Reading on Paper and Writing It Down - Boosting Your Power of Memory

Reading on Paper and Writing It Down - Boosting Your Power of Memory

By Janpha Thadphoothon

I'm teaching English, and as you can imagine, I have to help students memorize words – like spelling correctly and using the words correctly, putting those words or phrases into context in sentences and discourses. This is a challenging task for every language learner. It really is!

Recently, I came to realize that most students that I know are better learners when they have access to paper words or text, not their smartphones. Some students even told me that they were capable of memorizing texts when they write them down. This realization somehow confirmed my long-held belief regarding learning words and vocabulary, and anything in fact. That when you do things with your hands and on paper, you can do better. I could be wrong, but I can explain why.

When they are online, they get used to being entertained and being a swiper and reader, or should I say, a skimmer? They just scroll, scroll, scroll, looking for the next hit of information or entertainment. But when reading books or paper documents, they have more concentration. I notice this time and time again. There is a tangible difference in how they approach the material.

There is a link, I believe, between hand movement and brain activities. It’s not just about the eyes seeing the words; it’s about the physical act of engaging with the text. It’s a multisensory experience, wouldn’t you agree?

I am sure you would agree with me that the world has changed dramatically in the last couple of decades. Those were the days when everything was simple, but now, we are constantly bombarded with information, notifications, and distractions. And this, I think, has had a profound impact on our ability to focus and, consequently, our ability to learn and remember.

As we know, our brains are amazing things, capable of incredible feats of memory and understanding. But they are also susceptible to the environment we put them in. And right now, the digital environment is incredibly demanding, constantly vying for our attention. People say that multitasking is a skill of the modern age, but I am not sure about that. Experts say that multitasking can actually make us less efficient and hinder deep learning. My conviction is that true learning requires focus, sustained attention, and active engagement.

Let me introduce you to the notion of embodied cognition. I am not an expert, but I have read somewhere that our physical interactions with the world influence our cognitive processes. This is where the idea of reading on paper and writing things down really comes into its own. When you hold a book, feel the texture of the paper, turn the pages, and physically interact with the text, you are engaging more of your senses than just sight. What's more, when you write something down by hand, you are not just passively absorbing information; you are actively processing it. You are converting abstract thoughts or printed words into physical movements.

They say that the act of writing by hand engages different parts of the brain compared to typing. I guess it is because handwriting is a more complex motor skill. It requires precise movements and spatial awareness. My gut tells me that this added complexity, this physical effort, somehow helps to etch the information more deeply into our memory. It’s like you’re building a stronger neural pathway.

Research seems to back this up. Studies have shown that students who take notes by hand often outperform those who type their notes on tests, particularly on questions that require conceptual understanding rather than just rote memorization. Why is this? Well, when you type, it's often a more automatic process. Your fingers fly across the keyboard, and you can transcribe information almost verbatim. But when you write by hand, it's slower. You have to be more selective about what you write down, summarizing and paraphrasing as you go. This process of summarizing and synthesizing the information requires deeper cognitive processing, forcing you to understand the material rather than just copy it. It’s my personal belief that this active processing is key to true learning and retention.

Furthermore, when you write by hand, you create a physical artifact – your notes. You can see them, touch them, and interact with them in a way that's different from digital files. This spatial memory, remembering where you wrote something on a page, can also aid recall. It's well known that our brains are very good at remembering spatial information. Think about how you can often remember where something is in a room, even if you can't immediately recall its name. The same principle applies to notes taken on paper.

Now, let's talk about the elephant in the room, or perhaps I should say, the smartphone in the pocket. These devices, while incredibly useful, are also major sources of distraction. The news has it that the average person checks their phone dozens, if not hundreds, of times a day. Each notification, each vibration, pulls our attention away from the task at hand. And every time our focus is broken, it takes time and mental effort to re-engage with what we were doing. This constant switching of attention, or what some call "context switching," is detrimental to deep work and learning.

I have seen it firsthand with my students. They are trying to read a text on their tablet, and then a notification pops up – a message from a friend, a social media alert, an email. Suddenly, their attention is diverted. They might just quickly check it, but that brief interruption is enough to break their flow of concentration. It takes them longer to get back on track, and the quality of their reading and comprehension suffers.

Some argue for the convenience and accessibility of digital texts. And I must admit that there are certainly advantages to having a vast library of information at your fingertips. You can search for keywords, highlight passages easily, and carry multiple books on a single device. These are undeniable benefits.

