Pupils are struggling to recognise joined-up writing on classroom boards, teachers say, because learning and communicating on smartphones, laptops and tablets is the norm.
Christina Lessani, a Scottish calligrapher, said primary teachers had told her they often write in capital letters because children find it easier to recognise the letters from computer keyboards.
She has linked a drop in attainment to a deterioration in writing skills because she believes the process of putting pen to paper helps children retain information.
The 36-year-old set up her own business after training in calligraphy and now boasts clients including Chanel, MTV and Ferrari.
She also runs calligraphy workshops for adults and is in talks with a number of schools in the central belt about offering writing classes, which she says have spin-off benefits for mental health because of the focus required.
"I was getting so many teachers coming to my classes who were saying, 'it's so lovely to write again because it's everything is so digitally-based now," said the entrepreneur, who lives in Glasgow's west end.
"I met one teacher who was a special assistance teacher who said she had been travelling from school to school giving extra support to kids who had been told they have learning disabilities.
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"She said a lot of the time the children are not needing extra support, they are just not writing. Because they are not writing they are not retaining the information efficiently.
"It took me back to when I was studying - I would always write things repeatedly if I was struggling to remember it.
"Computers and phones often finish the sentence for you.
"These children are not even getting a chance really to write a sentence for themselves because everything is being done for them.
"There seems to be a gradual drop in grades year on year and part of me wonders if that is due to children not writing," she added.
"I've had some teachers say to me that pupils can't read their hand-writing on the board in the class anymore. One teacher said they have to write in capital letters on the board because that's how it looks on a keyboard."
Some schools in England hired handwriting specialists to tackle a drop-off in children’s pen skills caused by an increase in the use of laptops and tablets during the pandemic and a lack of opportunities for extended writing.
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"Spelling and sentences and grammar and bits of information that you need to remember at school - you are going to retain that much easier by physically writing it," said Ms Lessani.
"Cursive is going to end up a secret language between all of us when we are old and I think that's a really sad thing to lose."
She launched Lailas Lettering in 2018 after teaching herself calligraphy because she wanted hand-written wedding invitations.
She said: "I got a quote for them and I nearly fainted so I decided to learn it myself.
"I bought the pens and a book and practised letters all the time. My wedding was so stressful to plan and it helped me to relax for a moment or two."
After her own wedding she got commissions for friends' weddings and then her client list soared.
Chanel hired her for a commission after seeing her work on social media and she has also worked for Vieve, the make-up brand set up by Glasgow millionaire entrepreneur Jamie Genevieve.
She also customised the artists' bags at the MTV Europe Awards and more recently has been working with luxury car brand Ferrari."
“There is something incredibly mindful and relaxing about learning to write.
"Engaging in calligraphy requires focus, attention and concentration on each stroke and letter and this mindfulness can really help to redirect your thoughts away from anxious or intrusive thinking."
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