Date of Award
12-2020
Document Type
Action Research Project
Degree Name
Master of Arts in Education
Department
Education, Montessori
First Advisor
Jennifer Johnson
Department/School
Montessori Early Childhood
Abstract
The purpose of this action research project was to observe the impacts of a revised handwriting curriculum on motivation for handwriting and independent letter formation in a Montessori 3-6 classroom. Participants in the four-week study included eight students aged 3.6 to 5.9 in a private Montessori school located in a small New England college town. The revised curriculum utilized Orton-Gillingham sequencing, plus new handwriting materials and opportunities. Data sources included a daily tally sheet to track handwriting work, daily writing samples, student interviews, and lesson plan/reflection sheets. Data showed that the average daily participation rate for all optional handwriting work was 80% and that age impacted work choice. Handwriting samples showed improvement in independent letter formation. Further research could study the impact of the new letter presentation sequence on the areas of reading and spelling; and explore the use of cursive handwriting materials with this age group.
Recommended Citation
Baldini, Rebecca Junnila. (2020). The Impacts of a Revised Handwriting Curriculum on Independent Letter Formation and Motivation in a Montessori 3-6 Classroom. Retrieved from Sophia, the St. Catherine University repository website: https://sophia.stkate.edu/maed/379