Reader’s Corner: A skill worth resurrecting

The topic of handwriting has come up in several recent settings, in person and via educational newsletters, frequently among adults who practiced cursive under the tutelage of strict teachers in third or fourth grade. Some have expressed sadness that with increased use of technology and keyboards at school, handwriting seems to be a lost art. 

Last year, I sold my dad’s old car to a teenager, a pleasant young man who had worked hard to save up the funds. He was delighted to have his own wheels; but I was shocked when, watching me sign the title over to him, he said somewhat wistfully, “I wish I had a signature.” 

What??? 

Noticing my surprise, he explained that he had very little training in cursive during elementary school, and in high school, “signing” things was usually done by simply clicking a box. Even his printing on the title was a little rough. 

Not only does the lack of handwriting training deprive young people of their own unique signature, but the damage may also go deeper. I’ve previously referred to research done by a former supervisor at a community college remedial language lab. His master’s degree focus was in neuropathway development, and in the lab, students were not simply given printed worksheets to mark needed punctuation, capital letters, etc.—rather, they were to hand-copy the entire paragraph, inserting those items, because the instructor’s research had shown that handwriting affected retention. 

A recent article published by “The Learning Mind” listed multiple other benefits, including an extra spark of creativity generated by the fluid arm/hand movement of cursive. This is particularly interesting when considering that many famous authors, including J.K. Rowling and others, wrote their manuscripts by hand, even after typewriters and computers were readily available. 

Also interesting is that “Stronger Memory,” featured in this Globe issue, lists handwriting as one of three key activities that help restore cognitive function in senior adults. Think about that—if it restores cognitive function in people who learned it as children, what may be happening to the cognitive abilities of children who aren’t taught the skill in the first place? While there are obviously many helpful advantages to the digital age, forsaking handwriting is not one of them. 

Why not grab a packet of note cards at the dollar store and resurrect the habit of handwritten notes just to keep in touch? Or join me in keeping a notebook handy during personal devotions or at church. If your kids or grandkids are not taught cursive at school, buy or make a workbook and teach them—then read a book aloud together and have them write their thoughts about it. You’ll benefit; they’ll benefit. Don’t let handwriting become a lost art!