Cambridge University may end handwritten exams
10th May 2022
Contents
The Article 2 Discussion (Student-Created Qs) 14
Warm-Ups 3 Language Work (Cloze) 15
Before Reading / Listening 4 Spelling 16
Gap Fill 5 Put The Text Back Together 17
Match The Sentences And Listen 6 Put The Words In The Right Order 18
Listening Gap Fill 7 Circle The Correct Word 19
Comprehension Questions 8 Insert The Vowels (a, e, i, o, u) 20
Multiple Choice - Quiz 9 Punctuate The Text And Add Capitals 21
Role Play 10 Put A Slash ( / ) Where The Spaces Are 22
After Reading / Listening 11 Free Writing 23
Student Survey 12 Academic Writing 24
Discussion (20 Questions) 13 Homework 25
Answers 26
,THE ARTICLE
The world-renowned Cambridge University is considering abolishing
handwritten exams after 800 years. University officials may ask students
to type their exam answers on a computer rather than use a pen. The move
follows complaints from examination markers who say they are finding test
papers increasingly illegible due to poor handwriting. Academics say
today's students primarily use laptops in lectures and tutorials instead of
pens. Students are losing the ability to write by hand. One academic said
asking students to hand-write exams actually causes them physical
difficulties. The muscles in their hand are not used to writing extensively
for prolonged periods of two to three hours.
A Cambridge University lecturer, Dr Sarah Pearsall, told Britain's 'Daily
Telegraph' newspaper that handwriting was becoming a "lost art". She
said: "Twenty years ago, students routinely [wrote] by hand several hours
a day, but now they write virtually nothing by hand, except exams." She
added: "We have been concerned for years about the declining handwriting
problem. There has definitely been a downward trend. It is difficult for both
the students and the examiners as it is harder and harder to read these
[exam] scripts." Dr Pearsall says some students' handwriting is so illegible
that they had to return to the university over the summer to read their
answers out loud to examiners who could not read their writing.
2
, WARM-UPS
1. HANDWRITING: Students walk around the class and talk to other students
about handwriting. Change partners often and share your findings.
2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, talk about these topics or words from the article. What
will the article say about them? What can you say about these words and your life?
world-renowned / handwriting / exams / answers / illegible / lectures / muscles /
a lost art / twenty years ago / problem / trend / examiners / harder / university
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. WRITE BY HAND: Students A strongly believe it is no longer necessary to
write by hand in today's digital world; Students B strongly believe writing by hand is
essential. Change partners again and talk about your conversations. 4. WRITING: Is
it better to write these things by hand or type them on a keyboard? Complete this table with
your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.
By Hand (Using a Pen)
On a Smartphone / Computer
Keyboard
Essays
Shopping list
Birthday cards
Exams
Poems
Diary / Journal
5. EXAMS: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate
with the word "exams". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together,
put the words into different categories.
6. LEGIBLE: Rank these with your partner. Put the most important things to be
legible at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.
• exam • love letter
• signature • birthday card
• doctor's prescription • directions
• shopping list • apologies
3
10th May 2022
Contents
The Article 2 Discussion (Student-Created Qs) 14
Warm-Ups 3 Language Work (Cloze) 15
Before Reading / Listening 4 Spelling 16
Gap Fill 5 Put The Text Back Together 17
Match The Sentences And Listen 6 Put The Words In The Right Order 18
Listening Gap Fill 7 Circle The Correct Word 19
Comprehension Questions 8 Insert The Vowels (a, e, i, o, u) 20
Multiple Choice - Quiz 9 Punctuate The Text And Add Capitals 21
Role Play 10 Put A Slash ( / ) Where The Spaces Are 22
After Reading / Listening 11 Free Writing 23
Student Survey 12 Academic Writing 24
Discussion (20 Questions) 13 Homework 25
Answers 26
,THE ARTICLE
The world-renowned Cambridge University is considering abolishing
handwritten exams after 800 years. University officials may ask students
to type their exam answers on a computer rather than use a pen. The move
follows complaints from examination markers who say they are finding test
papers increasingly illegible due to poor handwriting. Academics say
today's students primarily use laptops in lectures and tutorials instead of
pens. Students are losing the ability to write by hand. One academic said
asking students to hand-write exams actually causes them physical
difficulties. The muscles in their hand are not used to writing extensively
for prolonged periods of two to three hours.
A Cambridge University lecturer, Dr Sarah Pearsall, told Britain's 'Daily
Telegraph' newspaper that handwriting was becoming a "lost art". She
said: "Twenty years ago, students routinely [wrote] by hand several hours
a day, but now they write virtually nothing by hand, except exams." She
added: "We have been concerned for years about the declining handwriting
problem. There has definitely been a downward trend. It is difficult for both
the students and the examiners as it is harder and harder to read these
[exam] scripts." Dr Pearsall says some students' handwriting is so illegible
that they had to return to the university over the summer to read their
answers out loud to examiners who could not read their writing.
2
, WARM-UPS
1. HANDWRITING: Students walk around the class and talk to other students
about handwriting. Change partners often and share your findings.
2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, talk about these topics or words from the article. What
will the article say about them? What can you say about these words and your life?
world-renowned / handwriting / exams / answers / illegible / lectures / muscles /
a lost art / twenty years ago / problem / trend / examiners / harder / university
Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently.
3. WRITE BY HAND: Students A strongly believe it is no longer necessary to
write by hand in today's digital world; Students B strongly believe writing by hand is
essential. Change partners again and talk about your conversations. 4. WRITING: Is
it better to write these things by hand or type them on a keyboard? Complete this table with
your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.
By Hand (Using a Pen)
On a Smartphone / Computer
Keyboard
Essays
Shopping list
Birthday cards
Exams
Poems
Diary / Journal
5. EXAMS: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate
with the word "exams". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together,
put the words into different categories.
6. LEGIBLE: Rank these with your partner. Put the most important things to be
legible at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings.
• exam • love letter
• signature • birthday card
• doctor's prescription • directions
• shopping list • apologies
3
