Handwriting Improvement

Research shows improved handwriting increases brain activation and benefits kids academically across all subject areas. Better handwriting also leads to better reading abilities. When children are able to write with ease they are better able to focus on the development of the ideas and content they are writing instead of concentrating on the act of forming letters legibly. Studies also show that when students write by hand instead of a using a keyboard they are more likely to write more, write faster, and further develop written ideas.

The good news is that kids don’t need a lot of time to practice handwriting to see positive results. In early childhood 15-20 minutes of handwriting practice a day can help kids become fluent at letter formation and basic handwriting skills.

The most important aspect to learn for kids while improving handwriting is proper pencil grip. While writing a letter they should also follow the same letter formation strokes each time in order to become fluent at forming letters. This will help them in consistent letter formation.

Benefits:

Handwriting plays a very crucial role in the life of a person from his childhood.  Following are few reasons why it is important to have good writing skills.

For younger children:

Activates the brain:
It involves more complex motor and cognitive skills. It activates visual perception of letters leading to reading fluency. Handwriting is a predictor of success in other subjects, because good handwriting has a positive impact on grades.

Cursive writing helps students
Writing in print can get confusing for many children especially with letters like ‘b’ & ‘d’ . Writing incursive gives each letter a different look and feel and allows the child to write in a flowing, comfortable way. This also helps children with dyslexic tendencies.

For older children:

Assessments based on written work, particularly written examination that has limited time
Without fast and legible handwriting, students will miss out on learning opportunities, under-achieve and may fall behind. Good handwriting remains as a major form of assessment for many formal qualifications.

Poor handwriting can cause low self-esteem triggering loss of confidence
Children with poor handwriting will find it hard to proof read their own work. They will then fail to spot their mistakes and their confidence may dip even lower.
Examiners need to decipher what is written. Even where the content may be good, students get lower marks due to poor handwriting. Many state standardised assessments and handwritten essays emphasise the importance of handwriting. Without fast and legible handwriting, students may miss out on learning opportunities and under-achieve academically.

Handwriting contributes to better writers

Good handwriting leads to creative, well-crafted text affecting both fluency and quality of the composition. Writing comfortably, at speed and with little effort allows a child to create better composition and content. Handwriting contributes to better writers. Children who have mastered it are better, more creative writers.

Handwriting is crucial for note taking

Taking notes by hand is vital for all students of all ages because it improves attention, comprehension, and results.

Adulthood

People are judged by their handwriting
Handwriting is an imperative part of our life long after we have completed the role of being a student. Jotting down a shopping list, taking down a phone message, writing a birthday card, , completing a form at the bank, filling out immigration forms….handwriting is part of our daily lives. Many a time people are judged on the base of their handwriting.

Helps with communication

Handwriting plays a very important role when writing down e-mail addresses, website URL’s, and phone numbers where one wrong letter or number can prevent communication.
Good writing skills can help one in life. When applying for a job, good writing skills make you stand out and more desirable to the employer. One of the first things an employer looks at is the cover letter or resume which is solely based on the quality of the writing skills.

Throughout life:

Good handwriting is the key to progress and success

Children, students, teachers, lecturers and parents feel happy, confident and inspired by good handwriting skills. Good handwriting is the platform for achievement in the workplace and self-assurance in life.