Handwriting Abilities of Low-SES Elementary Students Compared to Grade-Level Expectations

Abstract

Background: Satisfactory handwriting is important for elementary students to demonstrate their knowledge and produce academic achievements, as well as to foster a sense of competence. Pre-pandemic research has shown that students from low-socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds were more likely to have handwriting difficulties than same-grade peers. In this study, I looked at the post-pandemic handwriting legibility scores of local low-SES elementary students compared to grade-level expectations.

Methods: Handwriting legibility was measured in second (n=19), third (n=19), and fourth (n=15) grade students at a low-SES elementary school in Greenville, NC, using the Screener of Handwriting Proficiency (orientation, memory, placement, and sentence). The means and standard deviations were calculated for total score and placement score to show differences by grade.

Results: The majority of students (second n=13, third n=17, fourth n=11) scored below grade-level expectations. The mean handwriting placement score was consistently the lowest component score across all grade levels.

Conclusion: Overall, data collected in this study shows post-pandemic low-SES elementary students have handwriting difficulties consistent with pre-pandemic research. Recommendations include providing handwriting instruction and remediation for students in all grade levels, especially for handwriting placement.