Norton Children’s neurologist discusses benefits of handwriting for learning

BOWLING GREEN, Ky.- As the school year approaches, quickly ensuring that your students are learning efficiently is a top priority for many parents.

Doctors at Norton’s Children’s use neuroscience and understanding different parts of the brain to help kids learn better.

One thing that doctors have discovered is that children who write by hand can perform better academically.

Dr. Chris Barton, a neurologist with Norton Children’s , tells us, “A learned skill, you know, not just are you thinking of doing it, but to do it well over and over and over again, your brain is learning that process. And there’s a lot of science to suggest, not just like handwriting, but anytime you’re learning a subject if you involve multiple senses. Again, if networks are better, then you’re going to learn it better, quicker and maybe perform better. ”

Barton also tells us that writing things down instead of typing is actively engaging instead of passively engaging . While working, this creates networks and connections in the brain that help students to take their time and learn.