Why write by hand?
The keyboard is increasingly replacing our handwriting.
This is not bad, but difficult especially for learning.
Why write by hand?
The keyboard is increasingly replacing our handwriting.
This is not bad, but difficult especially for learning.
We write less and less by hand. Thanks to autocorrect and artificial intelligence, we also have to write out whole words correctly less and less often. This may be helpful for writing texts quickly, but elementary school students, of all people, are losing crucial skills.
Why is handwriting so important?
Our brain has a lot to do when we use our hand to write. It’s similar to muscles. Through frequent activation, we strengthen connections in the brain and ensure that they are linked and developed. Artificial intelligence works in a similar way. Only the repeated recognition of slightly different situations or images increases the probability of hitting the unknown.
So what can we do?
Anyone who has ever observed a novice writer writing can confirm that the letters all look quite different. Sometimes they stick out above the line, sometimes the lines are a little crooked or not quite through. Basically, they are all slightly different. Much like computer image recognition, our brains have to work harder when they see handwritten text and not beautifully even letters. First reader texts are printed in large letters without serifs for a reason. The clearer and simpler, the easier.
So why use handwriting?
Handwriting helps us in two ways:
- Train the brain in digestible steps, slowly increasing the difficulty and creating and forming more and more connections. If the brain is challenged and trained to correctly recognize even slight variations of a letter, reading and writing become easier.
- By moving our hands at the same time, we activate several areas of the brain at the same time. When writing, one part of the brain tries to concentrate on writing neatly. Another part reads along and internally checks what has been written.
Basically, however, the same applies, regardless of whether you use the keyboard or the pen:
Written things are easier to remember.
The more often the repetition, the better the result.
But children learn to write by hand in school. What is the problem?
Nowadays, thanks to many new learning methods, children are learning to write in an increasingly varied way. They sing and dance the letters, they use sand boards, special pens or handicrafts with natural materials to learn numbers and letters. In short, they use almost all their senses. Because every child learns quite differently.
Once they have learned to write letters, words and sentences are written or repeated several times. Numerous apps playfully support children in this process. But almost all apps use ready-made choices.
This is not a bad thing and helps to relieve one part of the brain and perhaps concentrate on sub-areas such as reading or spelling. But if the child is suddenly sitting in front of a white sheet of paper, a given task seems much bigger. Suddenly, significantly more brain areas have to be activated and used, which were only slightly built up due to previously less pronounced activation.
In short: The child has a harder time.
Therefore, what can I do?
One way is to provide many different incentives and opportunities for arithmetic, writing and reading.
For this reason, we have developed apps that focus on handwriting to practice mental arithmetic, reading, writing and foreign languages. Introducing:
All apps
- come with a simple and uncluttered design to reduce distractions as much as possible
focus on handwriting - are completely flexible: create your own lists of learning words and phrases to prepare for dictations or vocabulary tests. Create your own task areas for targeted mental arithmetic practice.
- enable targeted exercises to learn from previously made mistakes through repetition in a kind of flashcard system
And the best part:
All apps have no hidden costs or subscriptions. For the price of a pencil, you can practice and play with multiple users unlimited times.