Why is handwriting an important skill?

What Is A Handwriting Skill?

Handwriting is not only a fine motor skill, but an important neuro-muscular activity as well. In this day and age where technology is predominant, I would like to bring to notice as to why Handwriting is an important skill.

Handwriting is a practice that involves activities of both the brain and the body. It has a number of benefits to be drawn and so it constitutes a significant place in the elementary education. It develops some of the very important skills in an individual.

What Are The Handwriting Skills You Need To Your Child?

Few of these skills are discussed as under-

1. Vision: while practicing handwriting, an individual converts his thoughts into words. These thoughts are a reflection of one's education, understanding and knowledge. A good thinking ability develops a sound vision. An individual who has a good vision also has an added intellect, an identity among masses and increased performance in all activities (for example: studies, sports, co-curricular activities etc.)
2. Retention: Researchers have proved that handwriting helps in understanding and remembering things for a longer period of time. Through handwriting, learning the language and subject becomes more convenient as all the information gets stored in the mind. This process is called retention of data. This retained data can then be recalled easily whenever in need (like in examinations)
3. Communication: Handwriting is a form of written communication. An effective handwriting portrays a substantial influence on the reader. Not only this, handwriting also helps in attaining a high level fluency in verbal communication. No other method except handwriting can be as effective in increasing vocabulary, pronunciation, spelling, way of writing and learning the language itself
4. Balance: Handwriting requires a balance between the body movements and the activities of brain. This balance is achieved by mind and motor coordination in which the brain instructs to write and the body (specifically the hands) performs the action. Handwriting is therefore also referred to as brain writing. It is believed that that what we write comes from the conscious mind and how we write comes from the subconscious mind
5. Emotion: Handwriting depicts the rationality of an individual. The handwriting evolves people into rational beings who are emotionally stable and can make effective decisions. These people have higher success ratios in their areas of participation. So even between the latest gadgets and technological instruments, handwriting finds an irreplaceable position in the lives of students. It is still a major part of the curriculum and almost 70% of school assignments are still submitted and accepted in ink

How Can You Teach Handwriting To Your Child?

While there are numerous ways to teach handwriting to your child, below mentioned five things are quite essential

1. Grasp or hold on the pencil: The first and foremost rule of teaching handwriting to your child is how to hold a pencil. If the grip is right then the writing will be neat and legible
2. Practice on lined paper: As your child is growing up you can make him or her practice on the ruled paper or a lined paper four lines for English writing and five lines with Hindi writing. The lines help in forming the alphabets with right precision thus giving a neat look to your child's writing
3. Practice the optimum speed: Neat and legible writing doesn't mean that your child has to be a slow writer and that is where practice comes handy
4. Ease the pressure: Some children have the habit of putting too much pressure while writing so much so that the words get imprinted on the next page as well. So teach your child to ease the pressure and yet write neatly
5. Pattern making: The best way to teach all of the above is to practice on patterns – standing, sleeping and cursive lines, and circle. This entire practice will help your child in getting the right grip resulting in neat and legible handwriting

Why Is It Important To Have Good Handwriting?

Even in this age of technology and no paper age, it is important for your child to have good and legible handwriting because handwriting stimulates brain more effectively and is a signal of a complex/intricate cognitive development of your child. Handwriting is not mere penning down the words on the paper, handwriting is much more than that, it is an important growth parameter in your child where the child not only learns to write but also to connect the letters to create words and thus sentences.

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