Learning+to+Write

__Learning to write__ **     In the beginning stages of writing children discover their spoken language is vastly more developed than their writing skills (Hill 2006). Through their reading development, they also have an understanding that print is meaningful, used to convey messages, ideas, instructions and thoughts (Reading Rockets First Year Teacher Program 2004). As children build their skills in the early development of writing, there are 4 stages where they discover how to write. These include; •The sign principle •The flexibility principle •The linear principle •Spaces between words (Hill 2006, p281-282) Once they have mastered these ideas, children’s writing will then develop through stages, from scribble-like lines, to writing which resembles an adult’s (Hill 2006). Each stage entails development of different aspects in the writing process, however, a child’s development may not be sequential (Hill 2006). Stages include: ** Beginning writing ** - Use of drawings to communicate meaning - Large circle shapes, scribble-like lines, some individual symbols of number or letter shapes ** Early-emergent writing ** - Demonstrate writing left to right - Separate pictures and letters and understand they show meaning - Can produce a letter or symbol that represents a word ** Emergent writing ** - Spaces are present between letters/words - Begin to form letters which represent sounds in words - Sometimes letters are repeated, as the child improves how the letter is written ** Early writing ** - Spacing between words is constant - Use of capital and lower case letters - Understand different genres - Create spelling of words ** Transitional writing ** - Volume of writing increases - Repeat phrases and sentences - Punctuation developed ** Extending writing ** - Punctuation evident and spelling correct for the majority of the text. - Children understand genres require different audience’s, and write the text accordingly (Hill 2006, p283-286) As children learn to write, it’s important to note that reading greatly influences this development, and that both processes (reading and writing) seem to bounce off each other (Hill 2006). Children are able to adapt methods they learn in their reading and apply them to their writing process. As children build up their skills and progress through the stages of writing, it’s important they’re exposed to ‘The Writing Process’ and familiarized with the different stages (Reading Rockets First Year Teacher Program 2004). •Brainstorming: //generate ideas for writing// •Rough Draft: //write preliminary ideas on paper// •Reread: //students read to see if it makes sense// •Revise: //improve the story, delete any unnecessary sentences// •Editing: //check for spelling, ensure the work is free from errors// •Final Draft: //produce final draft// •Publishing: //decorate, share final piece// (Reading Rockets First Year Teacher Program 2004) 
 * The Writing Process  **