You’ve heard the pushback… well, they will have to type everything eventually so why worry about their poor handwriting?! OR, everything is on the computer now so learning to write by hand is antiquated. OR my favorite (sarcasm), kids can’t improve their handwriting after 4th grade so why bother?!
OMG. We have heard it ALL!
Sure, technology is here to stay. Typing is not going anywhere. It is clearly a way of life (as I sit here typing out this article for you). AND we actually want technology. Having access to high-tech accommodations is game-changer for some students. This technology includes typing, speech to text, etc (more on that here and here).
Yet we also have to go back to basics. The science is clear. Writing by hand is BETTER (in most cases). Here’s why:
Writing by hand leads to better retention. When we write by hand vs tapping a random key, more parts of our brain are engaged: the language centers, motor centers, visual centers, sensory centers, etc. It is a 3-dimensional experience which we have to be fully attentive.
Writing by hand leads to better reading outcomes. When we couple writing instruction with reading instruction, the results are profound. Again we stimulate more areas of the brain and we give our brains a more tangible way of learning the more abstract skill of letter sounds. Learning letter sounds and letter identification and letter building and writing builds a strong foundation for later reading.
Writing by hand leads to better written composition. The simple reason to this is less distractions with pen and paper vs a computer. But the scientific reason goes back to the brain stimulation we discussed earlier. Some even say that writing by hand leads to a more creative process and outcome.
Writing by hand leads to better spelling. When children learn how to form letters, they can also be learning letter sounds which is the foundation of spelling. Writing by hand is not only a motor skill but also a language skill and spelling is bringing together those encoding and decoding skill. Similarly, writing words in cursive can aide with spelling as writers tend to think of a word more as a connected unit vs in manuscript where it is letter by letter.
Writing by hand leads to better brain development. As Dr Berninger says “The act of producing something supports perception. We need to output in order to improve our ability to process what we input from the environment.” And sure, keyboarding is a form of output and an important skill to learn and refine. But writing by hand, as noted earlier, stimulates more of the brain aiding in this written expression.
After carefully examining the research on learning, it is evident that mastering all 3 modes of output is crucial: handwriting in print/manuscript, handwriting in cursive, and typing on a keyboard. For students facing significant challenges like dysgraphia, high-tech accommodations like speech-to-text can be introduced to provide them with alternative ways to express their thoughts.
Writing by hand is not going anywhere, nor should it. Giving students the access to ALL forms of expressing their thoughts is best practice.
Is your child struggling with writing? Reach out to kelli@handwritingsolutions.org for a free consultation to discuss their needs and get help today!
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