The Differential Effects of the Use of Handwriting Without Tears � Modified Gray Block Paper to Teach Two Preschool Students with Developmental Delays Capital Letter Writing Skills

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate and measure the effectiveness of Handwriting Without Tears (HWT) modified gray block paper with letter writing on two preschool students diagnosed with developmental delays in pre-academics. Two students were selected from a self-contained special education preschool classroom in the Pacific Northwest. All the students in the classroom were diagnosed with Developmental Delays. The gray block paper intervention was used to teach both students how to write the letters in their first names. In baseline, both students were instructed to, "Write the letters of your name." During baseline, both students were able to write some of the letters in their names. However, both students did so inconsistently and with many errors in orientation and formation of the letters. The final outcomes showed improvement in both students in their ability to write the letters of their name. The gray block paper proved to be an inexpensive and easy to implement technique for instructing students with developmental delays to learn and refine writing the letters of their names. Suggestions for alterations to the study were discussed.

Handwriting Without Tears®: General Education Effectiveness Through a Consultative Approach

“…At the preschool level, the full preschool HWT curriculum was supported through full-class implementation with at-risk students in inclusion classrooms at a rural Head Start (Donica, Goins, & Wagner, 2013;Lust & Donica, 2011). In addition, specific HWT techniques were supported for name writing and capital letter writing in full-class, small-group, and individual settings with preschool-age students (Carlson, McLaughlin, Derby, & Blecher, 2009;Griffith, McLaughlin, Donica, Neyman, & Robison, 2013;LeBrun, McLaughlin, Derby, & McKenzie, 2012). Studies have also supported the use of HWT in general education first-grade classrooms (Hape et al, 2014;Roberts, Derkach-Ferguson, Siever, & Rose, 2014;Salls, Benson, Hansen, Cole, & Pielielek, 2013).…”