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Summary
Brett and Ellen discuss whether children should learn handwriting in today’s digital world. They explore the cognitive benefits of handwriting, the impact of handwriting on learning and memory, and whether cursive writing should still be taught.
Key Points:
Importance of Handwriting:
Handwriting as a form of communication and its cognitive benefits.
Studies show that handwriting helps retain information better than typing.
Handwriting activates unique neural circuits in the brain, aiding in learning.
Cursive Writing Debate:
Finland’s approach: stopped teaching cursive writing in 2016.
Discussion on whether cursive writing should still be taught.
Benefits and challenges of cursive writing for different children.
Cognitive Benefits:
Comparison to learning a musical instrument in terms of brain activity.
Handwriting helps with letter recognition and slows down the learning process, making it more effective.
Personal Experiences and Teaching Strategies:
Ellen shares personal experiences and strategies for teaching handwriting to her children.
Creating a positive environment for handwriting practice.
Spelling and Grammar:
Debate on the correlation between handwriting and spelling skills.
The impact of digital tools on spelling and grammar proficiency.
Future of Handwriting:
Discussion on the potential future of handwriting in education.
Importance of communication skills and how handwriting plays a role.