Overview of Writing Development Continuum

1: Role-Play Writing

Children are beginning to come to terms with a new aspect of language-written symbols.  They experiment with marks on paper with the intention of emulating adult writing.

1a) Scribble Writing (Manuscript)                            1c) Random Letters                        

1b)Scribble Writing (Cursive)                                1d) Copies Random Print

2: Experimental Writing

Children are aware that speech can be written down and that written messages remain constant.  They understand the organization of print and experiment with written letters and words.

2a) Initial Consonant Sounds:                        2d) Short Vowels added to Consonant:   

H        W       R (He was running)                 H        WUZ    RUNIG (He was running)

2b) Initial and Final Consonant Sounds:             2e) Long Vowels added to Consonant:    

H        WZ      RG (He was running)               HE      WUZ    RUNIG (He was running)

2c) Initial, Final and Medial Consonant:             2f) Transitional Writing

H        WZ      RNG (He was running)             (Primary language to Second language)

3: Early Writing

Children Write Topics which are personally significant.  They are beginning to consider audience and purpose.  They have a sense of sentence but may only deal with one or two elements at a time.

3a) Familiar Text Forms                                    3e) Experimentation with Words Drawn 

3b) Personal, Significant Topics                               from a Variety of Language Experiences

3c) Basic Sentence Structures; Varies                      3f) Attempts of Editing, Punctuation,

Sentence Beginnings                                            Revision

3d) Beginning Understanding of Purpose and Audience