Reinstating Handwriting Instruction

The Write Way: Why Reinstating Handwriting Instruction in Elementary Schools Is Essential

By Irene Hannam, MS OTR/L

Handwriting may feel like an afterthought in a world saturated by digital devices and touchscreens. Alarmingly, many schools no longer include explicit handwriting instruction—particularly in letter formation—within their curricula. This shift raises critical concerns for parents, educators, and administrators regarding children’s cognitive development, fine motor skills, and future academic success. Below, we explore why handwriting instruction remains indispensable, how the lack of it can lead to increased occupational therapy (OT) referrals, and what may be lost if we fail to reinstate it.

Why Handwriting Still Matters:

1. Cognitive Development
   Writing by hand activates multiple brain regions responsible for fine motor control, language processing, and memory. Researchers James and Englehardt (2012) found that handwriting practice in pre-literate children enhances neural development in areas associated with reading and writing. Berninger et al. (2002) further demonstrated how handwriting supports the integration of orthographic (letter formation) and phonological (language sounds) processes—essentially linking “language by hand” to “language by eye.” In her Wall Street Journal article, Gwendolyn Bounds (2010) explains that forming letters by hand can engage the brain in unique ways that improve learning, memory, and creative thinking. When these foundational skills are not systematically taught, children miss a key opportunity to strengthen the cognitive connections that bolster critical thinking and problem-solving.
2. Motor Skills and Coordination
   Handwriting refines the small muscles in the fingers and hands, building dexterity and coordination. It is a multisensory task, blending visual perception, motor movement, and cognitive planning. Children who do not receive consistent handwriting practice often lag in fine motor skills, affecting their ability to perform tasks like cutting with scissors, tying shoelaces, and even typing efficiently on a keyboard.
3. Reading and Spelling Proficiency
   The tactile and visual process of forming letters can reinforce letter recognition and phonemic awareness. Reading Rockets notes that children who write letters by hand are more likely to remember and identify them when reading. By strengthening orthographic representation and bridging it to phonological processing (Berninger et al., 2002), handwriting solidifies the foundational skills necessary for reading fluency and written expression.
4. Note-taking and Study Skills
   At higher grade levels, effective note-taking remains pivotal to academic success. Mueller and Oppenheimer (2014) found that students who take notes by hand often exhibit stronger conceptual understanding compared to those typing notes verbatim. Jones and Christensen (1999) also showed that when students develop automaticity in handwriting, they free up cognitive resources for higher-level writing tasks—crucial for summarizing and synthesizing information during note-taking.
5. Personal Expression and Emotional Benefits
   Handwriting is inherently personal—no two students write the same way. This uniqueness fosters self-expression and can boost self-esteem. By contrast, typed text looks uniform. Removing handwriting from the curriculum may deprive children of a creative, tactile avenue for expressing their thoughts and feelings.
6. Connection to Cultural and Historical Heritage
   From founding documents to personal letters, handwritten text links us to history in a deeply tangible way. The Wall Street Journal notes that children benefit from recognizing the cultural significance and artistry behind handwriting. Without this skill, students lose out on understanding handwritten documents that have shaped societies across centuries.

What Happens When We Don’t Teach Handwriting?

• Slower Skill Development: Children who do not receive formal handwriting instruction may develop inconsistent or inefficient writing habits that persist into later grades.
• Reduced Fluency and Legibility: Lack of ongoing practice often results in slow, laborious handwriting, impeding overall writing performance and discouraging students from expressing more complex ideas on paper.
• Weaker Note-Taking Abilities: As students advance in school, poor handwriting or an overreliance on technology can hamper effective note-taking, potentially reducing their academic achievement.
• Lower Self-Confidence: Children who struggle to form letters neatly may become frustrated or embarrassed about their work, impacting self-esteem and diminishing engagement with writing tasks.

Moreover, surveys (Cutler & Graham, 2008) indicate that many primary-grade teachers report spending far less time on handwriting today than in previous decades—raising concerns that fewer students will master these essential early skills.

Handwriting and Occupational Therapy Referrals:

Handwriting difficulties have long been among the most common reasons children are referred for occupational therapy (OT) in school settings. Research illustrates:

• Feder & Majnemer (2007) found in Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology that handwriting problems frequently lead to school-based OT interventions.
• Case-Smith (2002) reported that a large portion of OT caseloads involves handwriting or related fine motor concerns.
• McHale & Cermak (1992) discovered that 85% of children referred to an OT in one elementary school had handwriting issues, highlighting its prevalence as a root cause of academic struggles.

Many occupational therapists and educators speculate that reducing or eliminating formal handwriting curricula exacerbates these issues. When schools allocate less time to structured instruction—focusing more on digital literacy or test preparation—students often lack essential practice in letter formation and fine motor control. As a result, teachers and parents increasingly see children with illegible handwriting, poor writing endurance, and frustration around written tasks, prompting more OT referrals for intervention.

