Bibliography of Citations from the ERIC Database
ERIC database search through September 2002

Writing Readiness: Other Items of Interest

ERIC Documents


How to Obtain ERIC documents and journal articles


ED452998 PS029509
Title: Handwriting Readiness: Locatives and Visuomotor Skills in the Kindergarten Year.
Author(s) Marr, Deborah; Windsor, Mary-Margaret; Cermak, Sharon
Pages: 17
Publication Date: 2001
Notes: In: Early Childhood Research & Practice: An Internet Journal on the Development, Care, and Education of Young Children, 2001; see PS 029 507.
Available from: EDRS Price MF01/PC01 Plus Postage.
Document Type: Journal articles (080)
Geographic Source: U.S.; New York

Handwriting is an integral part of every child's school experience. In order to provide the best program to children both with and without handwriting problems, elementary educators need to understand the factors underlying the skill of handwriting. This study investigated the relationship between the cognitive understanding of locatives (e.g., words used for spatial and temporal concepts, such as "up" or "next to") and the graphomotor task of shape and letter copying in typically developing kindergarten children. Additionally, changes in those skills during the kindergarten year were examined. The Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration, the Boehm Test of Basic Concepts, and the Scale of Children's Readiness In PrinTing were administered to a sample of 138 children during the first and second half of their kindergarten year. The findings showed a significant increase in performance on all three measures from time one to time two. The relationships among the three tests varied. A moderate positive relationship between the visuomotor and handwriting test was found. This result supports previous findings that link visuomotor skills to handwriting. All other relationships were low. This study adds to a growing body of knowledge about the prerequisite skills needed for handwriting. (Contains 51 references.) (Author/HTH)

Descriptors: Cognitive Development; *Handwriting; *Kindergarten Children; Motor Development; Primary Education; Skill Development; Spatial Ability; *Writing Readiness; Writing Skills
Identifiers: *Graphomotor Skills; *Locatives; Visual Motor Functioning


ED438933 PS028356
Title: Much More than the ABCs: The Early Stages of Reading and Writing.
Author(s) Schickedanz, Judith A.
Author Affiliation: National Association for the Education of Young Children, Washington, DC.(FGK56164)
Pages: 178
Publication Date: 1999
Notes: Revised and expanded version of "More Than The ABCs," see ED 266 878.
ISBN: 0-935989-90-0
Available from: EDRS Price MF01 Plus Postage. PC Not Available from EDRS.
Availability: NAEYC, 1509 16th Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20036-1426 (order no. 204, $8). Tel: 800-424-2460 (Toll Free); Tel: 202-232-8777; Fax: 202-328-1846; Web site: http://www.naeyc.org.
Document Type: Book (010); Guides--Non-classroom (055)
Geographic Source: U.S.; District of Columbia
Target Audience: Parents; Practitioners; Teachers

Based on the premise that without a solid foundation of literacy knowledge and skill, children will have difficulty benefiting from first grade reading and writing instruction, this book for parents and teachers provides a comprehensive introduction to literacy development from infancy through preschool. The book emphasizes age-appropriate methods, books, and materials for encouraging emergent literacy. Chapter 1, "The Early Years: A Time To Begin," discusses myths about literacy development. Chapter 2, "The Beginning: Babies and Books," focuses on infants' and toddlers' interactions with books at various developmental stages and describes sharing books with them in group settings. Chapter 3, "Preschoolers and Books: Contexts for Learning about Language and the World," discusses contributions of book experience to language learning and background knowledge, and presents strategies to facilitate these contributions. Chapter 4, "Preschoolers and Books: Contexts for Reading, Props for Children's Play," discusses how children use books to practice reading and being a reader, and how books can be used in classroom book centers and as props to support play. Chapter 5, "Young Children and Writing," examines young children's writing development and presents ways to support early efforts. Chapter 6, "Organizing the Environment To Support Literacy Development," describes literacy materials and activities for group settings. The book's two appendices offer advice to parents and provide an excerpt from the joint position statement of the International Reading Association and the National Association for the Education of Young Children. Bibliographies for age-appropriate children's books are listed throughout the book, and each chapter contains references. (KB)

Descriptors: Beginning Reading; Bibliographies; Child Development; *Classroom Environment; Early Childhood Education; Early Experience; *Emergent Literacy; Infants; Learning Activities; Learning Centers (Classroom); Learning Strategies; Parent Influence; Play; *Prereading Experience; Reading Readiness; Teacher Influence; Writing Readiness; Young Children


ED427319 CS216579
Title: Representing the "Other": Basic Writers and the Teaching of Basic Writing. Refiguring English Studies.
Author(s) Horner, Bruce; Lu, Min-Zhan
Author Affiliation: National Council of Teachers of English, Urbana, IL.(BBB05210)
Pages: 253
Publication Date: 1999
ISBN: 0-8141-4115-3
Available from: EDRS Price MF01/PC11 Plus Postage.
Availability: National Council of Teachers of English, 1111 W. Kenyon Road, Urbana, IL 61801-1096 (Stock No. 41153-0015: $19.95 members, $26.95 nonmembers).
Language: English
Document Type: Book (010); Guides--Classroom--Teacher (052)
Geographic Source: U.S.; Illinois
Journal Announcement: RIEJUL1999
Target Audience: Practitioners; Teachers

Intended for teachers of basic writing, this book contains a collection of new and updated essays addressing issues surrounding underprepared writers. It maps errors and expectations for basic writing and develops teaching approaches that will be effective in a social and political world. The book considers concepts such as the possibility of eliminating basic writing through "mainstreaming" or other strategies; the relevance of contact zone pedagogies to basic writing; intersections between basic writers and other writers; the continuing distinction between matters of "style" and matters of "content"; feminist and post-colonial critiques of composition work; and the prevalent textual bias of research in composition. After an introduction, essays in the book are (1) "The 'Birth' of 'Basic Writing'" (Bruce Horner); (2) "Conflict and Struggle: The Enemies or Preconditions of Basic Writing?" (Min-Zhan Lu); (3) "Importing 'Science': Neutralizing Basic Writing" (Min Zhan Lu); (4) "Redefining the Legacy of Mina Shaughnessy: A Critique of the Politics of Linguistic Innocence" (Min-Zhan Lu); (5) "Mapping Errors and Expectations for Basic Writing: From the 'Frontier Field' to 'Border Country'" (Bruce Horner); (6) "Re-Thinking the 'Sociality' of Error: Teaching Editing as Negotiation" (Bruce Horner); and (7) "Professing Multiculturalism: The Politics of Style in the Contact Zone" (Min-Zhan Lu). An afterword ("Some Afterwords: Intersections and Divergences" by Bruce Horner) is attached. Contains approximately 400 references. (CR)

Descriptors: *Basic Writing; Classroom Techniques; Feminism; Higher Education; Learning Strategies; *Teaching Methods; Writing Readiness; *Writing Research; Writing Skills


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