Hey there! Have you ever thought about how cool it is to write by hand? Tara and Trace from DNews have some interesting things to share about handwriting, especially cursive writing, and why it’s still important today.
Once upon a time, everyone wrote letters by hand. It was a special way to communicate. But now, with computers and phones, handwriting is becoming less common. Many schools are even stopping teaching cursive writing. But what does this mean for us?
Scientists have found that learning cursive is great for your brain! It helps your brain work better by connecting different skills like feeling, moving, and thinking. When you write in cursive, it lights up many parts of your brain, which is awesome for improving your motor skills and thinking abilities.
Studies show that writing by hand, especially in cursive, is better for your brain than typing. When you write letters in a meaningful way, it makes your brain super active. This helps both sides of your brain work together, which is really good for you!
Even writing in print is better than typing. But cursive writing is special because it involves more movement, which helps improve your visual skills. It also makes writing more personal and creative. A study found that kids who wrote essays by hand wrote more words and had more ideas than those who typed.
Writing by hand is like learning to play a musical instrument. It helps your brain grow and develop. And guess what? You don’t need to spend a lot of money on it. All you need is a pencil and paper!
So, should we keep teaching cursive writing, or is it something we should leave in the past? Think about it and share your thoughts. Remember, writing by hand is a fun and easy way to keep your brain sharp!
Hey there! Let’s dive into the world of cursive writing by creating your own cursive alphabet. Grab a piece of paper and try to write each letter in cursive. Make it colorful and unique! This will help you get comfortable with the flow of cursive writing.
Team up with your classmates for a handwriting relay race! Write a sentence in cursive as quickly and neatly as you can, then pass the paper to the next person. The team that finishes first with the best handwriting wins. This activity will improve your speed and accuracy in cursive writing.
Pick a friend or family member and write them a letter in cursive. Share something exciting or just say hello. This will not only practice your cursive skills but also show how personal and meaningful handwritten letters can be.
Combine art and handwriting by creating a cursive art project. Write a favorite quote or poem in cursive and decorate it with drawings or colors. This will help you see the beauty and creativity in cursive writing.
Start a cursive writing journal where you write a few sentences each day about your thoughts or experiences. This daily practice will enhance your cursive skills and keep your brain active and engaged.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript:
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Tara: I wrote you this love note.
Trace: That’s so sweet!
Tara: This is just a sketch.
Trace: Yeah, it’s the best I could do.
[Music]
Tara: Hey guys, Tara and Trace here for DNews. You know what we don’t get enough of anymore? Handwritten letters!
Trace: It’s true; handwriting is a dying art. Back in my day, we didn’t just have to write our papers; we had to write them in cursive. But thanks to computers, that is now a thing of the past. So many schools are just dropping it altogether. But what exactly does this mean for the future of our children?
Tara: A lot, potentially. Scientists are now discovering that learning cursive is an important tool for cognitive development because it teaches the brain functional specialization. That’s what allows your brain to integrate things like sensation, movement, and thinking in the most efficient way possible.
Trace: Brain imaging studies show that writing in cursive, unlike typing, activates multiple areas of the brain at once and is especially good for fine motor coordination. It also helps develop good thinking skills. Research finds that writing letters in a meaningful context, instead of just copying or tracing them, produces even more robust activity in both hemispheres of the brain.
Tara: I bet you’re pretty good at tracing, huh?
Trace: Never heard that one before!
Tara: But yeah, you’re absolutely right. Learning how to write by hand is one of the best things a kid can do for their brain. There’s actually a study done at Indiana University last year where a psychologist took a group of pre-literate 5-year-old kids and had them perform various tasks related to reading and writing while undergoing a brain scan. Turns out the kids who practiced writing, even if it was in print and not cursive, displayed significantly more neural activity than kids who were simply looking at letters.
Trace: That’s right! Even writing in print is better for you than typing. But there’s something unique about cursive that makes it especially beneficial for the brain. According to scientists, cursive is more demanding than print in terms of movement tasks, and the broad range of letter styles enhances our visual recognition skills.
Tara: They also say it engages students more by giving them a better sense of style and ownership over their own handwriting. It’s also been shown to enhance creativity. A 2012 study from the University of Washington found that children in grades 2 through 6 wrote more words faster and expressed more ideas when writing essays by hand versus with a keyboard.
Trace: A lot of experts compare writing like this to learning a musical instrument in terms of the benefits it has for your brain. Of course, not everyone has the money to pay for music lessons, but you know what doesn’t cost $50 an hour? A pencil and paper!
Tara: Ooh, good one! Yep, it’s the exercise that’s always there. What do you guys think? Should we be teaching our kids how to write in cursive, or should we just consider it an ancient relic that’s better left behind? Leave your answers down below, and as always, thanks a lot for watching!
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Let me know if you need any further modifications!
Handwriting – The way a person writes with a pen or pencil on paper – Sarah’s handwriting is very neat and easy to read.
Cursive – A style of writing where the letters are connected – In school, we learned how to write our names in cursive.
Brain – The organ in your head that controls how you think and feel – The brain helps us solve puzzles and remember things.
Skills – Abilities or talents that you can develop and improve – Playing the piano requires a lot of practice and skills.
Writing – The act of putting words on paper or a computer screen – Writing stories is one of my favorite hobbies.
Typing – The act of using a keyboard to write words on a computer – We practiced typing on the computer to improve our speed.
Creative – Using imagination to make something new or original – Drawing and painting are creative activities that I enjoy.
Personal – Relating to someone’s private life or feelings – She wrote a personal letter to her best friend.
Exercise – Activities that help keep your body or mind healthy and strong – Reading books is a good exercise for the brain.
Communicate – To share or exchange information, thoughts, or feelings – We use words and gestures to communicate with each other.
