why is learning to write important

Why is learning to write important when technology is replacing the pencil with a keyboard

You may ask, “Why is learning to write important?” when all around you people are hitting keyboards and there is not a pencil in sight. Most schools introduce students to the keyboard in the early grades and they soon give up on cursive writing. But researches say students who write in cursive, write faster and express their thoughts more openly. Whereas students using block letters seemed to have limited imagination and their writing speed was definitely slower. 

Another point about writing verses printing is students who write have easier to read assignments than students who print. Now is there enough evidence here to justify learning longhand writing. But only about 15% of students who sit the SAT exams used cursive writing, the rest just printed. 

I think learning to write longhand is important because sometimes we just have to write. And in poor countries where some people cannot afford computers they still write. We cannot rely too much on technology. Sometimes the old ways are better. 

Anyway when teaching longhand writing I like to use the Montessori approach. 

This method uses sandpaper letters and the child can feel the shape of the letter as she traces the letter on the sandpaper. The action of writing and feeling the texture of the sandpaper help to implant the letter in the child’s brain. This system has been teaching children for nearly a 100 years, but with the advent of the computer will it be around in another 100 years.

For more information about a Montessori course that helps children to write and read see here.