From my 2017 research paper on the decline in cursive writing instruction:
Studies have shown, though, that cursive writing has numerous benefits. Cognitive development is aided by a cursive writing curriculum. “In the case of learning cursive writing, the brain develops functional specialization that integrates both sensation, movement control, and thinking. Brain imaging studies reveal that multiple areas of [the] brain become co-activated during the learning of cursive writing of pseudo-letters, as opposed to typing or just visual practice” (Dr. William R. Klemm, a senior professor of neuroscience at Texas A&M University states in his 2013 Psychology Today article “Why Writing by Hand Could Make You Smarter”). Cursive writing encourages the brain to learn fine motor control, as well as increases memory retention. Because the characters are unique and intricate, the inherent creativity allows for a wider range of character detection. Since most formal fonts are in print, students not introduced to cursive writing may have difficulty even recognizing letters presented in script.
The cognitive benefits extend to dyslexic students. “When writing cursive, the word becomes a unit, rather than a series of separate strokes, and correct spelling is more likely to be retained. All lower case cursive letters can begin on the line, so fewer of them are likely to be reversed” (Diana Hanbury King in her 2015 article for the International Dyslexia Association).
There are emotional benefits. Cursive writing improves patience and self-control. It can also increase self-esteem. One teacher from North Carolina reported that one of her students, a recent immigrant from Vietnam stated that having pretty handwriting boosted her confidence. The inherently creative nature of cursive allows for individual expression, forging a sense of personal style and ownership. People tend not to write in pure cursive. As time goes on, they develop a hybrid of print and cursive letters, eventually writing in a style so peculiar to an individual that it can be used as a means of identification.
Writing in cursive is faster than writing in print, increasing the potential for more accurate note-taking and higher test scores. “Cursive proponents cite the College Board data on the writing portion of the SATs that ’15 per cent of students who wrote their essay in cursive did slightly better than those who used some other type of handwriting’ (Carpenter, 2007, p.2)” (Supon, 2009).
Improved thinking and organizing skills are also benefits of cursive writing. It improves students’ composition, reading comprehension, brain function, and motor skills. It also helps students focus and organize their thoughts on paper. A 2013 District Administration article reports that handwriting instruction also results in improved literacy and overall academic achievement (District Administration, 2013).
The ability to read and write in cursive is a vital link to our elders and our past. This country’s forefathers wrote whole, important documents in their individual stylized hands, never imagining that in less than 300 years, their descendants might not be able to read what they’d written. Perhaps most important of these documents is the Declaration of Independence. Today’s talk radio hosts laugh over studies showing that a high percentage of Americans cannot name the three branches of government and argue that such people should not be allowed to vote. In what state will our freedoms be in another generation if the majority of Americans cannot even read their country’s most sacred document? “If you don’t teach cursive, the time will come when people will not be able to read cursive” (State Rep. Linden Bateman in the 2013 article “Idaho Rep: Without Cursive, Kids, Society Lose”). “What will that do to historical research? Family research? Genealogy? Our Constitution, our Declaration of Independence—kids will not be able to read those documents in the original. It disconnects kids from their past—weakens the connection” (Rep. Bateman says in the 2013 article “Lawmaker: Write Cursive into Idaho School Standards”).
—Ngozi Amadi
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From The Benefits of Writing With Good Old Pen and Paper from Huffpost.com:
In a small study published this spring, researchers had college students listen to various TED lectures and then take notes — either longhand or on their computers. Students who typed were more likely to take notes verbatim, which “hurts learning,” the researchers concluded. And indeed, those students scored worse overall when tested on their grasp of the facts and their conceptual understanding.
“Study after study suggests that handwriting is important for brain development and cognition,” argued a 2010 article from The Week, citing work from University of Wisconsin psychologist Virginia Berninger, who has tested school-age children and found they tend to generate more ideas when composing essays by hand, rather than on the computer. “Writing entails using the hand and fingers to form letters … the sequential finger movements activate multiple regions of the brain associated with processing and remembering information,” echoed Wade.
It slows you down. In a good way.
