Teaching cursive handwriting: A contribution to the acceptability study of using digital tablets in French classrooms

The process of teaching and learning handwriting is complex and laborious. A digital learning environment in the form of a tablet app could enhance teachers' knowledge of writer characteristics and their management of classroom diversity. This study aims to identify the needs of cursive writing teachers from a survey of 164 kindergarten teachers in France teaching writing skills for children aged 5 to 6 years. The results provide insights into teacher needs and, therefore, can be used to identify the acceptability criteria of a tool designed to scaffold the teaching of writing gestures. The results of needs analyses have been interpreted in the light of new scientific findings on reading and writing skills, and there is a discussion on the potential of such a digital learning environment for the classroom, particularly during the training and skills assessment phases. Questionnaire answers show that the teachers interviewed rarely use digital tools in the classroom and this prompts reflection on the value and meaning that preschool children give to the digital trace.