Handwriting: Retraining the Brain – the WRITE Way!

Did you know that engaging in handwriting not only improves memory, retention and comprehension but also strengthens neural connectivity by involving complex sensory and motor experiences? So why have we stopped focusing on teaching handwriting at school?  Research conducted by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), under the leadership of Professor Audrey van der Meer, has revealed compelling evidence about the cognitive benefits of handwriting. The studies demonstrate that handwriting activates a greater number of brain regions related to memory and learning than typing does, generating deeper processing and stronger conceptual understanding. These areas include motor regions, language pathways, and visual-spatial circuits.

• "Hooks" for Memory: The multisensory act of pressing a pen to paper, visually observing the formation of letters, and hearing the sounds associated with writing offers the brain additional "hooks" for anchoring memories. This enhanced sensory engagement supports better recall.

• Learning and Development: Handwriting contributes to the development of fine motor skills and strengthens neural pathways. These skills and neural connections are crucial for learning in both children and young adults.

• Widespread Brain Activity: EEG studies indicate that handwriting generates much more extensive brain electrical activity, particularly theta waves, compared to typing. These theta waves play a vital role in forming and encoding memories.

• Cognitive Benefits vs. Typing: While typing relies on repetitive, simple finger movements for every letter, handwriting involves unique and intricate movements for each character. This complexity promotes more robust cognitive development.

• The "Digital" Problem: Researchers caution that fully digitizing education systems—as seen in countries like Norway and Finland—may lead to a generation that loses the ability to write by hand, thereby missing out on these essential cognitive benefits.

The slower pace of handwriting vs. faster typing, is biologically engaging, making the brain work harder and increasing learning potential!

Conclusion 

The research underscores the importance of handwriting in enhancing brain activity, memory, and overall cognitive development. By engaging multiple senses and requiring complex motor skills, handwriting offers substantial learning advantages that are not matched by typing. Preserving handwriting in educational settings is crucial to ensure that future generations continue to benefit from these brain-boosting effects.

Additional Research Compiled by Jeanette Farmer, Certified Handwriting Specialist,

 Train the Brain to Pay Attention the Write Way

• "The hand speaks to the brain as surely as the brain speaks to the hand"

  Neurologist Richard Restak, The Modular Brain (1994)

  
  

• "The attentional state of the brain produces physical change in its structure and future functioning. The act of "paying attention" produces real and powerful changes in the brain. Jeffrey Schwartz, M.D., The Mind and The Brain, Neuroplasticity and The Power of Mental Force (2002)

  
  

• "Emotions, not cognitive stimulation, serves as the mind's primary architect. Emotion drives attention, attention drives learning, problem solving, behavior and just about everything else. Emotion and attention become the pathway into all rational cognitive behavior." Robert Sylwester, Ed.D., The Celebration of Neurons (1995)

  
  

• Sensory enriched environments are imperative for teaming." Carla Hannaford, Ph.D., Smart Moves (1995)

  
  

• "Mounting evidence shows that movement is crucial to every other brain function, including memory, emotion, language and learning. Our "higher" brain functions have evolved from movement and still depend on it. John Ratey, M.D., A User's Guide to the Brain (2002)

  
  

• "Self-generated movement is the foundation of thought and willed actions, the underlying mechanisms by which the physical and psychological coordinates of the self come into being. Neurologist Frank Wilson, The Hand: How Its Use Shapes the Brain, Language and Human Culture (1998)

  
  

• "Anatomical evidence and behavioral evidence combine to suggest that this enlarged cerebellum (in the human brain) contributes not only to motor function, but also to some sensory, cognitive, linguistic and emotional aspects of behavior."

  Researchers Henrietta & Allan Lenier, The Treasure at the Bottom of the Brain

To reverse our literacy decline, reviving brain-friendly penmanship is imperative. Movement, a sensory-motor action, physically engages learning. However, societal influences also affect learning. Phonics and penmanship were tossed when television arrived. Eons ago when handwriting was first introduced, a dramatic mental revolution occurred. Over time the intense neural activity caused a major shift in dominance--from the right brain to the left. This shift used to occur naturally, but today more than 40% of young children are delayed in obtaining the stage of developmental readiness, a signal that the brain is ready to learn the 3Rs. As a visual medium, TV strongly appeals to the right brain which processes information holistically, as a whole, in contrast to the left brain's sequential processing style. Due to those influences, Thomas West notes In the Mind's Eye (1997) that the world has quietly shifted from the left brain more to the right. Lack of strong stress on penmanship has delayed this essential transition, gravely compounding our educational woes.

At The Learning Lighthouse, students engage in music, movement and writing – training the brain the WRITE way to develop attention, focus, memory and more-the Foundations for learning! Complete the Contact Us form or call at 619-915-5415.