Importance of Cursive Writing – Part 2
Handwriting is an independent skill that doesn’t rely on technology that at times may not work. The portability of handwriting allows it to be used when a laptop or other electronic equipment would be less than efficient. Many wonderful ideas have been quickly written on serviettes or small pieces of paper in restaurants.
There are tablets and Readers that allows a stylus to be used to jot down notes to be bookmarked for later reference.
For students: Written language requires more systematic thinking processes to organize thoughts effectively than oral communication. Therefore, writing and systematic communication go well together. The muscles everyone uses to write are also used in other fine motor control activities such as playing with puzzles or stringing beads. On a basic level, handwriting helps children learn to follow directions, an ability transferrable to numerous aspects of life. The fine motor skills required for handwriting can easily be transferred to professions such a dentists, doctors and woodworkers.
For teachers: Requiring students to write in cursive throughout their elementary schooling will facilitate the creation of the neurological pathways for handwriting and increase their speed and stamina—students will develop discipline and pride in doing their best. Studies have shown that students who maintain handwriting are better at spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, grammar and composition. Teachers have observed how children’s thoughts are released once their handwriting skills have become automatic to them. Like the Traditional generation, young students today who take pride and work hard to achieve high standards in handwriting also choose to excel in other areas of their life.
For seniors: By writing for a short period every day, you are maintaining your fine motor control muscles and stimulating your brain as well. Handwriting notes and letters to the younger generations can inspire them to develop their own writing skills. It is said that handwritten papers will in the coming years be worth a great deal of money. Autograph books, high school yearbooks and copybooks from grammar school are sought after by antique dealers today.
People who are more interested in connecting with others are also often more inclined to use handwriting. By allowing enough time to be given during a student’s education process to master cursive writing, we are enhancing their opportunity to develop a significant aspect of themselves. In addition, it has been learned that children who develop a fluid style of writing tend to excel in other subjects.
Be sure to view my 5-minute “Power of the Pen” DVD on my Home Page at www.handwritinganalysistoronto.com
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Importance of Handwriting
The Importance of Handwriting
Even if you learned to write way back in Grade 3 and don’t choose to use it any more, the neuro-pathways you used to develop the skill are still there, and can easily be re-activated. Resurrecting your handwriting skills, therefore, would be a much easier task than to learn it as an adult.
Studies have indicated that after handwriting becomes an automatic skill, we shift focus to the information we’re learning or communicating. Therefore, the more cursive writing practice we do, the faster we’ll be able to write. Students who have more handwriting practice in their early ears are better at reading and spelling. Being able to write in cursive means you will also be able to read in cursive.
With fewer pen lifts from the paper, cursive writing is faster than printing—each pen lift takes time and slows down the speed of your writing.
Did you know that literacy rates are higher when students are required to master handwriting skills? One possible reason for this is teachers must use the “See it, Say it, Do it” teaching method to incorporate the visual, auditory and kinesthetic abilities of each student in the process of learning to cursive write. Therefore, we can conclude that should learning handwriting decrease, so will literacy.
Cursive writing results in less confusion for children who have learning disabilities because the smooth flow of cursive connected letters is easier for children to master. In addition, there is less confusion between directions of letters such as ‘b’ and ‘d’ or ‘g’ and ‘p’.
Computer competence can be taught at a later age; however, reading and writing has a ‘window of opportunity’ that occurs before the age of 9 or 10. This is one of the reasons handwriting is so important by grades 2 and 3.
Studies have shown positive side effects of handwriting include reducing depression, blood pressure and boosting the immune system (Swedlow 1999). Learning to write helps children focus and concentrate and, in addition, helps to calm the emotional part of the brain. Over 3,000 nerve endings in each fingertip directly connected to the brain are stimulated when writing.
Marketing research shows that those receiving hand-addressed envelopes are seven times more likely to open that letter.
Be sure to view my 5-minute “Power of the Pen” DVD on my Home Page at www.handwritinganalysistoronto.com
Even if you learned to write way back in Grade 3 and don’t choose to use it any more, the neuro-pathways you used to develop the skill are still there, and can easily be re-activated. Resurrecting your handwriting skills, therefore, would be a much easier task than to learn it as an adult.
Studies have indicated that after handwriting becomes an automatic skill, we shift focus to the information we’re learning or communicating. Therefore, the more cursive writing practice we do, the faster we’ll be able to write. Students who have more handwriting practice in their early ears are better at reading and spelling. Being able to write in cursive means you will also be able to read in cursive.
With fewer pen lifts from the paper, cursive writing is faster than printing—each pen lift takes time and slows down the speed of your writing.
Did you know that literacy rates are higher when students are required to master handwriting skills? One possible reason for this is teachers must use the “See it, Say it, Do it” teaching method to incorporate the visual, auditory and kinesthetic abilities of each student in the process of learning to cursive write. Therefore, we can conclude that should learning handwriting decrease, so will literacy.
Cursive writing results in less confusion for children who have learning disabilities because the smooth flow of cursive connected letters is easier for children to master. In addition, there is less confusion between directions of letters such as ‘b’ and ‘d’ or ‘g’ and ‘p’.
