DOCUMENT RESUME

ED 089 504 BC 061 448

TITLE Dale Avenue School Early Childhood Education CenterProject. Research Bulletin Volume III, No. 2, June1973.

INSTITUTION Paterson Board of Education, N.J.SPONS AGENCY Bureau of Elementary and Secondary Education

(DHEW/OE), Washington, D.C.PUB DATE Jun 73NOTE 26p.; For related information see EC 061439 through

EC 061447, and EC 061449

EDRS PRICE MF-$0.75 HC-$1.85 PLUS POSTAGEDESCRIPTORS Behavioral Objectives; *Culturally Disadvantaged;

Disadvantaged Youth; *Evaluation; Exceptional ChildEducation; *Exceptional Child Research; *Handwriting;*Primary Grades

IDENTIFIERS Elementary Secondary Education Act Title III; !SEATitle III; Paterson (New Jersey)

ABSTRACTReported are results of an evaluation of the

handwriting skills of first, second, and third level students whowere part of an urban early childhood education project forculturally disadvantaged children in Paterson, New Jersey. Providedis a summary of A. Gesell and F. Ilgts recommendations forhandwriting instruction for kindergarten through third levelchildren. A table lists writing skills expected from children 3 1/2to 9 years of age. Provided is a listing of the 24 performanceobjectives used to teach writing and motor skills to projectstudents. The writing performance of project children is said tocompare favorable with expectations in areas such as making lettersthe correct size (first level children), spacing between ;lords(second level children), and mixing cursive with manuscript (thirdlevel children). Tables include the samples copied at each level andthe percentages of children at each level who need to improve letterinformation (by individual letters). It is stressed that legiblehandwriting is important for clear thinking and as u means ofcommunication. (DB)

0

BEST COPY AVAILABLE

DALE AVENUE SCrnOL

PATnSON, Nntl JERSrY

US DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH,EDUCATION I WELFARENATIONAL INSTITUTE OF

EDUCATIONTHIS DOCUMENT HAS BEEN REPRODuCED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED FROMTHE PERSON 01 ORGANIZATION ORIGINATING IT POINTS OF VIEW OR OPINIONSSTATED DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENT OFFICIAL NATIONAL INSTITUTE OFEDUCATION POSITION OR POLICY

P. TITLE III ??.S.p.A. PROJTXT

PATtInSON BOARD OF EDUCATION

RrSFARCH BULLETIN vomm III MO. II

June, 1973

"AY Tin nxTrITT) nun MCIAL TPArYS Tn TU rIPPT,

srcolD AND 'MIRO trvri TrivTnTT AT Tlin DMA;'

Avrmun SCI-!001J FOR TITIR COOPT2ATION r'ITI; TITLE

III FOR rAMUT.ITI.TO R7SF1tCH:

FIRST LTVFL

glair

"rs. TIrosn

Eardy

Tluseo

rs. Yarborowth

r,rvrr,

"re. nassett

"re. Notkin

"r. rwann

r. Tor,asi

"ies '7einer

!Tx:0ml LITE!,

T,re. Conyers

"i=ns Corbo

Irs. Juchniowicz

Ir. 7.elly

rn. "unoz

T"" Y1* T"rlr')7 PnA"1) ^r r'In.`NTTrle!

Leonard ". Jacoby. . , nresid.ent

izey. ro %ert Nirchrfessnor. . . .Vice President

Dr. :-icacl Gioia. i . Sucerintewlent

,700-11 ". 7)1.-lterct. . .7,ssiatant ''ulerintendent

Dr. .7orran % "eir. . . .'assistant r,unerintanlent

Charles J. Pilq?, . . recretaryrusineasTdninistrator

Pcbert 2. !,,art,I. . . . Tinsistant r7ecrotarWCounsel

cn-.:7177,rIn7-rs

Pauline J. 7,aroody

Jerry Pell°

nrs. ';athryn reency

Leonard r. Jaco'w

"cv. "ollert "Srohcessner

Oarles 7'o!ratl..a

Robert Penotti

Rev. Louis '1. "icharrlson

'',ITT*.' TIT CO"'ICIPYTTY A.Dlitt!r)RY Cr-7 'ITTP,r

Dr. Michael Gioia,

Leonard R. Jacoby. . II

Rev. Louis Fichardson.

Dr. lIorman S. t'eir.

Josenh Goldbern.

Charles J. Piley.

