Beacon News – Michael Zwaagstra
“Many progressive educators believe that handwriting is obsolete in the 21st century…Unfortunately, much of the debate about handwriting tends to dwell on minor issues…The more important issue is whether learning how to handwrite helps students to master important skills such as reading, and whether writing words on paper is better for learning than typing them on tablet. If the answer to these questions is yes, then it makes sense to keep paper and pencils in the classroom…Fortunately, research gives us a clear answer…handwriting helps students move information from their short-term memories into their long-term memories, while typing does not. When students practice printing by hand, they learn how to read and write more quickly and more accurately…Far from being obsolete, handwriting remains an important skill in the 21st century and beyond.”(more)