HOW WRITING DOWN IMPROVES MEMORY?

Typing is one of the quickest means of taking notes, allowing us to collect information as rapidly as possible so that we can focus on listening.

Although typing will enable us to collect more data, studies have shown that we recall and comprehend less of what we record. According to a 2014 research, pupils who typed their notes must have understood and applied the concepts more effectively than their colleagues who made handwritten notes. In addition, they recalled less of the content than their peers.

Writing causes us to slow down, which is one explanation. Author Dr. Sönke Ahrens describes efficient note-taking in a webinar presented by the National Library Board:
“Because we realize that we can’t reproduce all we hear, we force ourselves to focus on the gist. To accomplish so, we must interpret it into our terms.”

The Advantages of Handwriting

Even in this increasingly digital age, handwriting has several advantages inside and outside the classroom. Let us look at how writing may help pupils learn their letters, enhance brain activity, and assist individuals with difficulties in learning.

Letters of Instruction

Learning the alphabet is essential for young children who want to write and read. Handwriting allows them to strengthen their fine motor abilities by tracing the forms of letters. As kids understand their notes, they can better convey their unique thoughts, resulting in a more successful educational experience. Although technology is user-friendly and may be wonderful for simplicity of application, what could pupils miss out on if they did not practice handwriting?

Brain Activity Increases

Handwriting is essential in teaching pupils how to write since it includes motor function and visual perception. According to brain scan studies, more brain areas light up while handwriting rather than typing, showing they are engaged and functional. Writing and painting, for example, activate the brain significantly more than typing on a computer, according to a recent study of youngsters and young people.

Based on an EEG measurement, the researchers discovered that writing by hand engaged more brain areas, producing the ideal circumstances for learning. Due to the cognitive benefits of writing, some experts have even recommended that teaching youngsters to type before they have completely acquired their handwriting ability is a bad idea.

Disability and Learning

Others think computers are suitable helpful tools for assisting youngsters with learning difficulties better retain information. Some kids may struggle to develop the physical and mental abilities required to learn to write and express themselves. Children with learning difficulties who learn to write by hand can improve their reading abilities sooner, recall what they have learned more efficiently, and produce ideas more effectively.

Although many teachers no longer stress handwriting, some children with disabilities may prefer writing by hand over typing on a keyboard unless their disability prohibits them from grasping a pen or pencil.

Is Writing Down Improves Memory?

Several students report that typing permits them to take notes faster. Hence they are more productive note-takers.

Psychology professors at Washington University discovered that people who take notes on a computer rather than by hand have greater memory soon after that.

Nevertheless, they found that this advantage vanishes within 24 hours.

Students who typed their notes did lower on an exam covering the content. As a result, if students wish to retain information from classes and lectures in their long-term memory, they should handwrite their notes or at least write them out longhand after typing them up.

How Can Students Integrate Handwriting Into Their Daily Lives?

Students can include scripts in their daily life by writing in a calendar. Though kids will most likely be writing down schedule information in their planners, they will also develop the habit of handwriting and begin to associate note-taking with organization and helpfulness. Beginning with a handwritten list of thoughts or an outline to arrange ideas is a good strategy for completing school projects such as composing essays and papers.

Encourage your pupils to take notes to receive all the benefits of handwriting discussed in this article and more. Organizing your lectures is great so students can summarise the subject in their script. Kids will retain the information better, and their brains will work harder and get stronger!

Writing may also be a useful study aid. Students might benefit from handwriting exercises beyond note-taking since writing can aid memorization. Students, for example, can write and reread knowledge they are having difficulty remembering, which will help them recall it better. If. the subject is very difficult for the learner, urge them to rewrite early in the day while their brains are clear.

Students can also utilize mind maps instead of a simple note format. These tools will enable individuals to link various points while reaping the advantages of jotting down information they wish to remember.

When And What Should You Write Down?

Write things down by hand more regularly to get these benefits. It doesn’t mean you must write it all down—that would be exhausting.

Instead, use these strategies to help you recall what you need.

Maintain A To-Do List

You should scribble your to-do list for the day, week, or month. This fundamental method allows you to experience the benefits of scribbling notes. Your list can be saved to your phone’s calendar. However, you may soon discover that you no longer require such notifications.

Another advantage of creating your to-do list by hand is that you will not be distracted by a continual flood of phone notifications and reminders.

Make A List Of Your Objectives

Another excellent way to put this theory to the test is to write down your objectives. Making a written list of your goals strengthens and prioritizes them in your thoughts. This small memory boost may simplify taking the essential measures to realize your ambitions.

Limit Yourself To The Basics

It’s easy to have more information than you need when you write your notes is easy. Because writing takes longer, you must examine what is genuinely important to record. This critical thinking method will help you boost your memory and educate your brain to concentrate on the most important aspects of what you’re learning and trying to recall.

Take Notes on Podcasts, and Television Programs

Take notes if you’re listening to a podcast or watching a show to learn something. It’s a great way to ensure that the information is remembered.

According to studies, college students who take handwritten notes retain more information than those who do not. Because, as previously said, writing by hand is always slower than typing.

Students who take handwritten notes must synthesize the material and make smart selections about what to write because they cannot write as rapidly as the speaker speaks. They will better understand the subject if they never look at their notes again.

Likewise, individuals who take notes on paper may merely record the lecture rather than digest it in their own words.

You may use the same technique to improve your memory if you’re attempting to learn something new from a program or podcast. Merely jotting down key phrases and concepts will significantly increase your comprehension.

Vital Information Should Be Written Down More Than Once

Is there anything on your list that is important? Increase the memory advantages of handwriting by writing it down several times. By reworking your notes rather than just duplicating them, you may combine the benefits of rewriting with those of reorganizing and summarising.

Examine Your Notes

When you write essential notes by hand, you frequently discover that you remember them without seeing them again. Yet, another advantage of this strategy is that the knowledge is always there when you need it.

As previously said, reading handwritten writing engages more portions of your brain than reading typed information. Rereading your notes helps to improve your recall.

Write to Retain, Type to Record

The method we employ to record our notes, rather than the media, may influence the efficacy of our note-taking. Several note-taking methods, such as mind mapping and the Cornell system, require us to interpret information into our language and connect disparate bits of information. Instead of simply scribbling or recording, we can better grasp what we jot down.

Examining our notes is also a crucial component of the retention process. We must remember half the new information within an hour of learning it. This indicates that taking good notes will not help our memory in the long term if we do not revisit the new content.

It is equally critical to consider the context of our note-taking. We may take minutes at business meetings to write down discussion points. When the primary purpose is to record rather than recall, approaches like mind mapping may be unnecessary, and plain verbatim note-taking may suffice.

Finally, whether writing or typing is preferable depends on your goals. Consider your note-taking goal, then select the best method and medium to achieve it.

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