Rev. John Carroll.

Robert !TcClain.

George Tuttle.

Willie Sweet. . .

James Adams. .

Julius Gamble.

"tev. "ason.

'Ira. Cecile Dickey.

Gilbert nenson.

Sam Del Mauro. I

.Sunerintendent of Schools

.President, 'oard of Education

Vice President,Poard of nducation

Assistant Superintendentof Schools

Assistant sunerintendentof Schools

. Secretary/PusinessAdministrator

.superintendent ofPaterson Diocesan Schools

.Director, Planned Variations

. Assistant Director,Planned Variations

Advisory Committee,Planned variations

.Consultant, Plannedvariations

. Executive Director,Paterson Task Force

President, PatersonTasY Force

Acting Director,:read Start

.Project Administrator,Council of Agency forFamily Planning

. President, PatersonAdministrator's Association

TITtr III CO'llUMITY TOVISnRY CO"'IITTrP (con'd)

Elvin Hubbard. . , Paterson rducation Association

!Ira. Roberta Cohen.

rt.'s. Mildred Trample,

erg. rvelyn

"rs. Josephine Chambers.

a

Pean Harry T. Cumaer.

Dr. rdward mar&

Prof..` Zlice -eeker.

Narie O'Mara.

. . , President, ItindergartenAssociation

,President, stational Councilof llegro ''omen

President, PatersonCouncil of P.T.!%..'s

.Trustee, PatersonCouncil of P.T.A.'s

.'jean of nrofessional Programs,William Paterson College

. Chairman, Denartment ofr,ducation, minimPaterson College

milliam Paterson College

.Psychologist, DMCPC*

. Director of Funded Programs

. Assistant Directorof Pundel Programs

Vrs. Vera P. Thompson.

Joseph Heitman. I

Reginald crown.

Josenh Di Ganqi. .

Mrs, Harriet Gihbn

firs. Helen Hanson

'/rs. Rita Cavzv.

.Social 'Yor%er - Coordinator,DArcnc*

Principal - mrerc*

,Director, Pre-Tandergarten,rn!".0.7T*

.Project nirector,Title III nArc7c*

Reqaarch Director,Title III, oil: erc*

* Dale Avenue early Childhood education Center

r!re. Helen Hanson,

'ors. Pita Cavzy. .

1"rs. Anna Taliaferro.

'ors. Gilda ,

sirs. Rhoda Schenberg.

liss l!arion Lipna.

tUss Patricia "alter.

Dr. "ichael Gioia.

Leonard R. Jacoby.

Drs. Vera P. Thompson.

TITL7 ITT sTArr

,Project Director

, Researcher

. Parent Coordinator

. Audiologist

,Tester/Sunplementaryinstructor

,Tester/SupnlementaryInstructor

.Secretary

CV7SULT,PT STArr

. .Superi.ntendent of. Schools

.President, Patersonlloard of rducation

. . . Director of Funded Programs

Joseph Di Gancri. .

Joseph eitzman,

Princinal, Dale '\venue School

. Assistant Directorof Funded Programs

'Trs. Farriet Gibbs Russall. .nirector, Pre-Vindergarten,Dale avenue School

TITLE III pAnnNT WvISOPY co:usrprr

& "rs. nreene .M.britton

r. & As. "arty names

'Ir. George Collazo

& Charles Council

"r. & "rs. Circle Crooms

tgr. & .era. nuaene Da,;!son

"r. & Pobort Del Vecchio

& *rs. Fdwards

r. Harold Foster

& "rs. Carlton Gillis

r. & rrsadie Noires

"r. James Jeter

!gr. & Irs. "illiam nelson

"r. & Thoras Caliaferro

"r. & Irs. Luis Torres

'Ins. ,lamas "riaht

rIrs. Penrietta Young

Yandwriting Research

Several members of the Dale Avenue School staff were concernedthat the writina tasks taught in the kindergarten, first, second,and third level at Dale Avenue School right be too difficult for thedevelonmental level of the children in these arades. The subject ofwritina, both manuscript and cursive was, therefore, researched.

Dr. Arnold Gesell, in his chart on writing from the early child-hood section of "The rncYclopedia of 7ducation", (See Table I) refersto the developmental, not chronological age of chileren. Somechildren who are chronologically seven veers of aae may be function-ing develonrent ally as five year olds and should be exnected to dowhat five year olds can do. Another seven Year old may ti >a workingdevelopmentally like an eight or nine year old. rxamining a child'swriting sample and chIckina it off against Cesell's developmentalwritina chart should indicate at what level that child is functioningin writing.

