ERIC Number: EJ1242811
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2020
Pages: 11
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0022-2194
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Accuracy and Consistency of Letter Formation in Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder
Prunty, Mellissa; Barnett, Anna L.
Journal of Learning Disabilities, v53 n2 p120-130 Mar-Apr 2020
Handwriting difficulties are frequently mentioned in descriptions of developmental coordination disorder (DCD). Recent studies have shown that children with DCD pause more and produce less text than typically developing (TD) peers. This temporal dysfluency indicates a lack of automaticity in handwriting production. One possible contributing factor is the accuracy and consistency of letter formation. The aim of this study was to gain a better understanding of handwriting dysfluency by examining the accuracy and consistency of letter production both within and across different writing tasks. A total of 28 children aged 8 to 15 years with DCD participated in the study with 28 TD age- and gender-matched control participants. They completed the alphabet writing and copy fast tasks from "The Detailed Assessment of Speed of Handwriting" on a digitizing writing tablet. The accuracy and consistency of letter production were examined. The DCD group had a higher percentage of errors within their letterforms than did the TD peers. Letter production was also less consistent between tasks. Children with DCD appear to have difficulties with the "allograph" (motor program) aspect of handwriting and may require explicit teaching of letter formation.
Descriptors: Developmental Disabilities, Learning Disabilities, Handwriting, Children, Adolescents, Error Patterns, Psychomotor Skills, Physical Disabilities, Foreign Countries, Elementary School Students, Secondary School Students, Writing Skills, Accuracy
SAGE Publications and Hammill Institute on Disabilities. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: http://sagepub.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education; Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: United Kingdom (England)
Identifiers - Assessments and Surveys: British Ability Scales; Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A