Is Handwriting Relevant Today?

The relevance of handwriting is being questioned very often 

these days and quite a few of us have started believing that in today’s hi-tech era handwriting is not important anymore. 

This is far from being true. 

Based on the scientific studies we can identify several reasons to support the importance of Handwriting. 

While a certain segment advocated against the use of the cursive style of writing, several experts in their study indicated that cursive writing helps children with dyslexia and improves their memory.  

Some experts also said that contents in cursive writing fetch more marks. 

Although we have several highly developed and easy to access devices that make communication fast and convenient, there are several studies which indicate that handwriting is equally important even today. 

Let us see some of the very positive effects Handwriting has. 

Handwriting Contributes to Cognitive Development: 

Studies conducted by French Scientists in neurosciences in 2000, came up with evidence indicating that handwriting despite being a routine activity in education has a positive role in accelerating cognitive development in the school-going children. 

They also suggested that cursive handwriting should be compulsorily used in schools until the students are comfortable and have learned to write.  

Studies by other scholars not only support the role of handwriting in cognitive development but also confirm that handwriting has a role in helping to retain information that one writes. 

Taking notes is a very common activity a student is expected to do.  

When one takes notes on a keyboard the intention is to take down maximum, if possible all of what is being said. But when one is taking notes by hand, the brain identifies and isolates the important information that is needed to be written down.  

This process ensures that one is not only listening but is also able to understand the important parts of the lecture and then taking notes.   

This process also helps in retaining a lot of what is being written. 

While this may not happen when one is taking notes a keyboard.  

Moreover since writing in cursive also involves the joining of letters, the brain not only keeps track of the process but also has to work on correct spellings and sentence formation.   

It has been proved in several studies that retention of information is far better and can be easily recalled later especially when one is scripting a text by hand.  

It has also been seen taking notes on a keyboard is more of a mechanical process where the writer takes down what is being said without actually trying it to remember it for the future. 

Another proof of the retention is the fact that children are often asked to write down the text several times so that they can remember and retain it in their memory.  

This has also been confirmed in studies conducted by Psychologists. 

Handwriting is a complex process that involves the brain and not just a pen and paper.  

It involves physical and mental activity.  

The information or thoughts are processed into words and sentences, instructions are passed on the motor activity or the hand to make the words and sentences on the paper. 

This involvement of the mind and the motor ensures that the text written by hand is also inscribed in the brain and can be recalled later. 

Handwriting Enhances Creative Ability: 

Scientific studies indicate that the process of handwriting greatly involves the brain because it is required to conceive thoughts and compose them into words and sentences, and this process uses certain specific parts of the brain.  

This creates a catalytic effect as each word is chosen and hence the brain remains active and involved in the entire process.  

Advocating Handwriting is certainly not to discourage the use of the typewriter, but it is to bring forth the fact that due to the involvement of the subconscious brain during the process of writing the creativity improves several folds. 

This finding is also supported by eminent Novelists who do not hesitate to admit, that they have always been more creative while drafting their contents by hand as compared to when they used the keyboard. 

Moreover, the handwriting is very personal.  

The fact is that no two people can write the same way. It is like a fingerprint, absolutely individual.  

Experts believe that although the keyboard enhances the speed of writing, handwriting is more personal and creative; the texts written by hand are retained for longer in memory and can be recalled. 

Handwriting also improves the word power by retaining the words written by hand and thus enhancing the vocabulary.  

This over a period adds value to the quality of communication. 

A handwritten note when passed on to someone always reflects a great deal of personal touch. 

Although handwriting may have lost in terms of the writing speed to modern gadgets, it certainly has not lost its relevance because of the added benefits as discussed above. 

If you have lost interest in taking handwritten notes or are not
satisfied with the quality of your handwriting, or if this is the situation with some students, it is time to take a corrective decision.  

The best would be to contact a Handwriting Expert and go in for a short stint for Handwriting training.  

This is important because handwriting will add to your ability to think, be creative and improve the quality of all communication.  

This certainly cannot be achieved by using a keyboard. 

  

You can find such experts at Write Right, one of the pioneer
handwriting companies.  

They have been into research and training of handwriting
for the last 23 years.  

They have been continuously working on re-establishing
the importance of handwriting among the students of today. They offer training for Handwriting Improvement, Speed writing and Calligraphy.