The following suggestions for a writing curriculum were indica-ted by fig and Pre in "School Readiness" and by Cesell and Ilg in"The Child from Five to Ten".

KINDBRGARTr*.! (5 to C)

1. Small or lower case letters should probably not be taught inkindergarten but at a later date when the children have bettervisual and manual control. Children have enough trouble withreversals at five and a. half without adding to their burdens byrequirina that they matzo email letters, which tend to reversemore than the canital letters r7o.

FIRST trwm

1. The fact that six year olds ral,.e small letters large .1i1..e capitalssugaests that perhaps they should work with capitals alone untilthey are ready to make the small letters as small letters.,

2. Six year olds need to be in motion and are ever eaaer to move toother activities. Tt is, therefore, relestionable whether firstlevel children should spen'i long Periods of time practicing writ-ing skills. This is in all probability very difficult for them.

3. Six year olds cannot cony from the blackboard with facility asyet and should not he exnecte3 to do so.

4. then six year olds begin to print small letters small they stillmay tend to reverse them and to revert to capital letters. Cap-itals are easier to form and have le,;1 reversability. 'lith cer-tain children capitals should probably be used throughout firstgrade or at least until children show soontaneous desire to shiftto small letters. (Although many six year olds recognize theirreversals they don't always stop to correct them).

TV' t" I

neSen f?riting Chart - From "'arly Childhood section of The "ncy-cgiTOTTWr-TWU'WET6n.

VI Years - "akee controlled lines, then scrinlee.in cce)yina a °role, lay snlit %orieontal line.Likee to nut a frame. tround naper.

4 Years - Lettere - rrints a few nanital letters, larae Inc'irrafgrar. Prefers circular letters as C, (, no orannular letters as 71 I, t, T, A.;'elects first letter: usually of fariliar names as ownname or of a merleor of ferny; T for '.f'ommy, C for Carles.Letters are often rade kith many narts (four nerts to n).Prints en nage at raneom. Variable nositions of lettersand may lie flat in horizontnl position. Sellor reverses.i'are - "ay attempt to print (Yin name (girls eenecially) .

767F *rint first few letters and ma& for remaining ones.,,ay lent ware in middle and continue on next line.

5 Years - Lettere rrinte some lettere of varvina sizes, in various;3illiene and usually large. -ay Le vertically reversed.Lettere formerly ry it t Oren *arts are now ma.?e in twonarte.zeke he In in forming or identifying letters already charm."uow do you mal:e P?' That isn't anv (letter) is it?'

recooeiee a letter that in in on name without identifying it.-ay write frnm right to left wihout reversing any letters.Some li':e to cony letters and frequently do so from riehtto left.'are - Prints first nasee, or nickname, large and irregular.VEIFtina aeti larger to':arc3 end of name.Airbers - "ay print certain numbers which have significance. (5 for o' age! 12 for 12 o'cloc10."ay "rite some from dictation.-lay cony from the clock or calendar.Come draw on a nage from ricfet to left without reversing.Some drao in a confused manner or reverse.-ar?:ed variation in a'-'ility to write numl-Jere. Some cancerite into teens and ueually reverse the noeition of theseparate digits (31 for 13). Preeuently emit a numher.

6 Years - Lettere - Prints roet of the ca'eital letters 'sith severalraver ells (usually horizontel, fewer vertical).Prints some +lords. "ay uee all canitals and may tile amixture of ca-)itele ani small lettere without lifferenti-ating their size.Letters are no's more ae)t to drawn with a continuoustro!-e.

Prints lergo and increasingly larger letters :le proceedsacross page. Certain letters may Je consistently Orwellarger.naainning to recocmize reversals but may not change.

TAmr I -q12111maltitIlltstjfitilL(1)

Likes to use variety of materials: y4rites on blackboardwith chalk, or on large paper with crayon. Later ante tohandle writing at des!... with a pencil.Uame - Prints first or both names and may add middle nameor add Junior at end usually in all capital letters.Letters large and uneven. "ay reverse a letter (especially). "ay not senarate names, or may write one under the

other.some e)rint increasingly larger; some increase, Oecreaseand then increase; others maintain fairly uniform eizoand write with an undulating line.:Iumbere - "any can write from 1-20. Print num)7.ers largein horizontal rows..'ay reverse order of digits in teens either in finalnroduct, or in execution (writes end dictit first andplaces one in front of it).everses one or two digits (3, 7, or 9 more usual).

