Why Children Still Need to Learn Handwriting: Five Key Reasons

The world of writing is changing.

Things have moved very quickly from keyboards and predictive text. The advent of generative artificial intelligence (AI) means that robots can now type human-quality texts without having to have hands at all.

Recent improvements in speech-to-text software mean that even human “writers” don’t need to touch a keyboard, let alone a stylus. With the help of artificial intelligence, The text can even be generated by decoders which read brain activity through non-invasive scanning.

The writers of the future will be speakers and thinkers, without having to point fingers. The word “writer” might mean something completely different, as people compose text in multiple ways in an increasingly digital world. So do humans still need to learn to write by hand?

Handwriting is still part of the curriculum

Around the pandemic a lot of online education and some major exams, Like Naplan Now done on computers. There are also calls for the phasing out of handwriting in high school.

However, handwriting learning is still a major component of the elementary school literacy curriculum.

Parents may wonder if the time-consuming and challenging process of learning handwriting is worth it. Perhaps the effort spent learning letter formation would be better spent on coding?

Many students with disabilities, after all, are already learning to write with them assistive technologies.

But there are a number of important reasons why handwriting is still taught – and still needs to be taught – in schools.

1. Fine motor skills

Handwriting develops important fine motor skills and the coordination needed to control fine movements. These movements are required to conduct every day School and work-related activities.

Refinement of these motor skills also increases handwriting clarity and fluency.

We don’t know where technology will take us, but it may take us back to the past.

Handwriting may be more important than ever Tests and exams are handwritten To prevent students from using generative AI to cheat.

2. It helps you remember

Handwriting has important cognitive benefits. Including memory.

Research indicates that traditional pen-and-paper notes are better remembereddue to the greater complexity of the handwriting process.

Learn to read and write by hand closely linked. Students become better readers by practicing writing.

3. It is good for well-being

Handwriting and related activities such as drawing are tangible, creative, and reflective sources of fun and wellness for writers of all ages.

This is seen in the popularity of practices such as printing Journals and line. There are many online communities where writers share great handwriting examples.

4. It is very accessible

Handwriting requires no electricity, hardware, batteries, software, subscriptions, a fast internet connection, a keyboard, charging time, or many other things that digital writing depends on.

It only needs pen and paper. It can be done anywhere.

Sometimes handwriting is the easiest and best option. For example, when writing a birthday card, filling out printed forms, or writing a quick note.

5. It comes to thinking

More importantly, learning to write and learning to think are closely related.

thoughts Formed as students write. It is developed and organized as it is composed. Thinking is too important to outsource to bots!

Teaching writing is about giving students a toolkit of multiple writing strategies to enable them to fulfill their potential as thoughtful, creative, and capable communicators.

Handwriting will remain an important component of this toolkit for the foreseeable future, despite the amazing advances that have been made with generative AI.

Writing in full font may become less important in the future. But students will still need to be able to write legibly and fluently in their education and in their wider lives.

This article has been republished from Conversation Under Creative Commons Licence. Read the The original article.