The Knowing-Doing Divide in Early Writing Instruction for Preschool Children in Low-Resource Settings

Abstract

The effectiveness of early writing instruction is frequently compromised by a "knowing-doing divide"—the persistent gap between teachers' understanding of developmentally appropriate practices and their classroom implementation. This study critically examines this divide within low-resource preschool settings in Bangladesh, utilizing the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and Sociocultural Theory to analyze the factors influencing teacher instruction. A mixed-methods questionnaire was employed to quantify and describe preschool teachers' beliefs (RQ1), measure their self-reported instructional practices (RQ2), and identify the systemic constraints (Perceived Behavioral Control/RQ3) hindering the adoption of evidence-based methods. The research is expected to demonstrate a significant discrepancy between teachers' positive beliefs regarding composing and invented spelling and their high frequency of low-level practices, primarily focusing on handwriting drills. Analysis of the barriers will highlight resource deficits, large class sizes, and inadequate training as key drivers of the implementation gap. These findings underscore that simply enhancing knowledge is insufficient; meaningful change requires focused interventions that alleviate material and contextual barriers, thereby increasing teachers’ perceived control over their pedagogical decisions in resource-scarce environments.