7 Yearn - "lords - Prints or writes words and sentences, in canitaland7Mall letters.Peainning to ilifferentiate height of canital and smallletters, but ray ral-e ahout the same height. Capitalmay lee suhntituted for n seen letter.T'riting is sonewhat smaller and in a fee, it is greatlyreduce.' in size.Corrects lntter reversals (usually 6 years), but stillmaker an occasional letter in reverses? position. May placeletters in reve.rse0 order or omit a letter.Deginnina to senarate words nut sentences usually runtogether.Tervis to reduce letters in size as writes across cage.Prefers ruled pue.er. Sore want large snace, some small.Likes to cony sent? cos.rencil grass is tight with t%e forefinger caved in andthe shoulder ig tensed. l'ow prefers pencil rather thancrayon for Yriting.LiYes to write correctly and erases a stood deal.um::ere - 1-10 or higher usually without error.av rtT11 reverse one, sometimes two numbers.. ne same

number may t,e reverned a a sinale digit and not when itannears in the teens or vice versa. ((: and 9 most freauent,also a or 7).riauren are groaner, ane congiderablv emaller -ith afew children.esuallv nlace numbers in one horizontal row at ton ofcage, but some write in vertical col unn at this age.

TNTILr t - Gesell "riting Chart (con' d)

0 Years - "ords - Can write several sentences.-6517irderable variation in writing. -any no,' do cursivewriting instead of nrinting.'trite fairly large and rather "squarely" usually withslight slant. few ntill write larae and very irregu-larly. Fore ,/rite a medium size and somewhat evenlythough still quite straight. Letters may be ,/iler. Ifwriting is becoming smaller, then caritals and looney}letters tend to be disnronortionately tall.Reversals are now ra;:e.

ty,,ginnina to space 1-ords, sentences and naragranhs.Tries to write neatly although sometimes hurries and doesnot care.Still ray not be ahle to write down all the ideas he hasfor a story.'./are 'mites both names with aood snacino and correctUT*1of canital and rail letters. Considerable discrep-ancy in site hetveen capitals and small letters.Great variation from child to child in size and style ofwriting.Ivumbers - In writing 1-21 does not reverse single digit.FITST-ieverse order in nuyber. 20 (02).In written number work nc.v still have an occasionalreversal of a digit esnocially when ma%ing a douhle number.

9 Years - '!so longer nrints, unless manuscrint is to be continuedform of lyriting.Eand'irit3nq is now a tool. "rites for extended neriods."riting is smalJ,:r, neater, more even, and qlanted. Thepressure is lighter (esnecially in girls) . Flom writewith unward slant and some make letters irregularly.Letters are in good nronortinn.Sone now have a stvle 1.,o17 use finger movements tension in the forearm.Increase in steed and in volume of writing.ccasional error when conying or in recorOing dictatednumbers.

2.

SECOND LEVEL

1. Seven year olds are freguently soon with heads resting on fore-arms while they write. They show temnorary fatigue with sometasks by shoving their desks, onening and closing their desktops or getting u from their chairs. These signs show theyare ready to change to a different activity and they should beallowed to do so.

-There -are many individual differences at seven. Some childrenprefer work at their desks to work presented by the teacher onthe blackboard and vice versa. Seven year olds do notthe two easily. They still cannot cony from the blackboard withfacility.

3. Seven year olds should no longer use widely spaced lined paperas this is no longer natural to them. They desire to writesmaller and have the ability to do so.

4. Several seven year olds may ask to 'write" rather than print.'laintaining the pencil in crJnaot with the paper may give themmore security of motor control.

THIRD LEVEL

1. Eight year olds can shift their eyes more easily from blackboardto desk. Thc4! can copy from the board and also like to writeon the board while classmates watch their performance.

2. Despite the eight year old's facility he should not always beexpected to write out a sto:::y to full len;Fth. Tie may wish anonportunity to dictate the unfinished nortion, or to continueit later.

3. Eight year olds struggle with cursive writing and we might wellquestion the reason fox: instituting cursive writing in thethird grade. Printing is mare conaenial to eight year oldswhose desire for snee,1 is hamnered by cursive writing.

