Writing Development in Young Children

Learning how to write is a process that consists of multiple stages of development. In an article titled, "Let Me Tell You a Secret: Kindergartners Can Write!", one teacher uses the Gentry Writing Development Scale. This scale contains a series of five progressive stages: non-alphabetic (markings and scribbles), pre-alphabetic (letters without meaning), partial alphabetic (letters begin to represent sounds), full alphabetic (letter for every sound), and consolidated alphabetic (2/3 of words spelled correctly). It is important to be familiar with these stages and their progression in order to not only assess students' writing development but also to predict "the type and timing of instruction for literacy development" (Gentry). Both families and educators can effectively support writing development in young children by understanding the process and using strategies that help to scaffold learning about writing.

In the same article, the teacher incorporates writing lessons into the classroom to model and scaffold writing development. These lessons begin with a read aloud, followed by modeling and teaching how to write a response to text, and end with the students creating personal responses to the text that they will share with the class. When the students are writing their independent responses, they are divided into same ability groups and the teacher is available for assistance. The teacher assesses the students based on observational notes and a Writing Development Stage Recording Sheet. The structure of these lessons is advantageous for a few reasons. The article states, "Rosenblatt's theory (2005) on reader response suggests that student motivation is increased when teachers elicit a personal response from students."  Another advantage of the structure is that by grouping the students based on writing ability, the teacher is able to scaffold their writing in a way that is specific to the particular need of each individual student. The assessment in this structure is also beneficial because both components provide the teacher with a well-rounded picture of each student's writing development.

By understanding the stages of writing development and incorporating some of these strategies at home, families can support and extend their child's learning of writing outside of the classroom. This is yet another way to bridge the gap between home and school and effectively support children within the many contexts in which they live.

Additional resources:

Kindergartner Writing Milestones and Tips
http://www.pbs.org/parents/education/reading-language/reading-milestones/kindergartner-language-development-milestones/kindergartner-writing/