Learning+to+Write

=__Learning to Write__=

Children's writing appears in many stages before their written handwork can be compared to a letter or what is classified as normal writing. When children begin writing they often scribble letters of words, and instead of the writing resembling letters it in fact tends too resemble shapes. (Image from Hill, 2006, page 283)

In **early-emergent writing** the child usually links the letters in the word with a picture. The prominent sounds the child makes may be the letters that are more commonly used. In this image below the child has drawn a picture of an Echidna and linked it with the word E an K, they are the prominent sounding letters in the word. (Image from Hill, 2006, p. 284)

**Emergent writing** is the stage in which children begin to write things that resemble the shape of letters. Although the child is beginning to write the letters properly, he/she may still find it hard to bring a sentence together. In this stage children may also use "positive space is what you put in, negative what you leave out"( Hill, 2006, pg. 282). They finds it hard to figure where the spaces go, and may also add punctuation such as full stops, commas etc. where there are supposed to be spaces between. (Image from Hill, 2006, page.284)

**Early writing** stage consists of more fluency. In this stage the children develop skills in placing letters where they are supposed to go, eg. having positive and negative space in the proper areas. In this stage children tend to create words by sounding it out, "...a letter may represent a syllable such as in Bcos". (Hill, 2006, page 284). Children's handwriting develops into more clear understanding.

**Transitional writing** -"quantity not quality"(Hill, 2006, pg. 285) refers to the children in this stage writing more sentences and more words. However they still tend to repeat themselves as in the earlier stages, yet their punctuation becomes greater developed.

**Extending writing** is the last stage. This stage is almost complete. Not only do the children's handwriting become neat and tidy but too do their punctuation, grammar and sentence structure become developed. The positive and negative space is in the right place and are able to create a large quantity with quality. Not only can the children write a story, but different approaches in language such as a report or speeches etc.