Kinesthetic sensitivity as a determinant of writing legibility in students with and without writing difficulties

Pisanje kao veština od čijeg kvaliteta zavisi vaspitno-obrazovni proces učenika, pod uticajem je mnogobrojnih faktora. Kako je kinestetička senzitivnost jedna od determinanti kvaliteta pisanja, cilj ove studije jeste da se utvrdi povezanost kinestetičke senzitivnosti i čitljivosti rukopisa učenika sa i bez teškoća u pisanju. Istraživanje je sprovedeno tokom 2016. godine u osam beogradskih osnovnih škola, na uzorku od 1156 učenika nižih razreda osnovne škole. Kao instrumenti procene korišćeni su Protokol za procenu pisanja (The McMaster Handwriting Assessment Protocol – 2nd edition), Lurija Nebraska neuropsihološka baterija testova (Luria-Nebraska Neuropsychological Battery: Children’s Revision) i posebna metodologija za procenu jačine i konzistentnosti pritiska. Rezultati dobijeni procenom brzine pisanja i čitljivosti napisanog teksta pokazuju da se kod 118 učenika (10,2%) beleže teškoće u pisanju. Kada se posmatra povezanost čitljivosti rukopisa i kompozitnog skora kinestetičke senzitivnosti kod učenika sa teškoćama u pisanju (r = -0,42) i učenika bez teškoća u pisanju (r = -0,47), dolazi se do rezultata da postoji umerena negativna korelacija kod obe grupe učenika. Ukoliko se posmatra korelacija pojedinačnih proba za procenu kinestetičke senzitivnosti i čitljivosti rukopisa, dolazi se do rezultata da se najjača povezanost kod učenika sa teškoćama u pisanju beleži sa hvatom olovke (r = -0,49) i konzistentnosti pritiska (r = -0,39). Najveća razlika u jačini povezanosti kinestetičke senzitivnosti i čitljivosti rukopisa učenika sa i bez teškoća u pisanju beleži se prilikom procene konzistentnosti pritiska, pri čemu se jača povezanost beleži u grupi učenika koji nemaju teškoće u pisanju (r = -0,65). Dobijeni rezultati su veoma značajni za proces prilagođavanja vaspitno-obrazovnog procesa učeniku sa teškoćama u pisanju, kroz mere individualizacije ili individualni obrazovni plan. Učešće defektologa u ovim aktivnostima jeste neophodno zbog toga što su pravovremena detekcija ovih teškoća i njihova stimulacija izuzetno važne, ne samo zbog povezanosti razvoja sposobnosti pisanja sa školskim postignućima, već i sa formiranjem ličnosti učenika kao bio-psiho-socijalne jedinke.Writing, as a skill whose quality depends on the educational process of students, is influenced by many factors. As kinesthetic sensitivity is one of the determinants of the quality of writing, the aim of this study was to determine the correlation of kinesthetic sensitivity and the legibility of writing in students with and without writing difficulties. The survey was conducted in 2016 in eight Belgrade elementary schools, on a sample of 1156 students of lower grades of elementary school. The McMaster Handwriting Assessment Protocol (2nd edition), the Luria Nebraska Neuropsychological Battery (Children’s Revision) and a specific methodology for assessing the strength and consistency of the pressure were used as measuring instruments. The results obtained by assessing the speed of writing and the legibility of the written text show that 118 students (10.2%) had writing difficulty. When one examines the relation between the legibility of writing and the composite score of kinesthetic sensitivity in students with difficulty in writing (r = -0.42) and students without writing difficulty (r = -0.47), the result shows a moderate negative correlation in both groups of students. If we examine the correlation of individual tests for assessing kinesthetic sensitivity and the legibility of the writing task, the result shows that the strongest relation among the students with writing difficulties was recorded with regard to pen grasp (r = -0.49) and pressure consistency (r = -0.39). The greatest difference in the degree of correlation between kinesthetic sensitivity and the readability of students’ handwriting with and without writing difficulty was noted when assessing the consistency of the pressure, while stronger interaction was recorded in the group of students who did not have writing difficulties (r = -0.65). These results are very important for the process of adapting the educational process to students with writing difficulties, through individualization measures or individual educational plan. The participation of special educator in these activities is necessary because timely detection of these difficulties and their stimulation is extremely important, not only because of the connection between the development of writing skills and school achievements, but also for the formation of students’ personalities as a bio-psycho-social entity