Good Handwriting Equals Good Grades, FIU Finds
Higher grades in writing pre-K leads to better reading and math scores later on
Higher grades in writing pre-K leads to better reading and math scores later on.
advertisement
Teaching 4- and 5-year-olds to write is a priority at REM Learning Center in South Miami-Dade.
“My favorite letter is C. I mean K,” said 5-year-old Kylie Clement.
The Children’s Trust funded a study that has found that how well these children learn to write will have a significant impact on their school grades later.
Florida International University researchers analyzed information from 3,000 Miami-Dade public school students. They looked at how the children did in preschool and again in second grade.
“We found kids who had higher scores in the fine motor writing test in pre-K had better grades and better Stanford Achievement Test scores in second grade both in reading and math,” explained FIU assistant professor Laura Dinehart.
Pre-K students with good grades in writing had B averages in second-grade math and reading. Pre-K students who did poorly in writing had C averages. Researchers are still looking into why.
“We think it could be attention. Kids that have greater attention skills could also have greater writing skills because they’re able to focus and they’re able to copy,” Dinehart said.
She encourages parents to work on writing with their kids.
“Now I’m realizing I probably should focus a little bit more time on it. I never really sat down with them," said mother of three Maryanne Ullery. "I provide them materials and let them access it as they want."
Four-year-old Justice Rosado said, “I like making jets and I like making racecars."
Drawing helps too, but now the proof is in penmanship and its impact on academic performance.
Meet MJ, the Bike Riding Tabby Cat
Check Out
© 2013 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Portions by Broadcast Interactive Media.