High Five skill # 5, early writing, doesn’t begin when children can hold writing/drawing instruments. It begins in infancy as we work to develop the precursory skills children need to engage in writing activities. Writing engages the brain in unique ways that support memory and meaning making that can’t be duplicated by using technology. Research also connects the development of writing skills with the development of reading skills ( 2010, Carnegie Corporation). Let’s explore some strategies that foster writing skills during early childhood.
1. Develop Fine Motor Skills:
Fine motor skills are essential for writing. Provide activities that develop fine motor muscles, such as manipulating playdough, threading beads, and building blocks. These activities help children develop the dexterity needed to hold writing tools later on.
2. Increase Eye-Hand Coordination
Hand-eye coordination is needed for children to write effectively. Some ways you can develop their eye-hand coordination include supporting them to grasp objects, roll/toss and catch a ball, build blocks, assemble puzzles, manipulate bead mazes, and hammer pounding benches.
3. Introduce Scribbling and Drawing:
Scribbling is the earliest form of writing. You can support this practice by providing a variety of drawing instruments such as crayons, markers, and pencils and encouraging children to experiment with making marks on paper as they express their creativity and start to understand the concept of creating pictures through movements. For very young children, you may want to cover an entire table surface with secured (e.g., taped) blank paper so that they can make larger arm movements as needed without worrying about marks getting on the tabletop.
4. Promote Language Development:
Language skills are the basis of writing. Engaging children in conversations, reading to them regularly, encouraging them to describe their thoughts and experiences, expanding their vocabulary and language understanding supports their ability to express themselves through writing. See this previous blog post for more information on developing oral language skills: https://blogs.iu.edu/earlyliteracy/2023/09/29/uttering-babbling-and-talking-its-all-oral-language/
5. Offer Letter Recognition Activities:
Introduce letters in fun and interactive ways such as magnetic and felt letters, alphabet books, puzzles and making associations
between letters, their sounds, and their written forms. See this previous blog post about building children’s alphabet knowledge: https://blogs.iu.edu/earlyliteracy/2023/09/15/does-alphabet-soup-really-develop-alphabet-knowledge/
6. Incorporate Sensory Experiences:
Sensory experiences consist of various textures, materials, and mediums. Exploring finger paint, shaving cream, sand, molding dough, etc. enhance children’s tactile perception and understanding of shapes and patterns.
7. Encourage Storytelling:
Foster creativity and imagination by encouraging your child to tell stories. They can dictate a story while you write it down, or they can draw pictures to illustrate their tale. This helps them understand the structure of a story and the connection between spoken and written language.
8. Provide a Print-Rich Environment:
Surround children with written print materials like books, magazines, labels, and posters and refer to environmental print during daily routines and activities. See this previous blog post about developing children’s concepts of print: https://blogs.iu.edu/earlyliteracy/2023/09/22/concepts-of-print-more-than-fun-and-games/
Developing writing skills in young children with disabilities involves understanding each child’s specific needs, strengths, and preferences. Incorporating assistive technologies and adaptive tools, such as specialized pens or speech-to-text software, can meet individual physical or sensory needs, thus providing equitable writing opportunities so that all children can engage with the writing process. Likewise, be sure to offer multisensory writing experiences and alternative mediums like braille or tactile materials as needed to enhance children’s understanding and appreciation of written language. Supporting all emerging writers requires an inclusive and supportive environment that focuses on each child’s abilities and encourages their unique writing expressions.
Above all, remember that each child develops at their own pace, so be patient and supportive of their individual writing journey. Celebrate their progress, no matter how small, to boost their confidence and enthusiasm for writing. And finally, create a positive and enjoyable learning environment, where writing is seen as a joyful and exciting activity.
Check out this link for more information about early writing development, https://viva.pressbooks.pub/earlychildhoodliteracy/chapter/__unknown__-8/.
Lynne Hall, Research Associate, holds a Master of Science in Education and an Indiana instructional teaching license (Early Childhood Education and Services; Elementary/Primary Generalist; Elementary/Intermediate Generalist). She formerly taught preschool in a variety of settings for over 15 years. Her expertise includes early literacy instruction, equity in early childhood education, and inclusive classroom practices.
Email her at hallma@iu.edu
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