ROLE OF MECHANICS IN COMPOSING OF ELEMENTARY-SCHOOL STUDENTS - A NEW METHODOLOGICAL APPROACH

Citation
S. Graham et al., ROLE OF MECHANICS IN COMPOSING OF ELEMENTARY-SCHOOL STUDENTS - A NEW METHODOLOGICAL APPROACH, Journal of educational psychology, 89(1), 1997, pp. 170-182
Citations number
45
Categorie Soggetti
Psychology, Educational
ISSN journal
00220663
Volume
89
Issue
1
Year of publication
1997
Pages
170 - 182
Database
ISI
SICI code
0022-0663(1997)89:1<170:ROMICO>2.0.ZU;2-R
Abstract
The authors used multiple-group structural equation modeling to analyz e structural relationships between latent factors underlying separate measures of handwriting, spelling, and composing in Grades 1-6. For co mpositional fluency, the paths from both handwriting and spelling were significant in the primary grades, but only the path from handwriting was significant in the intermediate grades. For compositional quality , only the path from handwriting was significant at the primary and in termediate grades. The contribution of spelling to compositional quali ty was indirect through its correlation with handwriting, Handwriting and spelling accounted for a sizable proportion of the variance in com positional fluency (41% to 66%) and compositional quality (25% to 42%) . These findings show that the mechanical skills of writing may exert constraints on amount and quality of composing. Theoretical and educat ional implications of the findings are discussed.