Handwriting Performance of Typical Second-Grade Students as Measured by the Evaluation Tool of Children\u27s Handwriting - Manuscript and Teacher Perceptions of Legibility

Background: The purpose of the study was to describe scores achieved by typical second-grade students on the Evaluation Tool of Children’s Handwriting – Manuscript and to compare scores with teacher perceptions. Method: As part of a larger study, the ETCH-M was administered to 74 second-grade students. Teachers scored classroom samples of handwriting assignments using a researcher-developed scale and scores were compared to ETCH-M scores to determine cutoff values for good versus poor handwriting. Results: Mean scores for total word legibility, total letter legibility, and total numeral legibility were 88.82%, 84.30%, and 89.26%, respectively. Cutoff scores below 82% for word legibility and 77% for letter legibility for second-grade students based on teacher perceptions of below average handwriting are cautiously suggested. Research with a larger dataset is needed. Boys scored significantly lower on the ETCH-M and this finding warrants further research. Conclusion: The findings add to the limited body of information about the psychometric properties of the ETCH-M and the normative performance of typical second-grade students

Evaluation of techniques to improve the legibility of bilingual Variable Message Signs

This study evaluated a number of techniques that could be employed to reduce the amount of time drivers spend searching and reading bilingual signs. Using a tachistoscope, monolingual and Welsh bilingual participants were presented with various configurations of bilingual signing. The amount of information was varied (i.e. the number of lines) and a number of language-differentiation techniques were implemented. These techniques attempted to aid the perception and recognition of the relevant language and relied either on manipulating the position of the two languages, or by using demarcation (colour, font etc.). With regards to the amount of information presented, it was found that the reading response time for a single line of relevant text within a two-line bilingual sign was not significantly different to the reading response time for a one-line monolingual sign. Thus, participants were able to extract the relevant language from the bilingual sign with no decrement in performance. However, reading response time for a message of two lines of relevant text in a four-line bilingual was significantly longer than the reading response time for a two-line monolingual sign. Thus the amount of information (even if irrelevant) impacted on their performance. With regards to the positioning techniques, grouping the lines by language resulted in a decreased reading response time compared to when the text was grouped by content. In addition, positioning the user’s dominant language at the top of the sign improved reading times for both one and two-line messages on bilingual signs. All the demarcation techniques were successful in reducing reading times on four-line bilingual signs, and it was found that having established a particular pattern of presentation, an unexpected change significantly increased reading time

Evaluation of Legibility of Reflectorized License Plates

The rainfall simulator at the Utah Water Research Laboratory, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, was utilized in evaluating various types of license plates. This unique facility enables the production of controlled uniform rainfall inside the laboratory. For this experiment, rainfall rates of 0 (dry), 1/2 and 2 per hour were used to compare reflective performance of reflective sheeting (RS), beads-on-paint (BOP), and new paint (NP) license plates under dark nighttime conditions. Both new and used license plates were evaluted. The three types of new plates were made and embossed at the Idaho State Prison using stanard state manufacturing procedures. The used plates were from the current Idaho issue (RS) and from Missouri (BOP). The used plates averaged 1 year exposure for the BOP plates and over 3 years for the RS plates. Reflectance of plates was measured under various wet and dry nighttime conditions using appropriate photometric equipment. Legibility of the plates under these same conditions as well as in daylight-dry conditions was determined by using selected trained human observers. Results of both the photometric and legibility parts of these tests indicate the superiority of RS plates over both the BOP and NP plates

Evaluation of legibility of not properly reflecting signs

in conditions of dew or temperatures below 0 degrees C the reflection of reflecting material on signs can be suboptimal. Problems with respect to legibility under such conditions were studied, as well as subjective ratings of the signed information. Images of the signs were presented using an LCD projector. Independent variables in the experiment were age, amount of information, stimulus quality, and presentation time. Dependent variables were errors in reproduction of the names of the cities, towns or villages on the signs, and subjective ratings. It turned out that all factors both separately and additively affected the amount of errors. Positive subjective ratings coincided mainly with level of reflection, and to a lesser degree with the amount of information, presentation time and familiarity of information. Relevance to industry: Different types of reflecting material have been developed to reflect light from signs optimally. Disadvantage of some of the materials is the effect dew and temperatures below 0 degrees C can have on reflection and legibility. The study has practical consequences in terms of novelty and amount of information to be presented on such a sign. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

A small scale study into the effect that text & background colour has on processing and self-correction rates for childrens’ on-screen reading

Pedagogical practices in formal educational settings together with the nature of communication technologies in the media and elsewhere mean that children will encounter on-screen typography and screen-based learning opportunities in both formal school settings and during their daily recreational pursuits. Internationally, there is a lack of research informing what good reading practice might look like when teachers use reading material in a screen-based environment. More specifically, there is a lack of research around best practices for the design of this material for children. Greater understanding of how the colour of text and the colour of background influences the “readability” of these reading materials is required. This research sets out to determine the readability of text and background colours in on-screen books for young readers through discussion of the literature to date, as well as discussion of a small scale study which includes a rate-of-error experiment as well as qualitative feedback to provide greater knowledge of the most positive reading environments for children