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With how popular computers, laptops, smartphones, and other gadgets are now, it isn’t uncommon to see kids spend more and more time handling these devices. Communication is now being done via emails and texting. From watching videos online to chatting with friends, and even e-learning, these gadgets are slowly taking over the traditional means of communication.
This means that writing on paper with pens is not as common anymore, and some even say that handwriting should not be taught in schools; rather, keyboard skills should be the focus of teachers on younger learners.
Advantages of Handwriting
We disagree with this suggestion, and we have very good reasons to. While keyboard skills are essential, no doubt, handwriting lessons should not be stopped in school.
For one, brain activities are stimulated by writing. It is a fact that when kids do things with their hands, they focus on that particular task, and stop talking. The same thing happens when they write, because a lot of brain activity goes into translating thought into words, and those words into letters on print. Writing requires that your child focuses on both the task of writing and holding the pencil or crayon they are using.
The sense of touch is triggered when kids hold a pencil, crayon, or whatever other writing instrument. Also, they practice and hone in on their motor skills as they coordinate placing the tip of the pencil on the paper and moving it in different strokes.
Tracing Letters Best Practices
Tracing and writing require quite some amount of brainpower, and your young learners will struggle at first, especially if they are just learning to hold things. They need to hold their hands steady when tracing letters, to make letters curved or straight, and to copy another print. Writing will also improve your child’s visual memory and kinesthetic.
You can make the process of learning how to write easier on your kids with the help of handwriting practice worksheets. Kids will refine their tracing and handwriting skills as they write the letters in the worksheet following the lines, and tracing over them. The exercises in the worksheets are colorful and will stimulate your child’s imagination. You can even revise the primary colors your child has learned as they trace the colorful words.
There is no doubt that writing activity and handwriting taught in schools is beneficial to young learners. It is also important that these things be taught in those early ages, just as their other skills are beginning to develop. Neuropsychologists have said that kids learn the most things during their first 6 years of life. During this time, everything your child touches, sees, hears, and experiences will shape their future, and how their brain works. This is why it is important that parents and teachers make the most of this time in their children’s life, and teach them the most useful things.
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This content is brought to you by Shahbaz Ahmed.
Photo: Shutterstock
