts say technology may be causing bigger problems. One expert said if a child isn’t strong enough to hold a pencil, perhaps their whole body is weak. She said it was better for children’s physical development to climb trees than to watch YouTube videos.

I work as an engineer.

Vocabulary

cut down (v): 1-to do or use less of something:
E.g.: I’m trying to cut down on caffeine.
E.g.: She used to work 50 hours a week, but recently she’s cut down.

swipe (v): 1- to move your finger over the screen of a mobile phone or tablet in order to move onto the next page, choose something, etc.:
E.g.: Swipe left to see more search results.

rope (n): 1 (a piece of) strong, thick string made of long twisted threads:
E.g.: A sailor threw a rope ashore and we tied the boat to a post.
E.g.: a coil of rope

underlaying (adj): 1-used to describe something on which something else is based:
E.g.: The price of the investment fell below the value of the underlying assets.

stick (v): 1- to cause something to become fixed, for example with glue or another similar substance:
E.g.: I tried to stick the pieces together with some glue/tape.
E.g.: He stuck up an announcement on the board with pins.
E.g.: This glue won’t stick.
E.g.: My car’s stuck in the mud.

nowadays (adj): 1- at the present time, in comparison to the past:
E.g.: Who remembers those movies nowadays?
E.g.: Nowadays, I bake my own bread rather than buy it.

lack (n): the fact that something is not available or that there is not enough of it:
E.g.: Her only problem is a lack of confidence.
E.g.: Lack of sleep had made him irritable.
E.g.: If he fails it won’t be for/through lack of effort (= he has certainly tried).

weak (adj): 1- not physically strong:
E.g.: It’s not surprising you feel weak if you haven’t eaten properly for days.
E.g.: The electromagnetic field strength becomes weaker as you move further away from high voltage cables.
​2-not strong in character, so that you are not able to make decisions or to persuade or lead other people:
E.g.: He was a weak king surrounded by corrupt advisers.
​3-A weak argument or excuse is one that is not likely to be accepted or believed:
E.g.: Any evidence that exists to support the hypothesis is fairly weak.
E.g.: He gave the weakest of excuses when asked why he was late.
​4-A weak drink contains a lot of water compared to its other contents, so that it does not have a strong flavor:
E.g.: I can’t stand weak coffee.

Pronunciation

cutting-/ˈkʌt̬.ɪŋ/
whole-/hoʊl/
increasingly-/ɪnˈkriː.sɪŋ.li/