Some of the most interesting findings have been related to handwriting. We have discovered that, unlike typing, writing by hand uses our visual, motor and cognitive
abilities together; therefore, development of handwriting leads to better thinking. We can now see this on brain scans as well as in the achievement scores of children who have been required to learn and practice handwriting. In fact, the motor movements of our hands are connected to how our brains formulate thoughts and ideas.
One of the most interesting findings, in my opinion, is that children think and write at the same time. It is only when we become adults that our brains can separate the two. I’m not sure I have developed this ability yet; I feel like I can’t think unless I have a pen or pencil in my hand! This explains why we understand what we read much more when we underline, highlight and write notes in the margins.
At Trinity, we see anecdotal evidence of this when students write out the facts they need to know for a test. Having the students handwrite the information results in better scores across the whole class when compared to just having them read and discuss the information beforehand. That is something to remember for studying at home as well.
Next year, we will be expanding and refining our Spalding-Writing Road to Reading program in all the elementary grades. This approach has been around long before brain scans, but now we can see why it works so well. This program focuses on helping students make the neural connections between what they see, what they hear, what they say and what they write. Not only do we teach them to read and write more competently, we are teaching them to be stronger thinkers at the same time. Isn’t God amazing?
And as imagination bodies forth
The forms of things unknown, the poet’s pen
Turns them to shapes and gives to airy nothing
A local habitation and a name.
- William Shakespeare (from A Midsummer Night’s Dream)
Send me an email if you would like a list of some of the articles I have been reading about the link between handwriting and the brain.
Jennifer Cable
Elementary Principal
[email protected]