However, some argue against relying solely on digital formats for learning, citing the issues with concentration and retention that I've observed. They say that the tactile experience of a physical book, the ability to easily flip back and forth between pages, and the absence of distracting notifications create a more conducive environment for focused reading and deeper comprehension. I somehow think that both perspectives have merit, but for the purpose of deep learning and memory, the pendulum seems to swing back towards paper.

Based on the first impression, digital seems efficient and modern. Gradually, I have come to appreciate the quiet power of the traditional methods. First of all, reading on paper removes many of the digital distractions that constantly compete for our attention. There are no pop-ups, no notifications, no tempting links to click that lead us down a rabbit hole of unrelated information. It's just you and the text, a more focused and immersive experience.

And then ultimately, there is the physical act of turning pages. It might seem like a small thing, but this physical interaction provides a sense of progress and orientation within the text. You know where you are in the book; you have a physical sense of how much you've read and how much is left. This spatial mapping, as I mentioned earlier, can aid comprehension and recall.

That's not all. Writing by hand also encourages a different kind of engagement with the material. When you are limited by the speed of your hand, you have to be more deliberate in what you choose to write down. You are forced to summarize, synthesize, and prioritize information. This active processing helps you to understand the concepts on a deeper level, rather than just passively transcribing words.

Experts say that this process of summarizing and rephrasing information in your own words is a powerful way to solidify it in your memory. It forces you to actively think about the meaning of the text and make connections between different ideas. I know you would agree with me that simply highlighting or copying and pasting text, as is often done with digital documents, doesn't achieve the same level of cognitive engagement.

My conviction is that the combination of reading on paper and writing by hand creates a powerful synergy for learning and memory. It leverages the benefits of a distraction-free environment with the cognitive advantages of active processing and physical engagement.

Make no mistake, I am not suggesting that we abandon digital tools altogether. They have their place, particularly for quick information retrieval, communication, and tasks that require extensive editing or collaboration. However, when it comes to deep learning, understanding complex concepts, and committing information to long-term memory, I believe that traditional methods still hold a significant advantage.

It is my personal belief that we need to be more mindful of how we use technology for learning. We need to recognize the potential for distraction and find ways to mitigate its negative effects. Perhaps it means setting aside dedicated time for reading and studying on paper, away from the pings and alerts of our digital devices. Perhaps it means encouraging students to take notes by hand, even if they are reading digital texts.

I like the idea of finding a balance. Using digital tools when they are most effective and beneficial, but also recognizing the enduring power of paper and pen for certain types of learning. What we all know and agree upon, I hope, is that effective learning is about more than just accessing information; it's about processing it, understanding it, and retaining it.

Nevertheless, it is my long-held belief that, though I could be wrong, the physical act of interacting with information through paper and handwriting provides a unique cognitive benefit that is difficult to replicate with digital tools alone. It's a more tactile, more focused, and ultimately, I believe, a more effective way to engage with material you want to remember.

Fundamentally, I would argue that in our increasingly digital world, we should not lose sight of the value of these traditional learning methods. They have stood the test of time for a reason. They tap into fundamental aspects of how our brains learn and remember.

I must admit that I was initially hesitant to fully embrace this idea. After all, technology offers so many conveniences. But after observing my students and reflecting on my own learning experiences, I have become a firm believer in the power of paper and pen.

People say that the future is digital, and perhaps that is true in many aspects of our lives. But for learning and memory, I believe there will always be a place for the humble book and the simple act of writing by hand. It's a timeless combination that has proven its effectiveness over centuries.

However challenging it may be to convince everyone in this digital age, I determine to make it clear that incorporating reading on paper and writing by hand into our learning routines can significantly boost our power of memory and comprehension. It's not about rejecting technology; it's about using the right tools for the right job, and for deep, lasting learning, the old ways still hold immense value.

I am not sure, but perhaps there is a certain ritual involved in reading a physical book and writing notes by hand that also contributes to its effectiveness. It’s a more deliberate and intentional act than scrolling through a screen. It signals to our brains that this is important, that we are engaging in a serious learning task.

My gut tells me that this intentionality, this focused engagement, is a crucial element in the process of committing information to memory. It's the difference between passively consuming content and actively working with it.

Nevertheless, it is my belief that by re-embracing reading on paper and writing by hand, we can cultivate stronger focus, deeper comprehension, and ultimately, a more powerful memory. It's a simple change, but one that I believe can have a profound impact on our ability to learn and thrive in an increasingly complex world. It's worth considering, wouldn't you agree?

Janpha Thadphoothon is an assistant professor of ELT at the International College, Dhurakij Pundit University in Bangkok, Thailand. Janpha Thadphoothon also holds a certificate of Generative AI with Large Language Models issued by DeepLearning.AI.