In today’s society, technology prevails above all else. With keyboards replacing pens and pencils, and tablets replacing notebooks, handwriting seems like a lost art form. Although keyboarding skills are undoubtedly important in the 21^stcentury, studies show that good handwriting is just as important.

An estimated 25-33% of students in elementary schools across the nation struggle with their handwriting. As students become increasingly dependent on digital devices to communicate, some educators have shifted their focus from handwriting instruction to keyboarding instead. At The Guthrie School, we understand the importance of handwriting and instill in our students the tools necessary to master the skill.

Research indicates that handwriting influences reading, writing, language, and critical thinking. Mastering handwriting leads to an increase in brain activation, higher performance across all academic subjects, and it serves as a foundation for higher-order skills. Handwriting practice is also good for the development of motor skills. Just teaching children the proper way to hold a pencil helps them master fine-motor skills.

Studies have also found that writing down information helps the brain better retain it. A popular studying method among students in both high school and college is to re-write their class notes. The brain tells the hand what to write and it focuses on each letter and word. This allows the brain to fully absorb what is being written. Research has shown that when it comes to studying, writing notes by hand helps students retain the information better than typing it.

Along with manuscript writing, children need to learn to write in cursive. Studies have shown that kids who learn cursive in addition to manuscript writing, score better on reading and spelling tests. This could be because cursive forces writers to think of words as wholes instead of parts as a result of the link-up letters.

Even with all the intellectual benefits that come from learning manuscript writing and cursive, people underestimate how important they truly are! America’s founding documents such as The Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights are written in cursive. Our future generations will not be able to read these documents if we don’t teach them how to write it! Important paperwork such as taxes, paychecks, and passports require a cursive signature. These signatures are simple for people who learned cursive in school, but for those who are not taught cursive, these tasks can be daunting!

Some educators believe that manuscript writing and cursive are no longer as important for children, but not The Guthrie School. We know how important good handwriting is not only for day-to-day life, but for intellectual development as well. Our teachers emphasize the importance of these lessons and teach our students the proper skills needed to utilize them for a lifetime.

Sources: https://www.hw21summit.com/media/zb/hw21/files/H2948_HW_Summit_White_Paper_eVersion.pdf