Writing with AI: Studying English Composition Through Handwritten Notes

A study method I've been enjoying lately

Back when I was obsessed with creating notes in Obsidian, I read in some book that handwriting is better for learning.

But at the time, I thought,

So I didn't even try it.

That was me, but a sudden change of heart has led me back to using a pencil. I wrote about that in a previous article. And
lately, I've been studying by showing my handwritten notes to an AI as well.

Rather than typing questions on a keyboard, I show it what I've written on paper, and then I write down the answers I get back.It's like using the paper as a medium to have a written conversation with the AI.

This time, I'd like to use my notes from an English composition exercise about accounting as an example to show how I actually study.

Written conversation with AI

Now, I'd like to write about how I actually have these written conversations, using this English composition as an example.
The content I tried to write in English this time is as follows.

I apologize for my poor English, but I first tried writing it on my own like this. Then, I have the AI look at a photo of this note.

Then, the AI gives me various pointers on parts that are grammatically incorrect or awkward in terms of expression.

I make it a point to write those pointers down once by correcting the original English text.

I realized this after doing it a few times: if I just copy the corrected version from the AI, it becomes harder to be conscious of where and how my English was fixed.

I can't leave the red pen work to the AI, so I have to do that part myself. Though this time, it's a blue pen...

It was corrected quite a bit.
Someone else looking at this page alone might find it a bit hard to understand. However,when you actually write it in yourself, it becomes easier to confirm where and how it was corrected during the process of editing it.

Once I have written down the corrections, I rewrite it myself one more time.At this point, I try to restore it from memory as much as possible without looking at the corrected version.
I also think it's a good idea to write down any observations or expressions I didn't quite understand in the margins.
The fact that such notes are difficult to make on a computer is one of the reasons I returned to handwriting.

I don't think there's any particular need to change colors, but I found and bought a green Frixion pen, so I've been using it regularly.

Basically, AI corrects my English while keeping the phrasing of my original draft as much as possible.

On the other hand, it sometimes suggests alternative expressions, saying, "You could also say it this way."
I make sure to write down the ones that catch my interest by hand, trying to get them used to my hand even a little.

You might think this is a very inefficient way of doing things.
Even so, I feel that when I actually move my hand to write, the expressions tend to leave a slightly stronger impression than just typing them on a keyboard.
A moderate level of inefficiency might actually prevent information from passing straight through my head and help it stick in my memory.perhaps.

Summary: The keyboard is not the only gateway to AI

When I first showed my handwritten English composition to an AI, what surprised me most was its high ability to read images.

Although it was a notebook with messy handwriting and mixed-in corrections and notes, the AI read the English and gave me quite detailed feedback on grammar and expressions.

If that's the case, the gateway for consulting with AI doesn't necessarily have to be a keyboard.

Instead of just organizing your thoughts into a clean text and entering them as a prompt, you can show the AI your unorganized handwritten notes as they are.
By doing so, you can start interacting with the AI from the stage before your thoughts have taken shape..

On the other hand, just because the AI gives you a corrected version immediately, if you just read it and finish there, the knowledge might pass right through your head..

Writing corrections into the original English yourself, rewriting it again without looking at the model, and writing down expressions that caught your interest by hand.
Such physical tasks and slightly troublesome efforts might be necessary to retain knowledge within yourself.perhaps.

AI can lower the hurdle to starting a consultation.
However, you cannot have the AI acquire what you have learned for you..

That is why, for now, while I have the AI help me with my consultations, I intentionally interpose the slightly inefficient task of handwriting.

Such written conversations with AI are my favorite study method these days.

I would be happy if you could take away even one new perspective from this article.
I write about things I've stumbled upon from time to time, such as English, mathematics, and finance. If anything catches your interest, please take a look at my other articles.

Past Articles

I write about the trigger for why I decided to relearn English. It's not a very noble reason.

I write about why I came to prefer handwriting.

I am writing in real-time about my search for rules that suit me in short-term trading, which I am not very good at.