The Write Stuff

Can handwriting (and drawing) aid learning and memory in ways that typing does not? According to a new study, the answer is a definite yes. The article published in Frontiers in Psychology summarizes the result of a study that measured brain activity in 12-year-old children and adults when writing by hand, drawing, and typing in response to describing words and copying sentences. Researchers found that drawing and writing by hand produced results indicative of deeper learning than typing alone, in both adults and children. However, the digital skill of typing remains important and can help students overcome other learning obstacles. According to The Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity,  technology helps children with dyslexia to overcome obstacles like note taking or illegible handwriting.