Fact · Typing and writing speed
4-5words per minute
In a 1990 study, fourth grade students with learning disabilities composing by hand averaged 4 to 5 words per minute, well below their copying speed.
Checked against its source on October 16, 2026
In the source's own words
“the average compositional rate of 4th grade students with learning disabilities using handwriting was 4 to 5 words per minute”
Handwriting Speeds, Montgomery County Public Schools, Montgomery County Public Schools, Maryland, n.d., Handwriting speeds for compositional tasks.
Open the original- What it measures
- Composing requires thought, so rates fall below copying rates.
- What it does not show
- A 1990 sample of students with learning disabilities; it shows the pattern, not an adult norm.