The early stages of writing in children

The stages of children's writing configure a process of development, in which you will have to support your child as he progresses in this learning.

During this period, parents and teachers have an important role, as they will be responsible for facilitating the learning of writing to children. His teaching begins around 3 years, although from the first year your child will make his first scribbles.

Credit

Approximately 5 years old will learn to identify letters and to trace. While at 6 years and will write syllables. With 7 years of age, the child will begin to write more fluently various types of text, both inside and outside the classroom.

A constant learning

You must bear in mind that this is a constant learning and that, in addition, not all children learn to write at the same age.

For children, writing is a valuable tool that will allow them to express themselves and communicate. Their learning depends as much on the development of fine motor skills as on gross motor skills.

In this period, your child will learn to hold the pencil, to adopt a correct position, in addition to controlling the muscles of the wrist and fingers.

The stages of children's writing.

With practice, the child can control the force that has with the pencil, specify the direction of the lines and chain the movements. With more time, the child will make sure that the letters he draws are legible and coherent.

Another fact to keep in mind is that around 85% of children use their right hand to write. Normally, they choose their preference between 3 and 6 years.

Also, it is possible that during those 3 years they use both hands. In most cases, they will decant from 6 years of age.

These are the stages of children's writing that your child will go through:

1.Doodles

Scribbles are a random variety of marks on paper. The first brands that your child will make will be large, circular and random. In this initial stage, the squiggles will be significant, since you will use them to show ideas.

Credit

2.Symbols and numbers

In the second of the stages of children's writing, the child will begin to make his first symbols and write his first numbers.

3.Chains of letters

Once the previous phase is over, your child will begin to write some sequences of readable letters. The child will develop awareness of the sound-to-symbol relationship, although, normally, they will not coincide with most sounds.

It is usual that, in this third stage, the child write in capital letters and that he does not use spacing.

4.Difference of sounds

In the next phase, your child will begin to appreciate the differences between a letter and a word. Your message will make sense and match the images, especially when he is in charge of choosing the theme. In spite of everything, it will not use, still, the spacing between the words.

Credit

5.Spacing and punctuation

The child will begin to leave spaces between his words and will often combine uppercase and lowercase letters in his writings. It will start, in addition, with the use of punctuation marks. Generally, he will write sentences in order to express his ideas.

6.Initial, middle and final sounds

Your son, in this sixth phase, will be able to correctly spell some sight words, such as the names of family members or household objects .

The child will begin to differentiate the sounds in words, and his writing will be quite legible.

7.Transitional phase

In this phase of transition the writing will be legible and will be assimilated to conventional spelling. Your child will already interject words and assimilate the standard letter patterns.

8.Standard spelling

In the last stage of children's writing, the child will be able to spell most of the words correctly and develop the understanding of words and contractions.

Finally, it is necessary to bear in mind that learning to write is a process that gradually flows, in which all stages are connected.

While you give your child time to explore and experiment with writing, you will begin to see evidence of their growth.