Impact of preschool handwriting without tears instruction one year following intervention

Abstract

Handwriting is a communication skill that must be taught to young students as it serves as the primary manner in which elementary school students are able to demonstrate their knowledge of academic concepts. Occupational therapists who work in the school system commonly engage students who struggle with handwriting skills in specific occupations to reach the goals of improving handwriting abilities and achieving overall academic success. Handwriting Without Tears (HWT)® is a program used by some therapists to teach students the basic component skills of handwriting and proper letter/number formation, sizing, and spacing in order to improve functional written communication. This paper illustrates the outcomes of a quantitative study that compared results of the Shore Handwriting Screening between students who participated in the HWT Get Set for School program at a Head Start center and those students in control and alternative intervention groups one year following the initial study.