How Handwriting Trains the Brain
As you know, our Montessori Method has many materials and techniques to help children master both recognizing and writing words and letters. From sandpaper letters to metal stencils we help your children develop good handwriting skills. This week’s Wall Street Journal highlighted some interesting research on handwriting and cognitive skills:
Ask preschooler Zane Pike to write his name or the alphabet, then watch this 4-year-old’s stubborn side kick in. He spurns practice at school and tosses aside workbooks at home. But Angie Pike, Zane’s mom, persists, believing that handwriting is a building block to learning.
She’s right. Using advanced tools such as magnetic resonance imaging, researchers are finding that writing by hand is more than just a way to communicate. The practice helps with learning letters and shapes, can improve idea composition and expression, and may aid fine motor-skill development.
…
Studies suggest there’s real value in learning and maintaining this ancient skill, even as we increasingly communicate electronically via keyboards big and small. Indeed, technology often gets blamed for handwriting’s demise.