The Huffington Post – Maddie Crum
“FStill curious, I poked around to figure out why handwriting matters, whether cursive in particular is important, and whether kids are still learning it, inundated as they are with on-screen options for conveying their thoughts. I found that there are a few academics working in the field of early childhood education who are devoted to the importance of handwriting instruction. Of all the studies I could find centered on the importance of writing things out by hand versus typing them on a keyboard, none refuted the fact that physically transcribing letters is useful in developing skills that aid in learning and memory. Perhaps the biggest proponent of handwriting — at least in the field of early childhood education — is Dr. Laura Dineheart, who does research at Florida International University. Plainly put, Dineheart said in an interview with The Huffington Post, “Our research found that children who were better able to produce letters, numbers and shapes in preschool demonstrated better academic achievement in second grade.” The reason for this, Dineheart says, is that children and adults use all of their senses when they’re learning something. When we use motor skills while learning, we’re more likely to retain the information.”(more)