Handwriting: The Benefits of Writing for the Brain

Handwriting is one of the good habits we've lost. Technology has effectively eliminated this writing technique, now obsolete and replaced by the keys of a computer or smartphone. Yet, handwriting, especially for children, remains very important: it strengthens, for example, memory and concentration, and trains critical thinking.

Index of topics

Writing therapy

La writing therapy: it's not just the consolidation of learning that justifies the use of a method improperly bypassed by technology. There are other advantages as well, so much so that it is recommended in cases of chronic pain, agitation, stress.To improve your mood and your ability to express yourself in your own way. Even through poetry, blogs, X (ex. Twitter). Keyboards have replaced pens. Bright screens have replaced notebooks. And that's how write by hand It has become obsolete, despite the fact that it's a practice that trains the memory, promotes concentration, and improves the ability to summarize. These aren't nostalgics, but a study published in Psychological Science. Analyzing two groups of students—one who took notes in notebooks, the other on a computer—the differences were clear. Yet most schools are focusing on digital alternatives, although some exceptions exist.

Benefits

Harvard University, for example, is reevaluating it, even wanting to force students to dedicate at least a few hours to it. In England, several years ago, some schools reinstated the use of fountain pens, and in France, handwriting is ubiquitous. Experts, on the other hand, warn against abandoning it, emphasizing that it's not a waste of time, but a valuable ally of thought. It should therefore be rediscovered.

While writing by hand, in this technological age, may seem like a waste of time, its benefits are countless. Studies in both neuroscience and psychology confirm this. For example, one study found that writing by hand aids learning because it slows down learning. This is because the brain is forced to select the most important concepts, assimilating them better.

Furthermore , tracing signs on paper would activate nervous circuits that favor both reading and memorization , and the production of words themselves.

Writing by hand is good for the brain

Furthermore, handwriting stimulates the brain in more areas than typing. According to research from the University of Washington, text content also appears better, more complete, and richer in detail on paper. And apparently, handwriting prevents brain aging, a significant consideration for an increasingly aging population.

Furthermore, writing by hand is therapeutic, relaxing the nervous system, allowing emotions to flow freely. Not to mention the unique and unmistakable aesthetic of handwritten writing. It's not even worth comparing with impersonal Times New Roman.

And as for cursive writing specifically, where letters are joined together by the stroke, be careful not to consider it superfluous. Many experts agree that it is essential for the healthy psychological development of young people. The continuous line possesses an intrinsic musicality, capable of penetrating the inner world, bringing out emotions. In this way, thoughts flow harmoniously from the mind to the page, unlike typing or even writing in block letters.

Handwriting stimulates critical thinking

Technology, and the use of its prostheses, guide us towards simplification and presenteeismEverything is consumed in a short time, and very little of it remains. Handwriting allows you to do the opposite. It requires concentration, lexical choices, command of language, and knowledge of grammar. And all of this leads to reflection, choice, doubt, and thus the exercise of critical thinking.

Handwriting enriches language

Children who write by hand show significant improvement in their writing, spelling, and vocabulary. Writing greatly stimulates language skills and fluency, which is impaired by multitasking with electronic aids.

What does beautiful handwriting mean?

Beautiful handwriting can mean many things. Among these, a request from the writer, implicit in his or her handwriting: I want to be read. Furthermore, beautiful handwriting is a form of expression and meditation that connects us with ourselves, and asks us to take the time to dedicate ourselves with caution and attention to what we are doing.

Why is handwriting important?

To scientifically demonstrate the importance of handwriting, neuroscientist Audrey van der Meer of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology conducted a very interesting test. She had adults and twelve-year-old children wear a small helmet with electrodes that monitored brain activity while they wrote by hand or on a keyboard. The result: at any age, whether as a child or as an adult, the brain works more and better with a pen. And they memorize better.

