Summary: Writing by hand offers cognitive benefits, such as improved memory and learning, for both children and adults. Handwriting engages the brain in a unique and complex way that typing does not. Some experts suggest that the act of writing by hand could be essential for optimal learning and thinking processes.
A study published in January found that when students write by hand, brain areas involved in motor and visual information processing "sync up" with areas crucial to memory formation, firing at frequencies associated with learning. (View Highlight)
Note: Different parts of the brain fire when writing vs. typing. In particular, parts of the brain associated with memory are active when writing. This same thing does not happen when typing.
The study that found this was published Jan 5, 2024: "Handwriting but not typewriting leads to widespread brain connectivity: a high-density EEG study with implications for the classroom"
