Kannapolis teachers learnabout handwriting
Kannapolis teachers gathered recently to learn a fundamental education skill that newer research is, surprisingly, showing boosts brain function ó handwriting.
While teachers have long-known that children who are able to handwrite well typically earn better grades, newer MRI studies are showing that learning to handwrite well can have even more profound implications.
Some preschoolers achieved adult-like brain activity by practicing printing letters instead of seeing/saying the letters for four weeks, according to a study from Indiana University, and a study from the University of Washington demonstrated that elementary school children were able to write more words, faster, and express more ideas in essays written by hand versus typed. And other studies demonstrate that the strokes of handwriting can engage brain pathways involved in thinking, language and working memory.
The debate on whether or not to teach handwriting has been waging for 20 years, and this wave of research could play a critical role in helping administrators make the next decisions on this issue.
Handwriting education expert, Denise Donica, of Handwriting Without Tears, led the workshop.