V is a fifth grader, who according to his mother, has 'horrible' handwriting. V has ADHD and was my regular client at the clinic. His mother was fed up with the reports from V's school with negative remarks about his handwriting.
"No matter how much I scold him, he never writes within the lines. And nobody can read his handwriting. I am tired of going to his school to meet his teacher", mum poured out her frustration one day at the clinic. "Why do children need to write, anyway! We are in a world of computers and advanced technology. Why can't they switch to typing?! Handwriting is so outdated....who writes, anyway!"
It is the memory the conversation I had with V's mum that prompted me to share with you a topic very close to my heart and a constant in my practice - Handwriting.
Traditional handwriting vs digital writing
Most adults today 'write' using a keyboard and computer. It is often easier to open a laptop and type or take out your phone and voice type, than reaching out for a pen and paper/notepad and writing by hand.
I recently read an article which mentions that in some parts of the world, programs for elementary school education have typewriting on digital devices instead of traditional handwriting. The amount of time spent writing by hand has been reduced as learning activities are increasingly relying upon digital devices like laptops, tablets and mobile phones.
I agree that it may improve a student’s ability to take notes, but this practice can hinder learning (on the whole) to a greater extent.
Benefits of writing by hand
Traditional handwriting training in young children has a lot of benefits over typing. In fact, writing by hand and typing are two distinct ways of writing and involves two distinct processes in the brain.
Learning to write letters of the alphabet using a pencil involves numerous sensory experiences. The touch and feel of the pencil and the paper, the visual feedback from the page (ruled, 4-lined, unruled, etc.), the amount of pressure that needs to be graded while holding the pencil and while making marks on the paper, the coordination of the small muscles of the hand, the intricate hand movements for shaping each letter, the stabilization of the larger muscles and joints of the arm and body, the coordinated movement of the eyes, all contribute to better quality of learning on the whole. Learning the alphabet by interacting with each letter in different physical ways including handwriting, helps students imprint and retain the letters shapes and the letter sounds for easier recall when learning to read.
On the contrary, learning to 'write' letters of the alphabet on a screen mostly engages on the eyes and the finger tips. There is no tactile feedback (except the feel of the keys, of course), no motor coordination involved and therefore no motor memory (of the letter shape, size and orientation) being recorded in the brain.
In addition to improved letter recognition skills, traditional handwriting improves spelling accuracy. There is lesser to no scope for this in type writing and those who type on a computer or a digital device are conveniently backed up by the inbuilt 'spellcheck'.
Handwriting reinforces reading and language processing skills. Writing by hand allows the child/person the time to slow down the thought process, thereby enabling him to think about the words, how they are spelt and the structure of the writing. All these factors make the person more adept at the language they are using. Thus, writing by hand allows for organized thoughts, authenticity, and even reading skills.
As little children, we were all made to 'say' and write. We would repeat the letter sound or the word, for as many times as we wrote. Systems and teaching styles may have evolved over the years, but as far as I know, first time writers in schools still 'say' and write. They may be 'reciting' a rhyme that describes the letter shape, or speaking out directions on where to start, what direction to follow, and where to stop. In this manner, the brain is consistently at work while engaged in writing, and it enhances both literacy and reading comprehension. Research suggests that the process of forming letters while writing by hand, activates neural pathways that are associated with strong reading skills.
When I was younger my parents and teachers used to make us 'write' to learn. 'If you write it down multiple times, you will never forget', was what they would say, and I agree to that! Repeated writing, or rehearsal by writing, is a common memory strategy, which I doubt is not given much importance now-a-days. As opposed to typing, your memory of handwritten words is tied to the movements required to make each letter and this helps the memory of what we’ve written remain in our brains for longer.Oh! I almost forgot! When you write by hand, there is less strain on the eyes. We all know how bad constant screen exposure is, and the negative effects it may have on our vision. Handwriting not only takes that risk away, but also plays a big role in facilitating eye-hand coordination.
The benefits of handwriting are numerous. As with any other skill, handwriting too, with practice gives the writer more confidence, better dexterity, improved memory, better reading and language skills, and many more in addition to a beautiful and unique signature script.
Don't we all agree that handwritten notes to friends and loved ones are intimate and personal in a way that an email or a typed note cannot fully convey? Nothing can better represent the mood and personality of the writer, than original handwriting. A handwritten note is beyond doubt, a creative gift to cherish!
~ There's more on this topic, but that's for another day, and another post. ~
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