Handwriting at the beginning of primary school: teaching practices and pupils’ performances

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Reference

Lavoie N, Morin MF, *Labrecque AM. (2015). Handwriting at the beginning of primary school: teaching practices and pupils’ performances. Repères. 52: 177-197.

Abstract

Recent studies draw attention to the fact that handwriting is one of the constraints in written production activity among learner-writers. Moreover, researchers have noted that this phenomenon is still underestimated and that teachers give it little attention. Recent studies on writing practices – especially handwriting teaching – show a gap between the research proposals and practices. Against this background, this paper aims to examine the link between the practices adopted by teachers in classrooms in 1st grade and pupils’ performances, in particular as regards the handwriting component. The results allow to document the work done in class in this respect and to note that a gap exists between pupils’ needs and teachers’ practices.

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