Do you recall our parents teaching us how to create straight and slanted lines? Do you recall random drawings of the walls of our homes with our preferred colors? Do you recall the first time you wrote your name, or when we were assigned comprehension tasks to complete during our Summer Holidays? A common element in all these cases was using our own hands to write (with our preferred pen).

If one looks at the present generation, there is no chance that they even care about the way they write. The previous generation used to get awarded in classes on how they maintain their notebooks. After the advent of Covid, and how education has moved online, the basic skill of Handwriting seems to be becoming forgotten, particularly among Generation Z. This change leads us to contemplate the future of our communication and thought processes in a rapidly evolving digital space. A new study conducted by the University of Stavanger in Norway revealed: approximately 40% of Generation Z are losing their ability to communicate through handwriting, a skill essential for human interaction for roughly 5,500 years. Just imagine receiving a handwritten letter, and think to yourself, will you understand the feelings if all of it was written in poor handwriting ? 

Technology Is Altering The Way We Communicate 

Imagine a day without your smart phone (which has the tendency to make you dumb) you can’t, right ?

 

Digital technology has completely transformed the way we communicate with one another. Applications like WhatsApp and social media platforms like Instagram, Snapchat encourage us to send rapid messages within a minute and a lot of emoticons. Surprisingly, these days emoticons do all the work, even the texts are kept aside. As these platforms become more prevalent, handwriting in itself  is becoming increasingly rare among younger generations. Today, keyboards and touchscreens are ubiquitous, utilized in school assignments to professional emails. 

Sandhya, 20 years old, college student, thanks ChatGPT for saving her from failing her third semester. School and college assignments are nothing but, Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V. This formula is saving the lives of many, but surely raising a generation, which is going to bite us in the butt. 

Certain specialists think that Gen Z could be the initial generation not to master practical handwriting skills. This isn’t solely about convenience; it highlights larger changes in how we manage information and engage with people. With the rise of digital communication, we’re losing the intimacy associated with handwritten letters. 

Writing By Hand Is Important For Your Brain.

Handwriting is extremely crucial for brain development – it engages your brain in ways that typing simply cannot. It’s connected to essential abilities such as retaining information and comprehending what you read or listen to. Writing by hand requires precise motor skills and concentration, which aid in reinforcing learning. Reports from multiple universities indicate that Gen Z students frequently face challenges when required to write anything by hand. They feel “confused” when prompted to write clearly since they’re not accustomed to it, leading to chaotic handwriting that is difficult to decipher. 

Abhishek, 09 years old, is suffering from Dysgraphia, which refers to trouble with handwriting. He has issues holding a pencil or a colour and along with that his 9’s are P and his Ps are 9. 

This is leading to deterioration of the brain, whose main objective was to be the seat of intelligence and the interpreter of senses. There are various body parts which are termed as Vestigial, if usage of the brain reduces, one might wonder if the brain might become a vestigial organ. 

What Teachers Are Noticing

Not only young children, teachers at Stavanger University have observed directly that college students frequently have fundamental writing skills. Numerous individuals do not indulge in creating lengthy sentences or cohesive paragraphs. They opt for brief sentences/ bullet pointers that resemble social media updates more than traditional essays. These bullet pointers are helping them in cramming things, but they do not have analytical knowledge about the same. These days, many students arrive at university without pens, their stationary and are depending solely on keyboards for taking notes and completing assignments. You cannot ignore the impact of social media in this situation. Platforms such as Twitter promote brevity and quickness, influencing how youth communicate both digitally and in person. It goes without saying that various students are moving towards internet jobs such as Influencers. 

Effect On World Communication Skills 

The decline in handwriting abilities isn’t solely related to writing letters or postcards; it affects how Gen Z perceives and interprets their environment. Handwriting typically signifies considerate, personal interaction – a stark difference from the frequently rushed style of digital messages. 

Here’s the crucial question: Can Generation Z balance their online lives while preserving these timeless skills that have influenced society?  

The answer is to move through this transitional phase, it’s essential for teachers, caregivers, and decision-makers to discover methods that integrate digital intelligence with traditional abilities such as handwriting in educational systems globally. Promoting methods that combine both realms might assist upcoming generations in maintaining essential cognitive skills while advancing with technological progress. Ultimately, understanding the significance of handwriting could ignite a fresh appreciation for its influence in fostering deeper relationships within our increasingly digital environment.