After looking over the research which described the generalpopulation, the decision was made to do our own research at DaleAvenue School in the first, second and third levels to determine ifthe literature applied to our children and also to provide feed-back for teachers on each child's skills and needs.

Each first level child vas given instructions to cony a sheetcontaining capital and lower case letters and numbers from one toten (See Table II) onto large spaced first grade handwriting paper.The children all began the handwriting test at the same time.Ninety-seven percent of them completed the work in twenty-fiveminutes.

ACC

Trs,r,LT: T I

cr./<

ABCDEFGKLM\OPQRS 1 VWX`'

nQP

.........

3,

Although the Gesell 9riting Chart ('able I) indicates thatfirst level (6 to 7 year olds) children make small letters largelike capitals only three percent of the Dale Avenue first levelchildren made the 14ar case letters capital size. Only twenty-seven percent of the Dale Avenue first level children made anyreversals although the Gesell research indicated that six year oldsprint most of the canital.letters with several reversals,

Although the Gesell Chart indicated that 6 year old childrenprint their letters large and uneven only one percent of the firstlevel Dale Avenue children needed practide in staying within thelines and three percent in making their letters the'proper size.

Although most of the Dale Avenue first level children hadlittle difficulty printing, some of the children did need practicein printing some canital, lower case letters, and numbers. (SeeTable XIX).

As can be seen in Table III, the nrinting of only fourcapital letters (K, n, V, and Y) nrasented problems to fifteen Per-cent or more of the first level Dale Avenue group, while ten lowercase letters, (a0b,d,g,j,k,p,g,s,t,) presented difficulties.

A paper that was smudged or with many erasures was consideredsloppy. Only eight percent of the first level children handed inthis calibre paper.

Only two percent didn't follow directions,

tihlle twenty-three percent of the first level children leftletters or numbers out, only five percent repeated letters ornumbers.

Xt is the hope of the Title III staff that the inclusion ofwriting and motor skills performance objectives (See Table IV) inthe curriculum of the Dale Avenue School played an important rolein the fine writing performance of the first level children. Sincethe writing and motor skills were developed sequentially thechildren move through these skills at their own rates from Pro-Kindergarten through level three. This servuential development ofeye-hand exercises reinforces visual comparison skills of thechildren.

Although the literatUre'suggests that seven year olds cannotcopy from-the blackboard with facility, most of the ninety-seveneepond'level children at Dale Avenue had little difficulty performs

TAnn

PERMTAGES or MIST trvrx, DALT: mlur clInwtral no ^Arno PRACTICE'

'11TH SPECIFIC CAPITAL OR LOrIT311 cAsn L7T77P5 IMP!,P.;

1% 25t.

7% 1% - 7%

8% 51

-

- 4%

kl 9%

13%

- 6% P 51

..7% - 28t

2t-- . .50

5t

3% 3%

...011.00010. ....1.0.110

- 1%

7%

- 5%

4 5%

- 3%

3%

-17t

Z -

a 17%.

b - 15%

o 6%

7 Vit

23%

- 7%

6%

17%

4%

- none

7%

o - 6%

0 - 23%

n - 36%

t 11%

s - 16%

j - 44%

k -400

1 1%

12%

10 St

lolimalmea

- 30%

u Ct.0...01001/.1

v .

to 2%

x -10%

- -14%

...z

flr,V1IC 'errot miTus

KINDERGARTM Tr IOUGH Trin.D Lrwrt PrnroYvvvIcr nrmemrrt

WS-1 "oyes a crayon any way desired to fill in a 4 x 4" square ona large size niece of nailer. (ecribbling over lines isaccentable).

wfS-2 Drags vertical line evenly and smoothly

os.9 Draws horizontal line even1F and smoothly.

MS -4 nraws diagonal line evenly and smoothly.

mS-5 Draws curved line evenly and smoothly.

71S-6 Traces basic shapes (circle, sruare, triangle, rectangle)with temPlaten.

tr!S-7 Cuts continual straight line.

WS-A Cuts curved line.

!»'s-9 Cuts pattern cc staining complicated rotations and reversals.

fr1s-10 Indicates !mowledge of direction in relation to self insnace by making a f7ruare, or circle, on Cle ,Aack.board.

MS-11 Pastes one end of paper stria to another to form ringsfor chains.

