INTEGRATING LOW-LEVEL AND HIGH-LEVEL SKILLS IN INSTRUCTIONAL PROTOCOLS FOR WRITING DISABILITIES

Twenty-four children with writing problems were given instruction in h andwriting automaticity, spelling strategies, and the composing proces s (plan, write, review, revise) in 14 one-hour individual tutorials du ring the summer between third and fourth grade. Half the children (8 b oys, 4 girls) received extra practice in composing, while half the chi ldren (8 boys, 4 girls) received special training in orthographic and phonological coding. Hierarchical linear modeling of growth curves was used to compare the treatment groups to a non-contact control group ( 10 boys, 5 girls) on a standard battery at pretest, midtest, posttest, and the two treatment groups with each other on probe measures of han dwriting, spelling, and composition in each tutorial session, The trea tment groups improved at a faster rate than the control group on some measures of handwriting, spelling, and composition (fluency and qualit y) in the standard battery, but Verbal IQ did not predict rate of impr ovement. Differences were found between the two treatment groups in so me probe measures of writing and a motivation variable (work avoidance ). Repeated-measures ANOVA was used to compare treatment groups to a n on-contact control group at pretest, midtest, posttest, and follow-up. Differences between the treatment and control groups favoring the tre atment groups were maintained at 6-month follow-up on some handwriting , spelling, and composition (quality) measures. Individual differences were found in learner characteristics prior to treatment and in respo nse to the same treatment. The importance of affect and motivation as well as cognitive variables is emphasized.