I have always been a strong proponent of having students write out things (such as homework or class notes) rather than typing them on a keyboard. I have also maintained that writing in cursive is faster, more efficient, and more likely to be retained. [Very few of my struggling students use cursive, unfortunately; most of them print, and often in block letters…..]
Here are links to 2 fascinating articles by Dr. Diana Hanbury King, published by the International Dyslexia Association in March and April-May, 2015. She talks about the importance of “motor memory” (the brain/hand connection), saying that it is “the most powerful of our memories.” She compares it to how we drive our cars, or dance, or swim. She also says that correct spelling is more likely to be retained when writing cursive because the word becomes a unit, rather than a series of separate strokes.