"!S-12 Copies basic shw)es on x 11" piece of paper then naperis Presented in a !lorizental manner. (Circle, sguare,triangle, rectangle, croes).

tl"1:3-13 maws s,!Uare and triangle,

MS- 14 Combines verticle, horizontal, diagonal and curved linesinto simple forms.

!.tvfs-15 Drawls circle in both directions.

mS-46 Copies name correctly.

ITT-17 Conies all unnor and lower case letters at near noint froma nailer that is placed on Oild's desk,

fm!5 -19 Copies all upner and lower case letters at far point fromthe blaclthoard.

MS-19 Copies words required in basic night vocabulary correctly.(Listed in Decoding ) .

rS-20 Copies, frOm blackboard to naner4 the name of school, gradelevel And date, withOut any Oubstit#ion of letters.

t.nis 21 Produce0Uniformity in size of letters when ponying lettersand vords from blackboard to paner. "ample should inoludeten examnles of upper and lower case letters,

WS-22 Provides uniform space between words when doing written work.

M4S-23 Uses capital letter at beginning of sentence, for names andfor the WorCi TO

tr.1$24 Letlibly writes words and Sentences front dictation.

4.

The writing forms presented to the second level children in-cluded a smaller near point copy sample than the one used by thefirst level children. (5;ee Table V) . A far point sample (SeeTable VT) was also included. The handwriting paper, although stillquite large, had smaller ruled soacee between the lines than thatUsed by the first level children. The children were told not torush but to do careful and neat work. when a child finishedcopying the near and far point semPlep, a number, indicating howlong it took him to complete the work, Wag placed in the unperright hand corner of the paper. A number 1 in the corner indicatedthat a child had taken from five to nine minutes to comPleto thework; a number 2 meant ten to fourteen minutes, etc. 2% of thesecond level children completed the writing tasks in 5 minutes;et in 10 minutes; 11% in 15 minutes; 314 in 20 minutes; 30% in25 minutes and lee in 30 minutes.

Some children still needed practice in printing some canital andlower case letters.- (see Table VI-A).

In the near point sample, none of the second level childrenhanded in smudged pepers and all of them completed their work.

Cursive writing is not taught at the second level but one Per-cent of the children mixed the cursive with manuscrint.

Only one percent of the children repeated the letters or didn'tfollow directions.

Six percent of the children made reversals and twelve percentleft letters or numbers out.

None of the children made lower case letters canital sizeor lower case letterg in place of capitals.

Thirteen percent of the second level children needed practicein size, slant and/or spacing between the letters.

In the farpoint sample thirty-nine Percent of the secondlevel children left out punctuation, eighteen percent left outletters, words or nnmhere.

The Gesell tIrlting Chart (Table I) indicates that seven yearolds have just begun to separate vords but sentences usuallyrun together. Only twenty-two pereent of the Dale `venue secondlevel children had too little space between words and/or too muchspace between letters.

Only two percent of the children handed in smudgy, shaky workwith many erasures. Only one percent did not follow directions andthree Percent didnJt cow-Aft-el the bOard work.

TA L! v

CI

3 C

efnystuv wxyz

A BCD' FG J

ELM \,OPQRST .,VW X YZ

TABLE VI

Tod \ is I OSCIaLyi

FebrJar 6 1973. This

Fobru

tvventy

Lea

gig

near

ary has

_Q\/ S. On

t has

T.Nr3Iir

Ant'1 J1 :N. 115 V ''S ' Ck 41 "" 4'3

71 - 9% L - 3% V - 1% e - 12% () - 6%

C - 12% " - 4% - 6% - 11% n - at

o - 12% 1 - 16% v, - 4% q - et q - 10%

r - 3% 0 - 7% - 4% - 3% r - 8%

F"' - 7% P - 1% Z - 12% i - 2.% ts - 2%

G - 10% '.) - 5% j - 11% t - 11%

It

---

- '1% - 3% a - 5% k - 11% U - 4%

I - 4% s _ 7% h - 3% - 0 V - 2%

'- 3% r VI c - 5%

,'

9% w - 5%

x 3%1 - 4% - 1% 10 -

2 - 3% - - 9% 5%

3 - 3%.

6 - 5%__I__9 - 4% - 8%

5.

The children worked carefully and quickly and it was theoninion of the staff that the Performance of the second levelchildren compared very favorably with what the research indicatesseven year olds can do in the area of writing.

The writing forms presented to the third level childrenincluded a nearpoint sample of lover case and canital manuscriptletters, numbers 1 to 10 (See Table V), and capital and lover casecursive letters. (See f!,able VII).

