Effectiveness of an intensive handwriting, program for first grade students using the application LetterSchool: A pilot study

The purpose of this pilot study is to analyze the efficacy of a program that combines fine motor activities, animated models, exercises on a digital tablet and paper-pencil exercises. The 10-week program with a 45-minute session and daily exercises was implemented in a class of 16 students of first grade (mean age = 6.9 years old), with another class of 14 students following the regular program (mean age = 6.7 years old). Among these two classes were five pairs of twins (8 girls, 2 boys). In this article, we present the results of only these 10 children. The BHK, Concise Assessment Method for Children's Handwriting, was administered at baseline and immediately after the program. Twins of the experimental group made significant gains in handwriting legibility compared with the twins in the control group. No difference was found for handwriting speed. The implemented program appears to promote handwriting quality in the early stage of learning but needs further investigations.