A Call to Action:

1. Reinstate Formal Instruction
   Dedicating 10–15 minutes per day to structured handwriting lessons can yield significant gains in speed, legibility, and cognitive engagement (Berninger et al., 1997).
2. Integrate Handwriting with Digital Tools
   Technology and handwriting are not mutually exclusive. Stylus-based apps can combine the tactile benefits of handwriting with modern conveniences, reinforcing letter formation while leveraging engaging digital platforms.
3. Multi-Sensory Learning Approaches
   Encourage a blend of visual, tactile, and kinesthetic methods—such as writing letters in sand, shaving cream, or using finger paints—to strengthen muscle memory and maintain student interest.
4. Educate Stakeholders
   School administrators, teachers, and parents must understand the research-backed advantages of handwriting. Emphasize the cognitive, academic, and emotional benefits supported by current studies.
5. Monitor and Celebrate Progress
   Recognize milestones in handwriting proficiency—improved letter formations, spacing, and legibility—to foster motivation and help children take pride in their progress.

Conclusion:

While digital literacy is undeniably crucial, handwriting remains a vital component of elementary education—nurturing cognitive growth, motor coordination, self-expression, and academic competence. When taught systematically—even through short, daily sessions—handwriting can significantly influence children’s success through the elementary grades and beyond.

Research confirms that handwriting challenges primarily drive school-based occupational therapy referrals, emphasizing the critical need for early, explicit instruction. By reintroducing and prioritizing handwriting in classrooms, schools equip students with the foundational skills they need to thrive academically, creatively, and emotionally—demonstrating that, even in a high-tech era, there is enduring value in picking up a pen or pencil.

References:

Berninger, V., Mizokawa, D., & Bragg, R. (1991). Theory-based diagnosis and remediation of writing disabilities. Journal of School Psychology, 29(1), 57–79. https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-4405(91)90016-K

Berninger, V., Swanson, H. (1994). Modifying Hayes and Flowers’ model of skilled writing to explain beginning and developing writing. In E. Butterfield (Ed.), Children’s writing: Toward a process theory of development of skilled writing (pp. 57–81). Greenwich, CT: JAI Press.

Berninger, V., Vaughn, K., Abbott, R., Rogan, L., Brooks, A., Reed, E., et al. (1997). Treatment of handwriting problems in beginning writers: Transfer from handwriting to composition. Journal of Educational Psychology, 89, 652–666. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0663.89.4.652

Berninger, V. W., Abbott, R. D., Abbott, S. P., Graham, S., & Richards, T. (2002). Writing and reading: Connections between language by hand and language by eye. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 35(1), 39–56. https://doi.org/10.1177/002221940203500104

Bounds, G. (2010, October 5). How handwriting trains the brain: Forming letters is key to learning, memory, ideas. The Wall Street Journal. https://www.wsj.com/

Bounds, G. (2010m October 4). In digital age, does handwriting still matter? The Wall Street Journal. https://www.wsj.com/articles/BL-JB-12392

Case-Smith, J. (2002). Effect of Occupational Therapy Services on Fine Motor and Functional Performance in Preschool Children. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 56(1), 28–36.

Cutler, L., & Graham, S. (2008). Primary grade writing instruction: A national survey. Journal of Educational Psychology, 100(4), 907–919. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0012656

Feder, K. P., & Majnemer, A. (2007). Handwriting development, competency, and intervention. Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology, 49(4), 312–317.

Gentry, J. R. (2024, June 18). 5 reasons every child should learn handwriting: Brain imaging shows surprising benefits of handwriting for both kids and adults. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/

James, K. H., & Englehardt, L. (2012). The Effects of Handwriting Experience on Functional Brain Development in Pre-Literate Children. Trends in Neuroscience and Education.

Jones, D., & Christensen, C. (1999). Relationship between automaticity in handwriting and students’ ability to generate written text. Journal of Educational Psychology, 91(1), 44–49. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0663.91.1.44

McHale, K., & Cermak, S. A. (1992). Fine motor activities in elementary school: Preliminary findings and provisional implications for children with fine motor problems. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 46(10), 898–903.

Mueller, P. A., & Oppenheimer, D. M. (2014). The Pen Is Mightier Than the Keyboard: Advantages of Longhand Over Laptop Note Taking. Psychological Science.

Reading Rockets. (n.d.). The Importance of Teaching Handwriting. Retrieved from https://www.readingrockets.org/

By integrating handwriting instruction into daily lessons, schools can potentially reduce handwriting-related OT referrals and create more confident, capable writers—affirming that putting pencil to paper holds remarkable, enduring power even in a digital age.