The children were given the same wide-spaced ruled penmanshipPaper as the second. level children for the manuscript nortion andnotebook lined regularly spaced white paper for the cursive portion.The third level children were also asked to copy several sentencesfroM the hoard in manuscript,and several in cursive. They werealso each asked to write theirown sentences in cursive. Thethird level, like the second level children were timed. 2% of thethird level children completed this more comnlex handwriting taskin 15-19 minutes, 21P: in 20-24 minutes, 27% in 25-29 minutes, 27%in 30 to 34 minutes and 23% in 35 minutes or over.

The Gesell research (Table I) indicates that at eight yearsof age (3rd grade level) reversals are very rare. Less than onepercent of the Dale Avenue third level children made letter re-versals. The research also cited that children in this age groupwere just beginning to space words, sentences and paragraphs.Twenty-six percent of the Dale:Avenue third level children hadeither not enough space between letters or words or too much space.

Since the third level children at Dale Avenue had just .

switched from manuscript to cursive it was expected that marl!children would get ConfUsel and mix Cursive with manuscript .floweVer, only 9% of the children dil this.

Since the third level children had not been using manuscriptin class it Was expected that they might have forgotten how toform the manuscript letters. They aia surprisingly well and a verysmall percentage of the childteri needed practice in printingmost of the capitals, lower case lettery and numbers. (See TableVIII).

In the farpoint manuscript sample 33% of the third level Oil,dren left out punctuation, letters, words or numbers.

The Gesell research (Table I) indicates that at eight yearsof age (3rd grade level) many children now do cursive writinginstead of printing. The Dale Avenue children had begun cursiveWriting in third level and were doing -quite well, The percentagesof children who needed practice in writing the capitals and lower-lase letters can be seen in Table IX.

T.ABTI'

() I)"

7e% /(t /1 '7

- 4% IC - 14% U 13 d Pt n 7%

13 - 4% T, - 5% v - 0% e - 4t 0 1%

C - 4% - 22% T'l - 1051 . 2% t?

........" 1%

D - 11% 11 - 20% x - 6% 9 5% 1 - it

- le, 0 - 7% Y 11% h - 6% r - 6%

F .- 2% P - 4% Z - 3% i - n - Vs

6 - 25% Q 5% j - 4% t - 7%

11

t

-. 1% n - 4% a - it k - 10% u - 1%

- C - 9% b - 6% 1 - v - 1%

J -, 8% T

tr

-. 5% 0 - 1% m - 5% v? - 3%

X - 1%1 - 2% 4 - 4f1 7 -. 10 ... 2%

2 - 3% 5 - 5% 1 5% Y - 5%

3 - 4% 6 - 10% 2% z - 5%

u- Qf71

227-17

6.

In general the handwriting of the third level childrencompared favorably with what the literature indicates childrenof their chronological age are able to accomplish.

Dr. Freeman in his reference manual for teachers explainsthat handwriting, which is one form of expression of language,is not merely a utilitarian art, it is a vital faotor in thechild's intellectual growth.

He further states that if writing is to play its part adequatelyboth as a utilitarian means of communication and an instrument ofintellectual growth, it must become a well-mastered and efficienthabit. ttriting must be legible in order, to serve its purpose asan effective means of communication. Clearness of the writingand the ease and fluency with which it is produced has a bene-ficial effect on the thins -ins of the writer. Clearness inspeaking or writing expresses clearness in thinking; it also hasa reflex effect in Promoting clearness in thinking. Pence theeffective teaching of handwriting is not only a matter of prac-tical importance: it is also a vital factor in the promotion ofthe child's intellectual growth.

It would appear that the nate Nvenue children have developedthe tool of legible writing which provides them with an effectivemeans of communication.

soul,crs

1. The nncyclopedia of education, Early Childhood Section.

2. Freeman, Frank *T. - Guiding Growth in ,,andwritingt Reference,tanual For Teachers,-TaneftWil5"7-17-477.--

3. Gesell, Arnold and Frances Ilge' The Child 'From Five to Ten,Kamer and Row, 'sew York, 1346:

4. rig, Frances and Louise Bates Ames, School *.eadinesst De-havior Tests Used at the Gesell Instralto, Harper & , RowTO90 rk7"196"37-

Sheridan Mary, Develoomental Progress of Infants anlyJILIIIChildren 1960.