Importance of Cursive Writing - Part 3

Importance of Cursive Writing - Part 3


Learning disabilities expert Betty Sheffield has found that, “handwriting allows access to kinesthetic memory, the earliest, strongest and most reliable memory channel. Put simply, when children write what they have learned, they learn it better.”

Here is a quote from “What America Lost: Tracking Attitude Changes Through Handwriting” by Sallie Bolich: “In the early nineties, Jeanette Farmer, a Certified Graphoanalyst in Denver Colorado learned of a study, completed in 160 by Dr. Rudolf Pophal, a German neurologist and graphologist, which proved handwriting actually creates a physiological/psychological link in the brain. … Her theory was that ‘push pulls’ and ‘ovals’, those drills so strictly administered long ago, aided development of neural pathways to the brain thought to improve impulse control, thus increasing the students’ ability to concentrate.”

Handwriting does require a significant amount of practice, perseverance, focus and concentration. Handwriting stabilizes the emotional brain because of the repetitive and rhythmic manipulation of the thumb and forefinger over time. This involves the development of the prefrontal cortex part of the brain. The word ‘focus’ is important: Studies show that children who are able to focus perform better in many areas of their life. Therefore, practicing handwriting until it becomes an ‘automatic skill’ is one of the best avenues to develop ‘focus’.

As the writing skill develops, so does the hand-brain-eye coordination that can be transferred to other tasks. Some researchers believe the brain paths created by developing the eye-hand co-ordination at an early age will lead to higher brain function later.

Throughout history, when the importance of handwriting was emphasized, the literacy of the population was enhanced. Historically there have been many cycles of literacy to illiteracy: The one fact that has been consistent is that during times when the population was not literate, the people went through more difficulties.

Writing focuses attention: Both the mechanical skill and creative intellectual processes are developed. Like it or not, people still judge you by your handwriting—some employers judge you by your handwriting.



Be sure to view my 5-minute “Power of the Pen” DVD on my Home Page at www.handwritinganalysistoronto.com