The decline of handwriting

Passage

As keyboards and touchscreens have become the dominant tools for writing, the practice of forming letters by hand has declined sharply, especially among the young. Some educators view this as a natural and harmless adaptation to new technology. Others are concerned, pointing to research suggesting that writing by hand engages the brain differently from typing, supporting memory, comprehension and even the development of fine motor skills. Schools now face a difficult question: how much time, in a crowded curriculum, should be devoted to a skill that students may rarely use in adult life? The answer is far from settled, and policies vary widely from one country to another.