Why Handwriting Still Matters: New Study Says It Makes Kids Smarter

Yesterday, in the office supplies aisle of the drug store, I overheard a mom and her college-bound son ask a store manager for pencils. Turns out, they were out of stock for good. It’s a sign of the times: when a kid can’t get a pencil for school. The switch from handwriting to typing isn't just a cultural shift, it may change the way a new generation thinks. New research on the benefits of handwriting on motor skills, memory and overall brain activity suggests today's kids are missing out valuable learning tools. Indiana University researchers tracked brain patterns in pre-school kids and discovered that those who wrote out letters had increased recognition and neural activity, according to the Los Angeles Times. Another study released earlier this year, looked at kids who hand-wrote their assignments as opposed to typing them. Those who did, wrote faster and more prolifically. One reason has to do with the gripping process of writing, which fine-tunes motor skills unlike punching out keys. The repetitive nature required to perfect handwriting also helps the brain memorize information. In other words, handwriting is good for the developing brain. But for those of us with lefty-itis (ahem) or just unrelenting bad penmanship, the advent of typing is a great equalizer. Past research has shown that teachers give higher grades to papers with better handwriting (I knew it!). Does that mean better handwriting makes for smarter kids or skewed judgement? Research says the later, but there's something to be said for what a nice, typed paper will do for a scribbler's confidence. Still, the complete evisceration of handwriting lessons in schools is cause for concern. In January, curriculum standards for over 40 states stopped requiring cursive lessons. Typing has become the mandatory writing tool and typographic block letters have become the penmanship of choice on chalkboards. According to several teachers, kids can't even read cursive, much less write it.Because writing out letters requires different neurological activity than punching in letters, the lost art could hamper the way a new generation develops. Thankfully, there are apps for that. Touch key technology has made way for a return to writing, albeit with tablet pens and "swype" typing (a smartphone texting feature that's uses more connective, visual thinking for text messages.) There's also this Digital Smartpen which kills two birds with one pen. It records your handwriting digitally (and neatly) and takes audio notes, making it the ultimate test prep tool. It's a lot more expensive than good old Number 2, but it might be easier to find.

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