Why is Handwriting Important?
Writing that is done by hand—with a pen or pencil, for example—is known as handwriting. Handwriting is distinct from formal calligraphy or typography and covers both printing and cursive techniques. Each person’s handwriting is distinctive and diverse; thus, it can be used to confirm who wrote a document. Another sign or outcome of a number of disorders is a person’s handwriting deteriorating. Dysgraphia is the inability to generate legible, cohesive handwriting. Later on, it is also used to study the personality types and traits of an individual. This process is known as graphology which has contributed immensely to the advancement of different fields of pedagogy. Graphology academically discusses the importance of handwriting and why it should be considered a regular daily life tool for longer and more sustained periods. These days typing and voice-typing are being done for better efficiency, but handwriting remains important for ages and for specific reasons.
Writing has existed for a very long time. Simple pictographs were first carved on a rock, and as concepts were merged, they evolved into more abstract symbols. Earlier symbols were used to store information and transmit it to others, just as our writing now does. The way we write to communicate has seen a significant transformation in recent years thanks to modern technologies. The ability to write by hand still matters in education, the workplace, and daily life, despite the rise in the use of computers for writing. Let’s discuss the subject of handwriting in depth while breaking down the points in detail.
Learning Handwriting
Early investment in the teaching and learning of letter formation will pay off. Children can focus on the higher-level elements of writing composition and content when they can generate legitimate writing easily, quickly, and with little conscious effort. This is significant when evaluations are focused on written work, especially in timed written exams, which continue to be a significant type of evaluation for many formal qualifications. Students who struggle with their handwriting may miss out on learning opportunities and perform poorly in class. In addition to formal education, the majority of job scenarios entail at least some handwriting and many call for the transmission of crucial information (e.g., medical notes, prescriptions).
From early childhood through adulthood, handwriting with a pen and paper still plays a significant role, but more and more individuals are switching to technological ways of communication. However, it’s interesting to note that handwriting recognition software is now widely available on personal computers, increasing the prevalence of handwriting as a method of computer interaction. Therefore, it would appear that handwriting is still a crucial communication skill in the modern world.
Why is Handwriting Important?
- When we write anything by hand as opposed to entering it on a keyboard or touching a screen, our brains function differently. Writing helps memory, according to studies, and pupils learn new concepts more effectively when they write them down rather than typing them.
- Writing becomes a more comprehensive activity when the body is involved. The act of forming words and phrases on paper is distinctly tactile and multifaceted.
- By physically engaging with each letter as they learn the alphabet, students are better able to imprint and retain the letters and letter sounds for simpler recall when learning to read. Only the eyes and hands are actively used when learning letters on a screen. The design of the keys makes it impossible to differentiate between different letters. The fine motor muscles of the fingers and hand, as well as the bigger muscles of the arm and torso, as well as the eyes, are all actively used while learning letters by writing them.
- Numerous authors attest to the usefulness of a handwritten first draft and the subsequent reading through and interact with their writing through annotation, correction, editing, and overall reshaping. Instead, typing on a screen tempts us to modify as we go, fragmenting and dissecting the text and possibly obstructing the natural flow of ideas.
- Even in this digital age, many successful people believe that having a small notebook and pen on hand will be essential to their success because it will allow them to jot down ideas as they come to them and refer to them later.
- Because many historical documents were written by hand, anyone who cannot read cursive will find them incomprehensible. Learning to write in one’s own handwriting helps one develop their ability to read handwriting. The ability to read print and cursive is a crucial component of language literacy.
- Handwriting might encourage us to take our time and focus fully on our thoughts. Has anyone ever uttered the phrase “I type as fast as I think”? This is undoubtedly helpful when typing out spoken words, but writers and thoughts both need space to develop before being expressed in sentences, and handwriting offers just that.
- Writing that is effective has a relaxing rhythm and flow. While technology and culture encourage us to work more quickly and passionately, activities like writing can assist us in striking a healthy balance between our work, learning, and leisure.
- Being able to write fluently allows the mind to concentrate more intently on a subject. Any writing assignment that requires writing requires valuable mental work, but when handwriting is mastered, it makes all the difference. A plus for learning is smooth, skilled handwriting!
- Using a pen in hand provides immediate access to creative and artistic options that typing on a keyboard does not provide.
- Unlike typography, handwriting is individual to each writer. A person’s handwriting style and signature, in particular, make a visible and lasting message. That remark can become more compelling, lovely, and – perhaps most significantly – legible with the help of good writing skills.
- Email and typewritten text cannot truly express the intimacy and personal nature of handwritten notes to friends and loved ones. Only handwriting can accurately convey the writer’s attitude and personality. A romantic gift to treasure is a handwritten note of affection.
- For innovative, well-written content, handwriting is essential since it affects the composition’s quality and flow. Children can focus on the higher-level elements of writing composition and content when they can generate legitimate writing easily, quickly, and with little conscious effort. Better authors have better handwriting. Children who have mastered it write more skillfully and effectively. Growing up, these individuals are often more creative and productive in the art sections than the rest of the population.
- All students, regardless of age, should take notes by hand because doing so enhances focus, understanding, and performance. Notes from students must be self-legible to be useful.
Other Uses Of Handwriting
Being distinctive and unique in nature for every individual, it portrays different moods and sides of a personality. Therefore it is used in a variety of disease recognition and personality tests. Children who are affected by ADHD are often diagnosed by their handwriting, and in the case of dyslexia, it is also true. Learning difficulties or neurodevelopmental disorders like ADHD are frequently present in children who have developmental dysgraphia. Similarly, dyslexia occurs more frequently in those with ADD/ADHD. Unknown numbers of people with ADD/ADHD who have trouble writing also have undiagnosed learning disabilities such as developmental dyslexia or developmental dysgraphia, which may be the root of their handwriting issues.
It has been discovered that children with ADHD are likely to write in illegible handwriting, make more spelling mistakes, add or remove letters, and require more corrections. Children that struggle with these issues typically have larger letters with a broad range in letter size, letter spacing, word spacing, and baseline letter alignment. With longer texts, handwriting variability rises.
On the other hand, handwriting is used as a subject of discussion by the fraternity of graphology. Graphology is used for determining the characteristics and personality types of human beings based on their pen writings. Graphology is primarily used as a recruiting tool in the applicant screening process to predict personality traits and job performance. It is a topic that is currently being discussed around the world, and European nations like France are using these techniques to assess their workforce more accurately. According to a researcher named Elaine, graphology is “brainwriting” because each writer’s handwriting is distinctively personal and individual, regardless of how they were taught to write. A skilled graphologist is aware of the various writing traditions of various nations and languages and can account for “taught” influences. The printed text’s content is also mainly unimportant to the analysis itself.
Conclusion
At least 200 different handwriting traits are used in graphology’s investigation and methodology. An expert can see the writer “step off the page” thanks to the graphologist’s skill in the psychological art of interpreting the unique blend of handwriting qualities. You can learn more about handwriting and graphology from us at InsideInk. You can take various customizable courses and lessons about graphology and understand the subject thoroughly, which can enable a special skill of yours to grow and shine as an individual.
She is a certified Graphologist since 2002 and is an expert in designing customized remedies to help her clients overcome various life issues like finance troubles, career growth, education, relationship problems, anxiety, guilt, fear and health issues like back pains, digestion/stomach related issues etc. She has done her M.Tech in IEOR from IIT Bombay. Her one-on-one guidance and customized solutions ensure that all her clients succeed and develop at a fast pace who come from all walks of life including entrepreneurs, students, business professionals, housewives, retirees, white-collar and blue-collar workers.