The average person types between 38 and 40 words per minute, which has clear benefits when speed is the primary objective. Writing with a pen and paper, on the other hand, “requires more mental energy and engages more areas of the brain than pressing keys on a computer keyboard,” Wade wrote. And because it is slower, handwriting can be particularly useful during goal setting, brainstorming and the so-called “retrieval phase of studying,” she argues — all pursuits that require time and deliberation.
“When you’re writing out something, the natural inclination is to do it as quickly as possible so you can get it over with,” echoed Thorin Klosowski, in a LifeHacker post on simplifying one’s life through the use of pen and paper. “Paper slows me down and forces me to think a little bit longer about what I’m doing.”
It limits distractions.
There is a reason why site-blocking productivity-boosting products and apps abound: According to Forbes, 64 percent of employees cop to visiting non-work-related websites throughout the day, and 39 percent say they waste at least one hour a day online. (Eight percent say they spend between 6 and 10 hours a day on sites not related to work, while 3 percent say they spend 10-plus!) With pen and paper, the opportunities for distraction are far more limited: There’s daydreaming (which may, in fact, have its own benefits) and doodling, but nothing like the onslaught of interruptions that can come when e-mails come in, or when Facebook and Instagram beckon …
As Dustin Wax put it on Lifehack, “The tried and true tool of choice for tens of generations of monks, philosophers, and scribes, pen and paper are still a valid choice when you need to focus.”
It sparks creativity.
This last one is impossible to quantify, of course, but as writer Lee Rourke explained in a post for The Guardian (called, appropriately, “Why Creative Writing Is Better With The Pen”): “For me, writing longhand is an utterly personal task where the outer world is closed off, just my thoughts and the movement of my hand across the page to keep me company. The whole process keeps me in touch with the craft of writing. It’s a deep-felt, uninterrupted connection between thought and language which technology seems to short circuit once I begin to use it.”
The legion of famous writers who purport to use only pen and paper suggests there might be something to the notion that it somehow boosts creative output: Quentin Tarantino claims to write all of his scripts longhand, telling Reuters, “I used red and black [pens]. One of the great things about being a writer is it gives you complete license to have whatever strange rituals make you happy and productive.” Joyce Carol Oates now writes the first draft of all of her novels on pen and paper, as does Jhumpa Lahiri, according to Mashable.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/writing-on-paper_n_5797506
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From Pen and Paper vs. Computer — Which Do You Use? at writerstreasure.com:
The computer
The computer was preceded by the typewriter, I know. But as so few people use typewriters these days I have to chosen to compare pen and paper with computer. Let’s see its benefits and disadvantages.
It certainly has some benefits:
- It’s faster for those who are comfortable typing (e.g. when writing a novel)
- The finished work looks more professional due to formatting (when you use pen and paper you have to make sure that your handwriting is excellent and legible)
- It becomes possible to share documents on the internet and collaborate
- It becomes possible to publish it (on the Internet).
But as usual, a thing which has advantages will also have disadvantages. In this case, they are:
- Long hours of typing is bad for our body’s health: the fingers as well as the eyes get tired
- For those who can’t type comfortably writing on the computer is like swimming in an ocean
- The document loses the “personal touch.” For example when you have to prepare a project for your school then printing it out of the computer is not good because it loses your credibility (one can wonder, did he really write this?) Using pen and paper on the other hand, one doesn’t face this problem.
So as you can see there are some strong points both for and against the computer and pen and paper. Which should you use? There’s no right answer to this question. Someone may feel comfortable typing for hours and someone may shudder at the thought of it. Someone will be happy with using pen and paper and someone will be discontent. Someone likes this and someone likes that.
But you have to make your own decision for yourself. Which do you feel comfortable using? Which is better for your situation? Which is appropriate for your writing? Answer these questions and you will discover which writing medium you should use.
A side note: Which do I use? Both. For longer pieces, the computer. For academic writing and shorter pieces, the good old pen and paper. These days I might use computer more, but I like both equally. Just my opinion.
http://www.writerstreasure.com/pen-and-paper-vs-computer/
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What do you think? Do you create with a computer or with pen and paper? Why?
Visit the discussion section of the KC Storytellers Meetup page (https://www.meetup.com/Kansas-City-Storytellers/discussions/) to discuss or leave a comment below.
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