Early handwriting development: a longitudinal perspective on handwriting time, legibility, and spelling
IntroductionLearning to write is a complex task involving peripheral (e.g., handwriting speed and legibility) and central (e.g., spelling) processes. Coordinating these processes is particularly demanding for novice writers who have not yet automated their handwriting skills. To better support child...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1466061/full |
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| author | Lidia Truxius Judith Sägesser Wyss Michelle N. Maurer Michelle N. Maurer |
| author_facet | Lidia Truxius Judith Sägesser Wyss Michelle N. Maurer Michelle N. Maurer |
| author_sort | Lidia Truxius |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionLearning to write is a complex task involving peripheral (e.g., handwriting speed and legibility) and central (e.g., spelling) processes. Coordinating these processes is particularly demanding for novice writers who have not yet automated their handwriting skills. To better support children in developing handwriting, it is crucial to understand the development and interactions of these peripheral and central processes over time.MethodsThis longitudinal study (n = 363; 49.8% girls) investigated the development and interrelations of handwriting speed (time spent on writing tasks), legibility, and spelling in German-speaking first-grade children (Mage = 7 years) across 12 months. The children were assessed at three time points, spaced 6 months apart, from the beginning of the first grade to the start of the second grade.Results and discussionWhile performance in all domains of handwriting (time, legibility, and spelling) improved over the school year, these skills were particularly strongly interrelated at the beginning of writing acquisition but became increasingly independent towards the second grade. Surprisingly, the results from the structural equation model showed that the relations between handwriting legibility and time reversed over time: Initially, faster handwriting was associated with more legible handwriting, while with increasing practice a trade-off appeared. Furthermore, when considering cross-lagged paths, the structural equation model revealed that handwriting legibility at the beginning of the first grade significantly predicted subsequent handwriting time and spelling abilities at the end of the school year. In summary, handwriting proficiency stabilizes quickly, while patterns of associations between peripheral and central handwriting processes change across the first year of handwriting instruction. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-37caf4c321fa4a7b8db0b91e8380112d |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
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| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj-art-37caf4c321fa4a7b8db0b91e8380112d2025-01-08T14:13:34ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782025-01-011510.3389/fpsyg.2024.14660611466061Early handwriting development: a longitudinal perspective on handwriting time, legibility, and spellingLidia Truxius0Judith Sägesser Wyss1Michelle N. Maurer2Michelle N. Maurer3Institute of Psychology, University of Bern, Bern, SwitzerlandInstitute of Special Needs Education, Bern University of Teacher Education, Bern, SwitzerlandInstitute of Special Needs Education, Bern University of Teacher Education, Bern, SwitzerlandNorwegian Reading Centre, University of Stavanger, Stavanger, NorwayIntroductionLearning to write is a complex task involving peripheral (e.g., handwriting speed and legibility) and central (e.g., spelling) processes. Coordinating these processes is particularly demanding for novice writers who have not yet automated their handwriting skills. To better support children in developing handwriting, it is crucial to understand the development and interactions of these peripheral and central processes over time.MethodsThis longitudinal study (n = 363; 49.8% girls) investigated the development and interrelations of handwriting speed (time spent on writing tasks), legibility, and spelling in German-speaking first-grade children (Mage = 7 years) across 12 months. The children were assessed at three time points, spaced 6 months apart, from the beginning of the first grade to the start of the second grade.Results and discussionWhile performance in all domains of handwriting (time, legibility, and spelling) improved over the school year, these skills were particularly strongly interrelated at the beginning of writing acquisition but became increasingly independent towards the second grade. Surprisingly, the results from the structural equation model showed that the relations between handwriting legibility and time reversed over time: Initially, faster handwriting was associated with more legible handwriting, while with increasing practice a trade-off appeared. Furthermore, when considering cross-lagged paths, the structural equation model revealed that handwriting legibility at the beginning of the first grade significantly predicted subsequent handwriting time and spelling abilities at the end of the school year. In summary, handwriting proficiency stabilizes quickly, while patterns of associations between peripheral and central handwriting processes change across the first year of handwriting instruction.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1466061/fullhandwriting timehandwriting legibilityspellingchildrendevelopment |
| spellingShingle | Lidia Truxius Judith Sägesser Wyss Michelle N. Maurer Michelle N. Maurer Early handwriting development: a longitudinal perspective on handwriting time, legibility, and spelling Frontiers in Psychology handwriting time handwriting legibility spelling children development |
| title | Early handwriting development: a longitudinal perspective on handwriting time, legibility, and spelling |
| title_full | Early handwriting development: a longitudinal perspective on handwriting time, legibility, and spelling |
| title_fullStr | Early handwriting development: a longitudinal perspective on handwriting time, legibility, and spelling |
| title_full_unstemmed | Early handwriting development: a longitudinal perspective on handwriting time, legibility, and spelling |
| title_short | Early handwriting development: a longitudinal perspective on handwriting time, legibility, and spelling |
| title_sort | early handwriting development a longitudinal perspective on handwriting time legibility and spelling |
| topic | handwriting time handwriting legibility spelling children development |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1466061/full |
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