Children learn to write through a combination of experiences, starting with listening and early mark-making.
The Importance of Early Language Exposure
- Listening and Speaking: Children begin to grasp the connection between spoken and written words by listening to conversations.
- Modelling: Adults play a crucial role by demonstrating how to write the words that children say. This process helps children visualize how sounds translate into written symbols.
- For example, if a child says "cat," an adult can model writing "cat" on paper, while saying the word aloud.
- Sound to Symbol Recognition: Seeing words being written while simultaneously hearing them helps children connect sounds (phonemes) to their written forms (graphemes), which is a fundamental step in writing development.
Mark-Making and Confidence Building
- Early Attempts: Scribbles and other forms of early mark-making are essential stages in a child's journey to writing.
- Encouragement: By sharing these early efforts with parents and carers, children gain confidence and self-esteem.
- Positive Reinforcement: Positive interactions related to these attempts are vital. It shows them their efforts are valued, encouraging further engagement with writing.
The Role of Practice and Exploration
- Experimentation: Children also learn to write through experimentation with different writing tools and surfaces. This includes everything from crayons on paper to fingers in sand.
- Gradual Progression: Learning to write is a gradual process, which moves from simple markings to forming letters, words, and eventually sentences.
- Exposure to Print: Continuous exposure to written language—through books, labels, and environmental print—is also critical for a child's literacy development.
Here's a summary in table format:
| Aspect | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Listening and Speaking | Understanding the link between spoken language and written words. | Hearing and saying words aloud. |
| Modelling | Seeing words being written by adults while saying them aloud. | Adult writing the word "ball" while saying "ball". |
| Early Mark-Making | Scribbles, drawings, and other initial attempts at written expression. | Drawing with crayons or fingers. |
| Positive Reinforcement | Encouraging early efforts in writing by displaying and valuing these attempts. | Sharing early drawings with parents and carers. |
| Practice and Exploration | Hands-on experience with different writing tools and surfaces. | Using crayons on paper or fingers in the sand. |
