Writing by hand

Using physical marks to purposefully create meaning.

Photo by Diego PH on Unsplash

Thoughts and musings

Building daily habits is a positive practice that is advocated for promoting mindfulness and living your days with intention. I have found that daily non-negotiables for me have been a game-changer, in both my personal life and career. One such habit I will shamelessly recommend is investing in a subscription to ‘Calm’ and starting your day off with the ‘Daily Jay’ (sadly not an affiliated promotion). There is so much that Jay Shetty encourages you to stop and consider which can be applied into the world of education. In a recent episode, the focus was on the topic of ‘writing by hand’. In a world where the use of technology, and the apparent ease of AI, is on the rise and part of the daily practice of many, it is useful to take a moment to consider what the benefits are of the physical marks that we make to create meaning.

The importance of mark making and the development of fine motor skills are undoubtedly recognised in the early years of a child’s development. As outlined in the DfE’s ‘help for early years providers’ guidance, there is a focus on encouraging young children to recognise that the wavy lines and distinct separate marks that they make have a meaning. It is important to note that this meaning is not initially linked to correct spelling or indeed sentence structure, but the idea that these lines and shapes provide a personal, recorded aide memoire. I am an avid fan of a story map as a resource when recording and creating narratives. The awe and wonder that arises from watching a child (whatever the age) retell their stories using pictures and key words, with a string of sentences and often gasp-inducing vocabulary, is testament to the power of dual coding and recording meaningful marks on a page. It will also often induce a bit of a laugh, particularly in my experience, of trying to draw any kind of animal in front of a class (“is that meant to be a horse, miss?”)

So, back to the ‘Daily Jay’. As I sipped my morning coffee, I couldn’t help nodding my head in agreement as I listened to his musings on the subject. Jay Shetty personally favours writing his notes by hand, much to the inconvenience of his digitally minded co-workers. He references his tactile enjoyment for the written word, which he shares is backed by recent research, which suggests that writing by hand can benefit your brain. He explores the idea that writing by hand increases the ability to remember what has been written, encourages you to listen with more intention and engage more actively with what is being said. Neuroscientists in Norway have found that when measuring brain activity focusing on the parts of the brain associated with learning and memory, a significant increase in activity was shown when writing by hand, when compared to typing. The intricate and precise movements associated with writing by hand takes more effort than typing, which in turn increases attention towards the task.

Considering these points, my thoughts continued to mull over the personal attachment we attribute to owning and making sense of the handwritten word, in the many forms it can take. As adults we may write shopping lists, take notes in conversations over the phone or during meetings and, perhaps less-so now, as teachers we draw out our lesson plans on sheets of sugar paper. The lack of pressure on handwriting, perfect spelling and correct grammar is lifted as the purpose of the marks that are made are of paramount importance solely to the writer. As we move into KS1 and KS2, the need for the handwritten word in note-taking can often become a skill that is assumed rather than taught. There are a number of points to consider when planning for a task where the children are asked to take notes and these can often be overlooked. Purposefully adding in extra elements to support children in organising their note-taking enhances the personal element that the handwritten word will have upon their ability to recall what they have decided to record.

Ideas and practical suggestions

So, what could scaffolding and promoting purposeful, handwritten note-taking in the classroom look like? Below are two suggestions which I hope could be actioned with minimal time spent preparing. Think of these as more of a shift towards intentionality when planning, or teaching, a lesson where handwritten note-taking is required, rather than an add-on.

1. Clear Modelling

o   It is important to model the skill of note-taking, particularly at the start of the year when children may need a refresh, or you want to set up expectations which will become second-nature. Time should be carved out in the lesson to intentionally demonstrate to the class the thought processes and actions needed for successful note-taking (although outcomes may be individual to the child). You may decide to use a ‘my turn, your turn’ approach or to instead model your note-taking at the same time as the children using a flip chart or visualiser tool.

o   As the children become more adept at this skill, you may choose to sit at a table and model, using Claire Gadsby’s ‘Magpie Me’ approach (Claire’s fantastically practical books focusing on areas such as efficient marking and dynamic classroom environments are linked below). ‘Magpie Me’ works on the premise of the idea of 3. Children cannot visit the magpie model within the first 3 minutes of the task, they cannot come to see the model more than 3 times during the lesson and never more than 3 children peeking over the teacher’s shoulder at a time. The number 3 rule promotes independence and intentionality, so that children can gain trust in their own note-taking but also have the option to come and have a check of the format of the model or perhaps ‘steal’ one of your notes if they need a bit of a starting point - or a challenge!

2. Dual Coding

o   A skill that many children often find a challenge with note-taking is the purpose of the writing and the fact that the SPaG techniques which are required for many genres of writing is not necessary. A child’s attempt to capture or write long sentences or phrases can often leave them feeling disheartened or frustrated. Encouraging children, as with story mapping, to draw pictures and write key words to create meaning for their marks assists them in reducing barriers and once again promotes the idea of the ownership of their hand-written marks.

o   Another Claire Gadsby shout-out is the ‘Secret Story’. This approach works particularly well with texts where children may need to retrieve key details or write a summary. The teacher reads the text in manageable chunks, without showing the children the written words. Through their own drawings and key word capturing, the children internalise the text which assists them with their understanding. This approach is particularly useful for encouraging the children to listen carefully to the spoken word before internalising and recording their interpretation of what they have heard.

o   I am a huge fan of the work of Oliver Caviglioli. Oliver is exceptionally generous with sharing resources and I have used a number of his graphic organisers to support pupils with note-taking and organising their ideas. A particular area where I have seen this work well is when taking notes which consider cause and effect. To see Oliver talking in more detail about ‘Dual Coding to Organise Ideas’, I would highly recommend watching a recording of one of his researchED presentations (linked below). Or you may even decide you would like to see him share his ideas in person at researchED Surrey, taking place on Saturday 12th October 2024, 9:30 - 15:30 BST.

Did you catch a glimmer?

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