Logo image
Handwriting automaticity and writing instruction in Australian kindergarten: An exploratory study
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Handwriting automaticity and writing instruction in Australian kindergarten: An exploratory study

A.A. Malpique, D. Pino-Pasternak and D. Valcan
Reading and Writing, Vol.30(8), pp.1789-1812
2017
url
Link to Published Version *Subscription may be requiredView

Abstract

Accumulating evidence indicates handwriting automaticity is related to the development of effective writing skills. The present study examined the levels of handwriting automaticity of Australian children at the end of kindergarten and the amount and type of writing instruction they experienced before entering first grade. The current study involved 177 kindergarten children enrolled in 23 classrooms from seven government-funded primary schools in Western Australia. Individual child level data (e.g., handwriting automaticity and word-reading skills) were collected and teachers were asked to complete a survey assessing the amount of time and types of writing activities developed in their classrooms (e.g., teaching basic skills and teaching writing processes). Hierarchical linear models were conducted to examine total variance attributable to child and classroom levels. Results showed a total variance of approximately 20% in children's handwriting automaticity attributable to differences among classrooms when gender and word-reading skills were controlled for. Large variability was noted in the amount and type of writing instruction reported by a subset of participating teachers. Handwriting automaticity was associated with the teaching of revising strategies but not with the teaching of handwriting. Implications for writing development and writing instruction are discussed.

Details

UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

This output has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:

#4 Quality Education

Source: InCites

Metrics

InCites Highlights

These are selected metrics from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool, related to this output

Collaboration types
Domestic collaboration
International collaboration
Citation topics
6 Social Sciences
6.69 Language & Linguistics
6.69.218 Reading Acquisition
Web Of Science research areas
Education & Educational Research
Psychology, Educational
ESI research areas
Social Sciences, general
Logo image