Fact · Typing and writing speed
16words per minute
Compiled norms show handwriting copying rates of about 5 words per minute in first grade, rising to about 16 by the end of middle school.
Checked against its source on October 16, 2026
In the source's own words
“By the end of middle school, word per minute rates for copying using handwriting rise to about 16 WPM.”
Handwriting Speeds, Montgomery County Public Schools, Montgomery County Public Schools, Maryland, n.d., Handwriting speeds for copying tasks.
Open the original- What it measures
- The figures come from Amundson (1995) and are averages for children.
- What it does not show
- A 1995 school norm; adults are not measured here, and a 1998 study found higher rates for students told to write as fast as possible.