Computer competence can be taught at a later age; however, reading and writing has a ‘window of opportunity’ that occurs before the age of 9 or 10. This is one of the reasons handwriting is so important by grades 2 and 3.
Studies have shown positive side effects of handwriting include reducing depression, blood pressure and boosting the immune system (Swedlow 1999). Learning to write helps children focus and concentrate and, in addition, helps to calm the emotional part of the brain. Over 3,000 nerve endings in each fingertip directly connected to the brain are stimulated when writing.
Marketing research shows that those receiving hand-addressed envelopes are seven times more likely to open that letter.
Be sure to view my 5-minute “Power of the Pen” DVD on my Home Page at www.handwritinganalysistoronto.com
Friday, July 9, 2010
Handwriting: Why Cursive Write?
Why Cursive Write?
Most of us who attended school from the 1950’s to the 1970’s experienced Penmanship classes using either the Palmer method or the Zaner Bloser method (remember the cards traditionally perched on top of the blackboard?). Most writings from Boomers that I see have elements of these styles of writing, with original and positive combinations of strokes that makes everyone a unique individual.
I have been perplexed for a number of years that the majority of scripts from teens and youngsters from prestigious schools are all printed and have about four or five stroke combinations in common that 1) results in most youngsters writings looking eerily identical and 2) indicates why many of the youngsters today are miles apart from their parents in terms of their overall outlook and philosophy (more about this in upcoming blogs).
This is not to infer that Boomer writing is ‘good’ and the writing style so common to youngsters is ‘bad’, but to get everyone thinking—period. Yes, we’ve all heard the ‘Well, why bother with cursive writing anyway, since the kids are all prefer computers’ argument; however, children are still excited and intrigued about handwriting and are proud about developing their own signature.
Developing the skill of cursive writing is, from the young people I’ve observed, a big challenge. To cursive write requires a good deal of practice, a need to persevere and the ability to focus and to concentrate. Did you know that handwriting actually stabilizes the emotional brain because of the repetitive, rhythmic manipulation of thumb and forefinger over time? Did you know that cursive writing involves the development of the prefrontal cortex part of a child’s brain?
The same focus I have just mentioned is a recent word that frequently appears in evaluations of young children. Studies show that children who are able to ‘focus’ perform better in many areas (including cursive writing!). Therefore, I say with confidence that practicing handwriting until it becomes automatic necessitates a child’s ability to focus and is an excellent method to develop focus.
As cursive writing skill develops, so too does the hand-brain-eye coordination which directly relate to many other tasks. Researchers believe the brain paths created by developing the eye-hand co-ordination at an early age will lead to higher brain function later.
The physical process of handwriting results in information being more powerfully entered into the brain by producing stronger neuro-pathways than simply pressing keys on a keyboard.
Be sure to view my 5-minute “Power of the Pen” DVD on my Home Page at www.handwritinganalysistoronto.com
Most of us who attended school from the 1950’s to the 1970’s experienced Penmanship classes using either the Palmer method or the Zaner Bloser method (remember the cards traditionally perched on top of the blackboard?). Most writings from Boomers that I see have elements of these styles of writing, with original and positive combinations of strokes that makes everyone a unique individual.
I have been perplexed for a number of years that the majority of scripts from teens and youngsters from prestigious schools are all printed and have about four or five stroke combinations in common that 1) results in most youngsters writings looking eerily identical and 2) indicates why many of the youngsters today are miles apart from their parents in terms of their overall outlook and philosophy (more about this in upcoming blogs).
This is not to infer that Boomer writing is ‘good’ and the writing style so common to youngsters is ‘bad’, but to get everyone thinking—period. Yes, we’ve all heard the ‘Well, why bother with cursive writing anyway, since the kids are all prefer computers’ argument; however, children are still excited and intrigued about handwriting and are proud about developing their own signature.
Developing the skill of cursive writing is, from the young people I’ve observed, a big challenge. To cursive write requires a good deal of practice, a need to persevere and the ability to focus and to concentrate. Did you know that handwriting actually stabilizes the emotional brain because of the repetitive, rhythmic manipulation of thumb and forefinger over time? Did you know that cursive writing involves the development of the prefrontal cortex part of a child’s brain?
The same focus I have just mentioned is a recent word that frequently appears in evaluations of young children. Studies show that children who are able to ‘focus’ perform better in many areas (including cursive writing!). Therefore, I say with confidence that practicing handwriting until it becomes automatic necessitates a child’s ability to focus and is an excellent method to develop focus.
As cursive writing skill develops, so too does the hand-brain-eye coordination which directly relate to many other tasks. Researchers believe the brain paths created by developing the eye-hand co-ordination at an early age will lead to higher brain function later.
The physical process of handwriting results in information being more powerfully entered into the brain by producing stronger neuro-pathways than simply pressing keys on a keyboard.
Be sure to view my 5-minute “Power of the Pen” DVD on my Home Page at www.handwritinganalysistoronto.com
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