Learning To Write/Writing To Learn

Learning to Write/Writing to Learn				classroomwe need to know and understand what
Discovering the crucial role of cursive writing in				is being lost and what is being gained. It is quite
the learning process.				possible that by relaxing the student's need to
				strive to meet required handwriting standards and
Indications are that technological advances and				also by reducing practice time for penmanship, we
state-mandated tests, in addition to other				may have hampered and in some cases damaged
variables, are forcing cursive writing (a form of				the learning process. We may have inadvertently
handwriting in which each letter of a word is				added to the need for special education. Difficulty
connected to another letter) to receive less				with basic reading and language skills are the most
instruction time in the classroom. Although the				common learning disabilities.
teaching of cursive varies across the country and				Some of the more remarkable studies using
even within the same school district, instruction				handwriting and the brain are those associated
time has been greatly reduced and practice				with learning disorders. Many studies are being
beyond the third grade is rare. Lesson and				conducted using handwriting and special education
practice time for cursive handwriting has been				needs. Dr. Virginia Berninger, University of
reduced from the excessive two hours a day or				Washington professor of educational psychology,
more decades ago to the "as we have time"				and Steve Graham, Ed.D, professor of special
present day allotment which is usually fifteen				education at the University of Maryland, College
minutes a day or less. Schools often start				Park, have several interesting research studies
teaching cursive at the end of second grade and				using handwriting and the brain available for
stop after third grade. Steve Graham, Ed D,				perusal on the internet. As a handwriting specialist
professor of special education at the University of				with over 25 years of experience I understand
Maryland, College Park, says of cursive writing:				how learning to write in cursive benefits the
"True fluency requires time and practice. The				student well beyond the basic act of handwriting.
point at which kids write fast enough so that it				Practicing the writing process establishes many
doesn't interfere with composition and class note				valuable habits in the learner. One of the most
taking usually doesn't occur before sixth grade.				important habits is mental and emotional discipline,
Students gain fluency by practicing writing." The				a foundation for learning and a prerequisite to
reduction in instruction time for penmanship has				maturity and social responsibility.
been slowly and subtlety taking place over the				Since cursive writing isn't emphasized after third
last several decades. Most importantly, this				grade, few students are getting enough practice
change has occurred without a scientific				or reinforcement to make cursive automatic. In
understanding of what effect this change may be				other words, when the student no longer needs
having on student learning and development.				to think about how to write but can focus on
Although some schools spend little time on				what they want to say in their writing, the skill
cursive handwriting lessons, studies show a				becomes automatic. How long this process
connection between cursive handwriting and brain				takes may vary from child to child but it is
development. For example:				certainly longer than the third grade. When kids
Neurologist Frank Wilson, author of The Hand:				aren't taught how to learn penmanship properly,
How its Use Shapes the Brain, Language and				they make it up, develop bad habits and
Human Culture, says, "Although the repetitive drills				handwriting never becomes fluid or routine. In
that accompany handwwriting lessons seem				many cases it becomes illegible. One of the results
outdated, such physical instruction will help				of the reduction in practice of cursive handwriting
students to succeed. He says these activities				is that more and more students are printing. Many
stimulate brain activity, lead to increased language				parents are unaware that their kids cannot write
fluency, and aid in the development of important				in cursive or in some cases cannot read cursive.
knowledge." He describes in detail the pivotal role				Scenarios like the following are surprising many
of hand movements, in particular the				families.
development of thinking and language capacities,				Grandma writes a note in cursive on the
and in "developing deep feelings of confidence and				birthday card she gives to her sixteen year old
interest in the worl-all-together, the essential				grandson. She is shocked to hear him say he
prerequistes for the emergence of the capable				can't read cursive so he doesn't know what she
and caring individual."				said.
Much of the education research being conducted				Mom asks her thirteen year old daughter to sign
by universities focuses on technologyand literacy.				her name on a savings account bank deposit slip.
Little regard is given to the interrelationships of				Her daughter prints her name on the signature
handwriting development and reading, spelling and				line. When mom asks her to also write her
