Writing by hand is more than a motor skill. It’s a form of self-expression, a cultural artifact – and for Professor Paolo Pellicini, a gesture of beauty.
“Cursive handwriting,” says Pellicini, who is Italian and teaches Human Sciences and Philosophy in Lugano, Switzerland, “educates children to beauty. It’s an elegant calligraphy, an element of the Made in Italy that distinguishes us in the world.” He argues that writing in cursive is not only about cognitive development, but about awakening an aesthetic sense in young minds.
“At least at the beginning,” he adds, “it makes them take time to understand how to form a letter, and it awakens the child’s artistic side. They can immediately discover their own ‘artistic streak’ and continue with similar activities.”
Cursive, in this view, isn’t merely a practical tool – it’s a creative act, a physical link between thought and gesture. “When you write in cursive,” Pellicini explains, “you’re not lifting the pen from the paper. It’s no coincidence that the word corsivo comes from the Latin currere, to run – it’s a writing where thought runs and flows.”
That link between mind and hand, he says, starts even earlier – with drawing. “Drawing facilitates fine motor skills, staying within boundaries, precision, attention and concentration.” For Pellicini, drawing isn’t just artistic play – it’s cognitive training. “It’s a precursor to writing,” he notes. “We need to encourage children to draw.”
That same continuity of movement – first seen in drawing, then deepened in cursive writing – underpins how handwriting strengthens the brain. “Writing by hand activates unique synapses, neural circuits that promote reading, memory, attention, and learning.” In his view, these benefits go beyond what typing can offer, especially in developing brains.
His stance aligns with the research of neuropsychologist Audrey van der Meer, whose studies at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology found increased brain connectivity during handwriting compared to typing.
While there’s an argument to be made that de-prioritizing cursive may not be the end of the world, Pellicini’s view is more emphatic: the form matters, and so does what it unlocks – not just cognitively, but in terms of our personality.
“Cursive can reveal aspects of personality more clearly,” he says. “Some kids write backwards out of shyness, others press harder with more confidence.” Unlike block letters, he suggests, cursive invites spontaneity and individuality.
In a world of digital shorthand and disappearing loops, Pellicini’s call is clear: rediscover the richness of handwritten expression – not only for how it shapes the brain, but for how it shapes the self.
“It’s about memory, yes,” he says. “But also elegance, design, and identity.”