Handwriting improves memory

Several scientific studies reach the same conclusion: writing by hand, with pen and paper, helps improve memory. The reason is simple and has to do with the effort required when using paper. You have to summarize what you hear, use fewer words and find the right ones, and create concept maps. These are all activities that develop attention and push the mind to improve its memorization capacity. It's no coincidence that in prestigious universities, including those at the forefront of technology, such as Harvard University in the United States, students are asked to take notes by hand. And in countries like Sweden and Canada, where "paperless schools" were prevalent, there has been a shift and a return to handwriting.

How to get back to handwriting

Handwriting involves the use of the most basic tools: pen and paper. To encourage its use, aesthetics and functionality must be combined. The right pen should glide smoothly across the paper, and a beautiful notebook can be visually pleasing, encouraging us to fill it with thoughts and words. And maybe even drawings.

And then there's the art of calligraphy, which can be learned through private lessons. A true feast for the eyes and the spirit. But handwriting is also a tool for inner knowledge. By stimulating individual creativity, slowness, and rhythm, it leaves an indelible mark on the page of our personality. A good reason to get back into the habit.

Francesca Biasetton also highlights this in her book, "The Beauty of the Sign. In Praise of Handwriting," where the Italian calligrapher explains that handwriting says a lot about us, because it is unique and similar to us, allowing us, with its slow pace, to carve out time just for ourselves. Unlike typing, when we pick up a pen we leave room for imagination and planning, educating our thinking. And particularly in calligraphy, which requires precise rules for tracing letters, we learn to slow down, to observe, and to overcome habits.

When we lost the habit of writing by hand

Schools once taught calligraphy. First, rough handwriting, then beautiful handwriting, using nibs and fountain pens, striving to make the letters elegant and legible. When calligraphy was abolished in the early 60s and the ballpoint pen was introduced (around the same time), writing became significantly faster, to the detriment of aesthetics... and more.

Its abandonment would also have contributed to the deterioration of students' increasingly poor language skills and the organization of thought. According to educationalist Benedetto Vertecchi, regular writing (especially in cursive) actually impacts these skills. And according to educationalist Viviana Federici di Martorana, author of "Why Cursive in Teaching?", handwriting, while somewhat more laborious than typing, is curative and preventative. Not to mention that it helps organize and stimulate the mind.

As for the current situation, in Italy handwriting is usually introduced in primary schools, with timing varying from school to school, and with exceptions for children with learning disabilities.

In other countries, such as the United States, mandatory cursive writing in schools was eliminated several years ago, in 2009, although some states have reintroduced it. The same is true in Finland, where handwriting is not mandatory, and in Mexico, where only block letters are taught. But even if handwriting is no longer in fashion, and Italy itself is increasingly oriented toward technological alternatives, the benefits it brings, and the disadvantages resulting from its loss, cannot be ignored. So let's rediscover handwriting both at home and at school.

Benefits for children

The first people who should rediscover handwriting, urged by teachers and parents, are the same ones who have most abandoned this method of communication: children. A study conducted by a group of scientists from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology and published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology It demonstrates two essential things. First, writing with a pen, by hand, provides the brain with more anchors on which to attach memories, thus promoting the development of memory and learning. Second, compared to the frequent use of a PC keyboard or smartphone, the timing and results are different. Learning to write by hand, compared to a computerIt's a slower process. But more fruitful. And the consequence is better academic results, thanks in part to a direct effect on the brain. According to Norwegian scientists, pressing pen to paper creates a sort of writing sound, which stimulates activity in the sensorimotor part of the brain.

When children's interest in writing arises

Interest in gestures, which will eventually lead to writing, begins very early, between 12 and 18 months of age. If motivated, babies will enjoy scribbling, thus naturally venting their writing instinct. This should be encouraged, especially since handwriting will help protect them from the boom that awaits them with the compulsive use of touch screen, from smartphones to computers.

Benefits of handwriting: Improved memory and concentration. Especially for children.