composition. Learning handwriting is closely tied to				name in cursive, her daughter replies that she
learning to read. . Brain research is constantly				doesn't know howto write in cursive. She always
providing new revelations about how the brain				prints her signature.
works and how we all learn. The discovery of				You might think that these are unusual
neuroplascitiy is one the most exciting and popular				occurrences but parents all over the country are
areas of research in psychology today and				noticing that their kids are printing when asked to
promises to provide a strong foundation on which				hand write a note or sign their name. Many had
to base educational decisions. Neuroplasticity				no idea their kids were not able to write in, or in
refers to the brains ability to restructure itself				some cases, read cursive. When handwritten
after training or practice. Neuroplasticity relates to				essays were introduced on the SAT exams for
how cognitive demands and new learning create				the (high school) class of 2006, just 15 percent of
new neural pathways and connections in response				the almost 1.5 million students wrote their
to stimuli. It is now possible to determine how				answers in cursive. The rest printed, many in
learning to write in cursive affects the learning				Block letters.
process. It is likely that courses in the arts,				Many people think that the reduction in time spent
music, drama, art, woodworking etc. which have				teaching cursive handwriting is basically related to
also suffered diminishment in school curriculum, will				the introduction of computers into the schools or
be vindicated through this brain research. They				pressure on teachers to meet qualifications for
too play important roles in the learning process.				SAT testing. However, the origins in the decline of
There are many fascinating neuroplasticity				penmanship instruction and practice are colleges of
research studies and book references available on				education, school curriculum directors and
the internet. While many current educational				administrators who dismiss handwriting as an old-
practices fit well with the research, others run				fashioned subject that is no longer relevant. Very
counter to what we are learning and pose				few, if any, colleges of education offer courses in
significant challenges to those who work in				the teaching of handwriting. Many primary school
schools. Psychiatrist and Neuroplasticity expert Dr.				teachers never received proper instruction and
Norman Doidge, author of the book The Brain				practice in cursive handwriting themselves. The
That Changes Itself, says he fears that if cursive				power to change this trend resides with the
fades away, so will cognitive skills that handwriting				parents of today's students. First, become
builds. He says that if children don't learn those				aware of how handwriting is taught and
movements, their brains "will develop in a different				practiced in your school, do some research and
way that no one has really thought through." Dr.				then demand that time for cursive handwriting in
Doidge explains, "When a child types or prints, he				primary grades be extended and that it is
produces a letter the same way each time. In				practiced until it becomes automatic.
cursive, however, each letter connects slightly				Penmanship was a cornerstone of education in
differently to the next, which is more demanding				America for decades. Removing or weakening a
on the part of the brain that converts symbol				cornerstone can be a substantial risk to the entire
sequences into motor movements in the hand." In				foundation of education. America has been falling
an Australian (ABC) TV interview with Kerry				behind other nations in several areas of education
O'Brien, (09/09/08) neuroscientist Dr. Doidge was				and one of the most problematic areas is reading.
asked to elaborate on a statement in his book				Learning to write in cursive is closely related to
where he said, that humans were instinctively on				learning to read. Care must be given to subtle
the right track in the age of rote learning in				and obvious changes developing in school
education. He responded:				curriculum. Students must be computer literate to
Some neuroscientists say if cursive disappears,				compete in today's global economy but
those cognitive skills will simply be replaced by				keyboarding should be in addition to, not instead
new ones, just as they always have since				of penmanship skills. We can and we must
humans began leaving their marks on cave walls.				discover how the tools being used in teaching
No doubt the lost cognitive skills will be replaced				affect the learning process itself. A Nation at Risk
by new ones. But, it isn't it irresponsible to				(described in the Federal Government's landmark
promote such changes without understanding if				1983 report) is still at risk and can no longer
these changes are beneficial or harmful to the				afford to allow curriculum changes to occur based
learner? Before continuing to allow time for				primarily on opinions and assumptions.
cursive handwriting practice to be diminished in the

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Learning To Write/Writing To Learn

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