Effectiveness of a Handwriting Readiness Program in Head Start: A Two-Group Controlled Trial

OBJECTIVE. This study measured skill improvement in prewriting skills, kindergarten readiness, first-name writing, and handwriting-nonspecific fine motor skills of students at Head Start who participated in Handwriting Without Tears Get Set for School (HWT-GSS) programming. METHOD. We conducted a two-group, nonrandomized controlled trial using a pretest-posttest design at a rural Head Start. The effectiveness of adding the HWT-GSS curriculum in one preschool classroom was compared with a control classroom. RESULTS. On posttesting, the experimental group made significant improvements compared with the control group in prewriting, kindergarten readiness, and fine motor skills. Both groups made significant improvements between pretesting and posttesting in prewriting, first name writing, and school readiness. CONCLUSION. Adding HWT-GSS to the Head Start program would be beneficial in improving handwriting readiness skills.