Many skills are being replaced by technology, but there is one is one skill that shouldn’t be replaced – handwriting. Yes, our children need tech skills and typing skills, but the ability to produce good handwriting is more important than you might think and here’s why:
- Handwriting skills produce stronger academic performance.
Studies have proven the link between good handwriting abilities and better academic performance in writing and reading. - Handwriting boosts memory.
When we write things down, they stick better in our brains. Again, research has found this to be true. Taking longhand notes encourages greater cognitive processing which enables more selective information to be absorbed. This helps pupils with studying better and more efficiently than those who use a keyboard. - Handwritten material is more meaningful.
When a child produces something in their own handwriting it has greater meaning and importance. Their writing is unique to them and displays more personality than a typed letter or note. It’s not the computer-produced things we pin to our walls and fridge doors, but the sweet mementos that our children have produced with their own hand.
- Writing is still part of our day to day activities.
We live in an increasingly digital world but most of us still write on a daily basis. Whether it’s writing a shopping list, taking notes in a meeting or leaving notes for others, the need to produce legible writing still exists. Schools need to maintain handwriting practice with a variety of interesting and engaging methods. The use of School Dry Wipe Magnetic Whiteboards creates a fun way to engage children in handwriting practice. For more information, visit https://wedgewhiteboards.co.uk/ - Handwriting helps focus.
Handwriting involves fine motor skills and this activity helps children learn how to focus on a task. It engages the attention of children and develops the important ability to focus.
- Lifelong Skill.
Psychologists have studied the impact of good handwriting abilities and you’d be surprised how much it makes a difference and not just at school. When we hold a pen or pencil, we tap into more artistic and creative opportunities than we feel with a keyboard. Typing in the digital age encourages us to work faster and think quicker, which doesn’t always produce our finest work! When we use our hands to create something on a page, it’s an all-round more holistic activity. It is a unique experience to form sentences in a physical way and we must not neglect teaching the skill to our children, who are now more used to sending text messages!