Handwriting development in grade 2 and grade 3 primary school children with normal, at risk, or dysgraphic characteristics.
Most second graders labeled dysgraphic outgrow the problem by third grade, so pause before recommending long-term therapy.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Overvelde et al. (2011) tracked handwriting every week in second and third grade classrooms. They watched how many kids got the dysgraphia label and whether the label stuck.
The team tested all pupils, not just the ones already in therapy. They wanted to see if poor handwriting in grade 2 always meant trouble later.
What they found
Dysgraphia numbers dropped fast. Thirty-seven percent of second graders looked dysgraphic, but only six percent still did in third grade.
Kids who started with average writing stayed steady. Most early poor writers caught up without any special help.
How this fits with other research
Chang et al. (2014) ran a six-week computer handwriting program and saw big gains. Their results line up: many "dysgraphic" kids respond quickly once they get the right practice.
Howe et al. (2017) built a quick computer test that spots visual-motor gaps. You could use their tool to double-check which kids truly need help before starting therapy.
Ratzon et al. (2009) showed that short visual-motor sessions work no matter who delivers them. Their study reminds us that dose and timing matter more than the therapist's title.
Why it matters
Before you write "dysgraphia" on a report, wait and measure again. Most second graders who look shaky will look fine next year. Use that extra time to try brief computer practice or visual-motor warm-ups first. You save therapy slots for the few kids who still struggle in third grade.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
The wide variation in prevalence of dysgraphic handwriting (5-33%) is of clinical importance, because poor handwriting has been identified as one of the most common reasons for referring school-age children to occupational therapy or physiotherapy, and is included as an criterion for the diagnosis of Developmental Coordination Disorder. This study aimed to map the development and improvement in handwriting during the early grades to differentiate between temporary and consistent dysgraphic handwriting. In this longitudinal and cross-sectional study, children in grade 2 (age 7-8 years, n=169) and grade 3 (8-9 years, n=70) took handwriting (Concise Assessment Method for Children's Handwriting; acronym BHK) and visuomotor integration (BeeryVMI) screening tests twice within one school year. Dysgraphia decreased strongly from 37% to 17% in grade 2 and diminished further to a low and stable rate of 6% in grade 3. Stability in handwriting quality only occurred in the children whose scores were within the normal range. The at risk and dysgraphic children continued to show significant and substantial improvement during grades 2 and 3. BeeryVMI was inappropriate as a screening instrument for handwriting problems. It was concluded that handwriting must be consistently dysgraphic before making any decisions about a diagnosis of dysgraphia or referral for therapy.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2011 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2010.12.027