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Thread: Another study: writing by hand makes kids smarter

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    Default Another study: writing by hand makes kids smarter


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    Default Re: Another study: writing by hand makes kids smarter

    thanks for adding to the many reasons handwriting is better for learning
    Bob

    Making the world a more peaceful place, one fine art print and one handwritten letter at a time.

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    Default Re: Another study: writing by hand makes kids smarter

    1. I'm calling bs on this claim about Finland: "Very few schools offer any handwriting training at all,” says Van der Meer.

    2. This study is small and shows ONLY different electrical brain activity. This study shows nothing about "learning" or even "memory". Any educator of any value knows that memory, and especially "learning," need a specific definition (specific list of observable and measurable outcomes) in order to be investigated through research.

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    Default Re: Another study: writing by hand makes kids smarter

    Quote Originally Posted by TSherbs View Post
    1. I'm calling bs on this claim about Finland: "Very few schools offer any handwriting training at all,” says Van der Meer.
    Finland certainly phased out teaching cursive a few years ago to teach typing instead. There was a lot of discussion about it at the time.
    In the words of Paul Simon, you can call me Al.

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    Default Re: Another study: writing by hand makes kids smarter

    Quote Originally Posted by grainweevil View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by TSherbs View Post
    1. I'm calling bs on this claim about Finland: "Very few schools offer any handwriting training at all,” says Van der Meer.
    Finland certainly phased out teaching cursive a few years ago to teach typing instead. There was a lot of discussion about it at the time.
    Since 2016.

    https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...skills-finland

    https://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-news-...where-30146160

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    Default Re: Another study: writing by hand makes kids smarter

    Quote Originally Posted by catbert View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by grainweevil View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by TSherbs View Post
    1. I'm calling bs on this claim about Finland: "Very few schools offer any handwriting training at all,” says Van der Meer.
    Finland certainly phased out teaching cursive a few years ago to teach typing instead. There was a lot of discussion about it at the time.
    Since 2016.

    https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...skills-finland

    https://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-news-...where-30146160
    Thanks, but this article is about "CURSIVE (joined writing)". [emphasis mine]

    Of course Finland has not abandoned "handwriting" to the point where "very few schools teach it at all."

    Every school in Finland teaches students how to write by hand, whether they use a form of connected or unconnected lettering. It is a critical aspect of early literacy around the world.

    The study in the OP is actually not about either "learning" or "memory," and these later posts are about "cursive," not handwriting in general. All these media titles are misleading, which becomes clear when one reads the articles.
    Last edited by TSherbs; October 3rd, 2020 at 02:20 PM.

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    Default Re: Another study: writing by hand makes kids smarter

    For those interested in the science behind this study you can check out this page:
    https://www.frontiersin.org/articles...020.01810/full

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    Default Re: Another study: writing by hand makes kids smarter

    Quote Originally Posted by BlkWhiteFilmPix View Post
    thanks for adding to the many reasons handwriting is better for learning
    Actually, the conclusion of the study does not say this. It recommends a mixture of both handwriting and digital work, acknowledging the benefits of both.

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    Default Re: Another study: writing by hand makes kids smarter

    Quote Originally Posted by TSherbs View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by BlkWhiteFilmPix View Post
    thanks for adding to the many reasons handwriting is better for learning
    Actually, the conclusion of the study does not say this. It recommends a mixture of both handwriting and digital work, acknowledging the benefits of both.
    To which one could add that the carry-on point is that handwriting lessons should not be dropped from school curricula.

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    Default Re: Another study: writing by hand makes kids smarter

    Quote Originally Posted by carlos.q View Post
    For those interested in the science behind this study you can check out this page:
    https://www.frontiersin.org/articles...020.01810/full
    Thanks, Carlos.

    The reason I have been replying so often here is that I am a teacher of reading and writing (35 years now), and so many media reports (usually just opinion pieces) make claims about the efficacy of cursive over printing (no such thing has yet been demonstrated) or handwriting over typing for learning. The Van der Meer and Van der Weel study from 2017 is the only one that I have ever seen that tried to look at the efficacy of handwriting (not cursive exclusively) over typing in terms of memory performance, and it did show a slight favor to handwriting (again, not cursive specifically) in the long term.

    This study cites Van der Meer et al and claims to "support" it with its data on brain wave function. But this study did not look at any form of "learning" nor any form of actual memory retention, so it is limited in its "support" and, as the authors note, does not appear to be contradictory to Van der Meer. This study did use cursive, but was not comparing it against printed letter use, and the report interchangeably uses "cursive" with "handwriting," which we educators typically do not. We require assignments to be handwritten, some of which we require to be written in "cursive" (connected lettering). The authors claim only that the results show that connected writing "may" be correlated with better memory and learning. This study doesn't demonstrate whether it actually does or does not.

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    Default Re: Another study: writing by hand makes kids smarter

    Quote Originally Posted by TSherbs View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by carlos.q View Post
    For those interested in the science behind this study you can check out this page:
    https://www.frontiersin.org/articles...020.01810/full
    Thanks, Carlos.

    The reason I have been replying so often here is that I am a teacher of reading and writing (35 years now), and so many media reports (usually just opinion pieces) make claims about the efficacy of cursive over printing (no such thing has yet been demonstrated) or handwriting over typing for learning. The Van der Meer and Van der Weel study from 2017 is the only one that I have ever seen that tried to look at the efficacy of handwriting (not cursive exclusively) over typing in terms of memory performance, and it did show a slight favor to handwriting (again, not cursive specifically) in the long term.

