An examination of the effectiveness of Handwriting Without Tears instruction

Handwriting is an important childhood occupation, and implications of poor handwriting may have significant long-term effects. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of Handwriting Without Tears (HWT) on Grade I students' handwriting and perception of skills. A cross-over design was used. Repeated measures, at three points, included the Minnesota Handwriting Assessment (MHA) and performance rating scales. Eighty-three boys and 66 girls with an average age of 6.2 years participated in the study. Students receiving HWT achieved significantly higher improvements compared to students with teacher-designed instruction in MHA Total Test Score and in MHA components of form, size, space, and alignment (all p < .05). Students had higher average performance ratings when receiving HWT in the first half of the school year. Instruction using HWT improves students' perception and skill in handwriting performance.