Copying,Reading,and Writing of Kana and Simple Forms by Japanese Preschoolers

Abstract

42 Japanese preschoolers were administered tasks of copying, reading, and writing of Japanese kana (cursive syllabic letters) and simple forms. Multiple regression analyses were used to determine whether two kana-copying measures, speed and span, make significant contributions to children's reading and writing achievement after a conventional form-quality measure had been controlled. Analysis showed that speed or span accounts uniquely for a significant and sizable amount of the variance of reading and writing, suggesting that kana-copying is a good predictor of reading and writing for Japanese preschoolers.