These neurons, which were originally discovered in the monkey ventral premotor cortex (DiPellegrino et al., Citation1992 Gallese et al., Citation1996 Rizzolatti et al., Citation1996) and then reported in the inferior parietal cortex (Fogassi, Lupino, Citation2005 Rozzi et al., Citation2008) are activated when a monkey executes a goal-directed motor act and when it observes another individual, either a monkey or human, performing the same or a very similar motor act. The discovery of mirror neurons has recently provided a neuroscientific explanation for imitative behavior. Intentional imitation only occurs after the eighth month. This type of imitation lasts for a few months, which is the time necessary to reinforce bonding. Neonatal imitation, which does not involve conscious understanding, is a mirroring behavior, whose purpose is most likely to strengthen the attachment between the newborn and the caregiver. Meltzoff and Moore ( Citation1977 Citation1983 Citation1997) observed that newborns imitate some communicative facial expressions performed by adults, even within the first hours of life. Studies on neonatal imitation have suggested that imitation is an innate mechanism. From birth, learning and maturation act reciprocally (Vygotskij, Citation1978), and according to Vygotskij, imitation constitutes intelligent behavior (Vygotskij, Citation1960). By acting and behaving in a particular way and providing instructions on how to act, the adult individual stimulates the child to imitate and thereby develop new skills. The most important aspect of this capacity is imitation learning (Del Giudice et al., Citation2009), which involves transforming a new observed action in an executed action identical or similar to the observed one (Buccino et al., Citation2004).Īccording to Vygotskij ( Citation1960), imitation plays a central role in learning and development. Imitation is the capacity to reproduce novel movements performed by others and is fundamental for cognition and development (Subiaul et al., Citation2016). Each child has therefore reached an adequate level of writing, suggesting the effectiveness of the proposed intervention. Furthermore, the imitation also involved ergonomic and biomechanical aspects relevant to improving imitative writing after observing the model. Our results suggest that handwriting imitation training produced a significant qualitative change in the children’s writing, likely due to exercises that stimulated fine motor imitation. Before and after the training, we evaluated the degree of handwriting impairment using the Concise Evaluation Scale for Children’s Handwriting (BHK). The training lasted for five months, and was undertaken three times a week, for a total number of 60 sessions for each child. This study evaluates the effects of imitation training of handwriting in five children with handwriting difficulties aged 8 to 10 years. However, no studies have verified whether imitation of graphic gestures by exploiting the properties of the MNS could improve handwriting. Some researchers hypothesized a possible correlation between a low functioning mirror neuron system (MNS) and developmental coordination disorder, including dysgraphic deficit. It is based on the mirror neuron mechanism and underlies our understanding of actions and the gestures of others. Imitation is a crucial process for learning and brain development.
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