I am not the Bluedorn's, of course, but I have some thoughts on this that might be useful to some. Obviously, children need to learn to read and write well. My comments are on the subject of writing. There are two aspects of writing, and we generally use the same word for both. One definition refers to the physical act of putting words on paper, and the other definition means composing or telling something.
Most children have difficulty with the former, but are quite capable of the latter.
It is a semi-formal situation, because the child is required to tell something that he knows. He must first of all know his subject, then order his thoughts, and relate them intelligably. If children are required to physically write what they compose, it will probably hinder and limit their composition, which is, after all, the more vital aspect of writing. If I may, I will share an example from my own experience. The Indians were nice.