Handwriting is more than just a motor movement

Handwriting is much more than the physical ability to write thoughts on paper, in fact, handwriting is the ‘language by hand’, linking over 12 cortical and subcortical areas of the brain. Early experiences help form and build the neural network that links together all of these areas. The action of learning to write has been shown in the literature to far outreach the boundaries of handwriting alone and into the realm of reading, maths, science and critical thinking. Brain imaging shows us that generating letters by hand activates critical areas of the brain that are equally associated with phonological processing, visual discrimination as well as areas for motor planning and coordination.