Insights from the Economist article, “The importance of handwriting is becoming better understood”

If you’ve been writing, and learning everything you can about writing, you’ve probably come across the recommendation to write by hand with a pen and paper.

I’ve been doing it for a while now, even though I confess I didn’t really understand any of the neurological reasons behind it. I started doing it when I learned Jerry Seinfeld wrote every episode of Seinfeld by hand on yellow legal pads. With a blue pen. Probably a Bic?

I recently came across an Economist article on the topic. Here’s some of what I learned:

Handwriting Enhances Learning: The article highlights research showing the cognitive benefits of writing by hand. It’s believed handwriting, versus typing on a computer, improves memory and aids in understanding complex ideas. In addition, the physical act of writing reinforces the material you’re studying and leads to better recall.

Superior Note-Taking with Handwriting: It would seem there are advantages to handwriting when taking notes. Handwriting notes allow students to synthesize information into their own words. This leads to a better understanding of the content. Research shows students who take notes by hand tend to perform better on tests.

Education Policy and Handwriting: Education policies in various countries, and even in some states in the United States, emphasize the importance of handwriting instruction due to its cognitive benefits.