Writing By Hand Aids Children to Learn More and Remember Better, Study Suggests

Nov, 2020 - By WMR

A new brain research study led by the researchers Norwegian University of Science and Technology suggests that writing by hand can help children to be smarter by learning more and remember better. However, in the present scenario, schools are becoming digital, and according to a European survey, Norwegian children spend highest amount of time online in comparison to other 19 countries in EU.

In the study, researchers involved twelve young adults and twelve children and studied their brain activity. Moreover, researchers utilized EEG to trace and record brain wave activity and the participants were instructed to wear a hood with more than 250 electrodes attached. The sensors in the electrodes pick up the electrical impulses when the brain is active. In the study, participants were instructed to go through an examination that took 45 minutes per person, and researchers gained 500 data points per second. Later, researchers revealed that brain was more active including both youngsters and children, when they wrote in hand, in comparison to the situation where they typed using a keyboard.

Van der Meer from Norwegian University of Science and Technology stated, “The use of pen and paper gives the brain more 'hooks' to hang your memories on. Writing by hand creates much more activity in the sensorimotor parts of the brain. A lot of senses are activated by pressing the pen on paper, seeing the letters you write and hearing the sound you make while writing. These sense experiences create contact between different parts of the brain and open the brain up for learning. We both learn better and remember better”.

Researchers also noted that although digital learning exhibits several advantages but handwriting training have equal importance and also suggests that national guidelines should be put forward ensuring children of receiving minimal handwriting training.