Date of Conferral
1-17-2025
Degree
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)
School
Education
Advisor
John Harrison
Abstract
The problem that was addressed in this study is that the majority of students nationwide demonstrate low writing proficiency and handwriting fluency. The purpose of this study was to explore elementary school teachers’ perspectives regarding handwriting fluency and its role in the overall writing skills of elementary students. This study was grounded in Piaget’s cognitive learning theory. Four research questions focused on teachers’ perspectives; two questions focused on factors that contribute to low achievement in handwriting and writing proficiency and two questions asked teachers about their experiences with the strategies they used to support students in handwriting and writing achievement. For this qualitative descriptive study, 10 semistructured interviews and a focus group with five teachers were conducted. All teachers were public school elementary teachers with at least two years of experience and recruited using the Walden University participant pool and Facebook groups. The data were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis, which identified four themes: (a) the need for administration support for planning and instruction, (b) teachers need time for planning and instructional implementation (c) access to appropriate and effective curriculum, and (d) a focus on student interests and engagement. Through a better understanding of teachers’ perspectives regarding student achievement in handwriting and writing, this study may contribute to positive social change by encouraging school leadership to implement changes that address the identified themes. This could lead to improved student educational outcomes in handwriting and writing which affect a students’ ability to effectively communicate, express learned knowledge, and actively participate in daily life in and out of school.
Recommended Citation
Doyle, Sofia Doyle for Scott, "Elementary School Teachers’ Perspectives Regarding Handwriting Fluency and Writing Proficiency in Elementary Students" (2025). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 17197.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/17197
