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PURPOSE
BACKGROUND
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Julie Bissell, OTD, OTR/L, ATP and Sharon Cermak, EdD, OTR/L, FAOTA
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Instrument
Here’s How I Write (HHIW) is a self assessment of handwriting that
consists of a set of 25 cards (a sample and 24 test items). Two items
assess affective aspects of writing (e.g. I feel that I write well; I like to
write.), three items measure physical factors (e.g. I sit up straight in my
chair), and the remaining 19 items assess performance components
(e.g. I stay on the line when I write).
Procedures
Children were assessed one-on-one in their classrooms. Each child was
shown two cards and was asked which is more like him (I feel that I
write well; I feel that I don’t write well), and then asked whether his
choice is a little or a lot like him. Children responded to each of the 24
pairs of cards, while the therapist recorded their responses on a Child
Form. The teacher rated the same characteristics of the child’s writing.
The results show significant differences in self-perception of handwriting
between children with good and poor handwriting, with children with poor
handwriting showing lower assessment of their handwriting. Similarly,
teachers of children with poor handwriting rated them lower than children
with good handwriting. The Correlation coefficient of all of the children
compared to their teachers was .62 showing that there is a moderate
correlation between how teachers and children respond to the items.
Competence in the ability to read and write (literacy) is the ultimate goal
and desired outcome of education, as there is a high correlation between
literacy, post-secondary education, future earning, and ultimately quality of
life.1
Learning to write is an essential component of literacy and an important
foundation needed to support a child’s academic success. Children in
elementary school spend 31% to 60% of each academic day occupied with
fine motor tasks, with the majority of that time involving handwriting 2
Between 10 to 30 percent of elementary school children struggle with
handwriting This may lead to difficulty participating in a very important daily
occupation for children.3
When a child is able to exercise control over his work and set his/her
own goals he/she is likely to develop self-determination and become
internally motivated to achieve. 4 As such, a recent trend involves children
in the process of self-assessment and collaboration in setting educationally
relevant occupational therapy goals.5 HHIW is a tool designed to involve
children in the assessment and goal setting process to improve
handwriting.
Participants
Participants were 40 children identified by their teachers as having good
handwriting (n=20) or difficulty with handwriting (n=20). Race/ethnicity of
the participants was Hispanic (60%), White /Non Hispanic (28%), Asian
(5%) and Other (7%). All students in the good handwriting group and thirty
five percent of children in the poor handwriting group were in general
education only. Fifty percent of the participants in the poor handwriting
group were in general education with support services, and fifteen percent
were in a special day class setting. Age, gender and grade are shown in
Tab l e 1.
Children with poor handwriting rated their handwriting significantly lower
than children with good handwriting. Moreover, there was a moderate
correlation between teacher and child’s rating. These findings indicate that
children with poor handwriting are aware of their deficits as they rated
themselves lower than children with good handwriting. However, although
they scored themselves significantly lower than the children with good
handwriting, they rated their handwriting higher than did their teachers.
This study provides support for the validity of HHIW as a self-assessment of
handwriting. Children reported enjoying the test and its card game format.
Appreciation is extended to Anaheim City School District for it’s participation in the research.
This study examines the validity of a new handwriting evaluation, Here’s
How I Write: A Child’s Self-Assessment of Handwriting and Goal Setting
Tool (HHIW) designed to help teachers and children identify handwriting
problems and work together in finding solutions.
The purpose of the study is to determine whether children can accurately
self-assess their handwriting such that the test discriminates between
children with good and poor handwriting.
STUDY HYPOTHESES
1. There will be a difference on the Here’s How I Write: A Child’s Self-
Assessment of Handwriting and Goal Setting Tool between children with
and without poor handwriting, children with poor handwriting rating
themselves significantly lower.
2. There will be a moderate correlation between teacher and child ratings of
handwriting.
REFERENCES
DISCUSSION / CONCLUSION
RESULTS METHODS
1. Sum, A. Kirsch, I., & Yamamoto, K. (2004, October). Pathways to labor market success: The literacy of
U.S. Adults.
2. McHale, K., & Cermak, S.A. (1992). Fine motor activities in elementary school: Preliminary findings and
provisional implications for children with fine motor problems. American Journal of Occupational
Therapy, 46, 898-903.
3. Rosenblum, S., Weiss, P.L., & Parush, S. (2004). Handwriting evaluation for developmental dysgraphia:
Process vs. product. Reading and Writing: An Interdisciplinary Journal, 17, 433-458.
4. Ryan, R., & Deci, E. (2000). Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social
development, and well being. American Psychologist, 55, 68-78.
5. Missiuna, C., Pollack, N.,& Law, M. (2004). The perceived efficacy and goal setting system. Toronto,
Ontario: Psychological Corporation.