Curriculum-based Measurement for Early Writing Struggles in Kindergarten: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Early detection and intervention play a crucial role in the prognosis of children with specific learning disabilities. Due to the complexity of the writing process and its persistence into adulthood, tools for early detection are essential. Curriculum-based measures (CBMs) are quick, reliable, and evidence-based tools used for early assessments. This systematic review aims to summarize the technical features of CBM in writing for kindergarten students following the PRISMA guidelines. A total of 311 articles from PsycINFO, SCOPUS, ERIC, and WOS were examined, and five studies met the inclusion criteria. Production measures and transcription skills were the most studied. The reviewed tasks demonstrated criterion validity, reliability, sensitivity to the timing of assessment, or diagnostic accuracy in at least one of their measures, with a greater presence of the dependent production measures. The findings emphasize the scarcity of evidence-based tools for identifying early writing difficulty, underscoring the need for rigorous research in early childhood education.

Keywords

• curriculum-based measurement
• kindergarten
• writing
• systematic review