    This study cites Van der Meer et al and claims to "support" it with its data on brain wave function. But this study did not look at any form of "learning" nor any form of actual memory retention, so it is limited in its "support" and, as the authors note, does not appear to be contradictory to Van der Meer. This study did use cursive, but was not comparing it against printed letter use, and the report interchangeably uses "cursive" with "handwriting," which we educators typically do not. We require assignments to be handwritten, some of which we require to be written in "cursive" (connected lettering). The authors claim only that the results show that connected writing "may" be correlated with better memory and learning. This study doesn't demonstrate whether it actually does or does not.
    So, I will ask this; in your opinion, assuming no bias, have you observed or perceived one group (cursive writers, print writes, keyboarders, left or right handed writers) assimilated and/or retained material better than another?

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    Default Re: Another study: writing by hand makes kids smarter

    Quote Originally Posted by TSherbs View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by catbert View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by grainweevil View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by TSherbs View Post
    1. I'm calling bs on this claim about Finland: "Very few schools offer any handwriting training at all,” says Van der Meer.
    Finland certainly phased out teaching cursive a few years ago to teach typing instead. There was a lot of discussion about it at the time.
    Since 2016.

    https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...skills-finland

    https://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-news-...where-30146160
    Thanks, but this article is about "CURSIVE (joined writing)". [emphasis mine]
    Yeah, that's what I said. Catbert didn't say any different either. I know you're desperate to get on your professional horse and ride it but at least read what was written before you saddle up.
    In the words of Paul Simon, you can call me Al.

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    Default Re: Another study: writing by hand makes kids smarter

    Confirmation bias abounds.

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    Default Re: Another study: writing by hand makes kids smarter

    Quote Originally Posted by An old bloke View Post
    So, I will ask this; in your opinion, assuming no bias, have you observed or perceived one group (cursive writers, print writes, keyboarders, left or right handed writers) assimilated and/or retained material better than another?
    No, I have not observed this. But I teach high school, and all my students must write by hand or use their computers just about every day. And most of my students, like myself, use some hybrid form of connected and printed writing. Very few are 100% one way or the other. When I taught before laptops were widespread, I do not recall that the students had better memories.

    I will say, however, that they did read more books back then, and that, I believe, has had far greater impact on their "learning," but that is a different matter.



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    Default Re: Another study: writing by hand makes kids smarter

    Quote Originally Posted by grainweevil View Post

    Yeah, that's what I said. Catbert didn't say any different either. I know you're desperate to get on your professional horse and ride it but at least read what was written before you saddle up.
    I read every word of every post, from my comfy couch. Why, what are you sitting on?

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    Default Re: Another study: writing by hand makes kids smarter

    Quote Originally Posted by TSherbs View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by An old bloke View Post
    So, I will ask this; in your opinion, assuming no bias, have you observed or perceived one group (cursive writers, print writes, keyboarders, left or right handed writers) assimilated and/or retained material better than another?
    No, I have not observed this. But I teach high school, and all my students must write by hand or use their computers just about every day. And most of my students, like myself, use some hybrid form of connected and printed writing. Very few are 100% one way or the other. When I taught before laptops were widespread, I do not recall that the students had better memories.

    I will say, however, that they did read more books back then, and that, I believe, has had far greater impact on their "learning," but that is a different matter.



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    Thanks.

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    Default Re: Another study: writing by hand makes kids smarter

    I do use cursive handwriting as a way to remember things in my muscle memory. However, I also use a keyboard for the same purpose. Whether it's handwriting (my preference is cursive) or keyboard, when I can't remember something, sometimes my fingers remember if I simply shut my eyes and type or write. Everyone has at least one preferred way of learning or remembering. I wouldn't be surprised if people other than me found cursive handwriting useful in this regard. I also wouldn't be surprised if some people find it completely useless.

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    Default Re: Another study: writing by hand makes kids smarter

    Of course, both skills are useful for a child, and it's difficult to single out a more useful one. I think it all depends on the child, and not on the way you enter text. Handwritten text is good for developing hand motor skills and a sense of use of space. But typing on the keyboard is better for memory and performance. However, if you look into the future, with its augmented and virtual reality, then both options take place. My child goes to the Kid City USA daycare now, but we are already trying to find a school, where both directions would be presented equally.
    Last edited by IreneD; April 8th, 2021 at 01:08 PM.

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    Default Re: Another study: writing by hand makes kids smarter

    I have repeatedly noticed that I remember information better when I write it down by hand. But there is a simple explanation for this. The computer is a dangerous thing in terms of available distractions. When I write something there are only a pen and paper in my field of vision. When I type something, I think about several computer-related things at the same time, for example, mail or an online store.

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    Default Re: Another study: writing by hand makes kids smarter

    It would be interesting to look at this study from a different angle. Is it possible to say that any of these methods would be preferable for children with developmental delay? I became a member of the fosterplus program and want to take custody of a neglected child. I have repeatedly heard about how very strange parents adhere to a philosophy like "let's not force the child to learn a lot in early childhood, he will be taught everything at school." But not as much! If a child is equally bad at both a pen and a keyboard, what is the best way to conduct training so that it can be presented to him in an entertaining way? I don't want to put pressure on him, but it is clearly time for him to develop skills that have long been developed by his peers.
    Last edited by german; February 1st, 2022 at 03:43 AM.

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