I’ve always been a fan of cursive writing, and at age 18, I took a course in calligraphy. I was the youngest person in the class at the time, so even back then, in 1981, the art form was dying out and becoming uncool for teenagers.
With the ushering in of the computer age and the Internet, calligraphy, penmanship, and cursive writing are becoming rare skills in today’s digital age, yet they hold significant value for cognitive development and creativity.
Most schools don’t even teach it anymore. I wonder why?
In the U.S., Common Core standards focus on keyboard proficiency beyond first grade, often neglecting the benefits of cursive handwriting for brain development.
While some argue that cursive writing is obsolete, research shows its unique benefits for brain activity and learning.
“In fact, it’s already dying, despite having been taught for decades,” said Morgan Polikoff, assistant professor of education at the University of Southern California.
However, according to Stanislas Dehaene, a psychologist at the Collège de France in Paris, “When we write in cursive activates a unique neural circuit, enhancing cognitive functions and aiding in learning and memory retention.”
“There is a core recognition of the gesture in the written word, a sort of recognition by mental simulation in your brain.” A 2012 study led by Karin James, a psychologist at Indiana University, lent support to that view.
Karin James, a psychologist at Indiana University, used a scanner to see how handwriting affected activity in children’s brains.
Psychology Today States:
“Research highlights the hand’s unique relationship with the brain when it comes to composing thoughts and ideas. Virginia Berninger, a professor at the University of Washington, reported her study of children in grades two, four, and six that revealed they wrote more words, faster, and expressed more ideas when writing essays by hand versus with a keyboard.
“There is a whole field of research known as ‘haptics,” which includes the interactions of touch, hand movements, and brain function. Cursive writing helps train the brain to integrate visual and tactile information and fine motor dexterity. School systems, driven by ill-informed ideologues and federal mandates, are becoming obsessed with testing knowledge at the expense of training kids to develop a better capacity for acquiring knowledge.
“There is a spill-over benefit for thinking skills used in reading and writing. To write legible cursive, fine motor control is needed over the fingers. You have to pay attention and think about what and how you are doing it. You have to practice. Brain imaging studies show that cursive activates areas of the brain that do not participate in keyboarding.”
Watch this amazing video on the penmanship of Jake Weimann
FAQ
Q: Why is cursive writing important for brain development?
A: Cursive writing activates unique neural circuits in the brain, enhancing cognitive functions such as memory retention, idea generation, and fine motor skills. This engagement is not replicated by keyboarding, making cursive a valuable skill for comprehensive brain development.
Q: How does cursive writing benefit students?
A: Studies show that students who practice cursive writing can express more ideas, write faster, and produce more words compared to typing. This practice helps improve their overall writing skills and cognitive abilities.
Q: Is cursive writing still taught in schools?
A: While many schools have reduced or eliminated cursive writing from their curricula, some educators and researchers advocate for its inclusion due to its cognitive benefits and role in developing fine motor skills.
Q: Can learning cursive improve reading skills?
A: Yes, learning cursive can enhance reading skills by improving fine motor control and visual-tactile integration, which are crucial for reading comprehension and fluency.
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