Effect of Handwriting on Perceptive-Motor Integration: Evidence From Chinese 9- to 10-Year-Olds and Adults

• In Event: Language-Embodied Integrative Facilitation Effect in Bilingualism: Behavioral, Developmental, and Neurophysiological Studies

Abstract

1. Objectives or Purposes
The study aimed to investigate whether handwriting vs. drawing indeed accelerates early perceptive-visual integration among beginning L2 learners and late L2 learners. We plan to reveal the perception-motor association indicator of handwriting movement based on the theoretical framework of embodied integrative effect (LEIFE, Guan, 2019).
2. Perspective or Theoretical Framework
The research on brain mechanism of handwriting is theoretically meaningful. The theory of human evolution and reproduction (Gould & Vrba, 1982) makes meaningful specific symbols in human communication, and solidify the mapping and representation of human physiological, physical and mental experiences through perception and action integration. Reading itself and the brain mechanism of learning how to read have greatly enlightened the neurogenetic mechanism of written language. The early visual indicator of human will be recruited during reading, producing unique cognitive rules of Chinese characters by the interaction with auditory and motor-sensory regions.

3. Methods, Techniques or Mode of inquiry
The role of handwriting movement on language perception for 9-10-year-old children (n=24) and college students (n=24) was examined for both behavioral and EEG experiments in four conditions: a strong embodiment condition (i.e., handwriting Chinese characters), a strong disembodiment condition (i.e., viewing Chinese characters), and two weak disembodiment conditions (i.e., drawing-Chinese and drawing-English).
4. Data sources, evidence, objects, or Materials
Data sources were collected through both behavioral measures of Accuracy and Response Time of the lexical decision task of both Chinese and Engish words taught through LEIFE training mechanism, N170, P300, and N400, as indicators of early visual integration, semantic integration, perception-action integration were analyzed on designated effect brain localization. Modulations differ across conditions were compared through ANOVA also across languages and age-groups.
5. Results and/or Conclusions or Warrants for Arguments/Point of View
Behavioral results were consistent with EEG results. The study demonstrated orthographic facilitating effect, native language facilitating effect, and language development effect of embodied handwriting. The two-way interaction between visual and motor areas provided spatial information and neural motor memory, but the exact mechanism still remained to be further explored.
6. Scientific Scholarly significance of the study
Handwriting is increasingly important in Chinese learning, while it’s also important in alphabetic language to some extent. The study shows that children haven’t developed sophisticated handwriting experience, while adults have developed sophisticated handwriting experience. Lack of handwriting experience, embodied handwriting experience of lateralization towards language will be lost. People will be faced with handwriting crisis. How to facilitate people’s orthographic perception through handwriting, to improve cognition of native language, and to enhance language development, still need to be explored.

Authors

• Jianrong Zhao

• Qun Guan, Beijing Language and Culture University

• Ye Wang, Teachers College, Columbia University