Do English notebooks have to be specialized? Why the Mahora Notebook "Shaded Horizontal Ruled" is recommended for English learning

Kindness in writing.
I am Kiko, Kayoko Oguri, the proprietress of a notebook shop in Osaka.

Today, I would like to talk about why I want you to use Mahora Notebooks as English notebooks.

There are two types of rulings in Mahora Notebooks

Mahora Notebooks, which were created by listening to the voices of people with developmental disabilities, come with two types of rulings.

One is thick and thin alternating horizontal ruled.
This type has thick and thin lines printed alternately every 5mm.

The other is shaded horizontal ruled.
This type has thin shaded bands and non-shaded areas printed alternately.

At first, I thought the thick and thin alternating horizontal ruled was better for English

I initially thought that the thick and thin alternating horizontal ruled was suitable for learning English.
Because the alternating thick and thin lines make it easier to be conscious of the height and position of the alphabet, I felt it was very easy to write in.

However, I heard from a junior high school student with a developmental disability who used a Mahora Notebook that,
"The shaded horizontal ruled is perfect for English."

The freedom of not being bound by lines

When I asked why, they said,
"Since there are no lines, I don't have to feel like I must write the alphabet precisely along the lines."

Furthermore, they also said,
"I can write naturally without putting in too much effort."

I thought that made sense, so I tried it myself.
It was indeed easy to write in.
When there are lines, I inevitably feel like I have to fit the letters within those lines.

But the shaded horizontal ruled gave me a sense of being freed from that constraint.

I want people who struggle with lines to try it

Among people with developmental disabilities, there are many who struggle with lines.
For such people, the shaded horizontal ruled offers a "freedom from being bound by lines" and seems very easy to write in.

Even at exhibitions, I am often asked,
"Do you have a Mahora Note for English?"

Every time, I reply,
"We don't have a dedicated English notebook, but please try the shaded ruled version."

When people actually try writing in it, they are often surprised and say,
"This is easy to write in!"

Many of those people also tell me,
"I found it exhausting to try and fit the alphabet into the lines."

It is important to choose the ruled lines that suit you

Of course, that does not mean the alternating thick and thin ruled lines are not suitable for English.
For those who want to write neatly along the lines, the alternating thick and thin ruled lines are recommended.
I also think they are suitable for those who want to write the alphabet a bit larger and more firmly.

On the other hand, for those who feel,
"I don't want to be restricted by lines"
or "I want to write more freely," the shaded ruled version is perfect.

The important thing is to choose a notebook that suits you. When a notebook fits you well, your studies will become much easier to progress with.

Please give it a try

If you feel,
"I'm not good with lines"
or "I feel cramped when writing English," then please try the Mahora Note shaded ruled version.
It might just make the time you spend writing English a little more enjoyable and a little easier.

Thank you very much for reading until the end.