In our daily lives, we spend a lot more time typing on a keyboard than writing with pencil and pen, so does handwriting still offer anything useful?
Researchers tasked 42 adult volunteers with learning the Arabic letters from beginning: Some through writing it out on paper, some through typing it out on a keyboard, and some through watching and responding to video instructions. Those in the handwriting group not only learned the unfamiliar letters more quickly, but they were also better able to apply their new knowledge in other areas—by using the letters to make new words and to recognize words they hadn’t seen before, for example.
The real question is: Are there other benefits to handwriting that have to do with reading and spelling and understanding?
While writing, typing, and visual learning were effective at teaching participants to recognize Arabic letters—learners made very few mistakes after six exercise sessions—on average, the writing group needed fewer sessions to get to a good standard.
Researchers then tested the groups to see how the learning could be generalized. In every follow-up test, using skills they hadn’t been trained on, the writing group performed the best: naming letters, writing letters, spelling words, and reading words.
While 42 people isn’t a huge sample size for a study of this type, the trends reported by the study indicate that pen and paper still have an important role to play in learning, even as digital formats (格式) have come to control our communications. And although adults were used in this particular experiment, the researchers say their findings should have relevance to children too. Several previous studies have also highlighted the advantages of copying as an aid to learning.
Today pupils in schools spend far less time than they used to on handwriting skills and practice, for obvious reasons—but based on what this study shows, it wouldn’t be wise to put away the pens and pencils permanently. Because with writing, you’re getting a stronger representation in your mind that lets you support other types of tasks that don’t in any way involve handwriting.
12. How did the researchers get the conclusion?
A.By making comparison. | B.By studying document. |
C.By asking volunteers. | D.By watching videos. |
13. In which part handwriting performs the best?
A.Communicating with others. | B.Reviewing the previous skills. |
C.Learning a new language. | D.Setting an example to kids. |
14. Why do pupils spend less time than they used to on handwriting skills?
A.They don’t like pencils and paper. | B.The digital tools are more powerful today. |
C.Handwriting has nothing to do with study. | D.Nobody forces them to practice handwriting skills. |
15. What might be the most suitable title for the text?
A.Put down your keyboard. | B.Pen will replace computers. |
C.Handwriting is out of time now. | D.Handwriting is better in learning. |