What Are the Stages of Writing Development?

Introduction to Stages of Writing Development

There are five stages of writing development which are pre-phonemic, early phonemic, strings of random letters, invented/transitional spelling, and conventional writing and spelling. These writing stages progress with time and age as children’s fine motor skills develop. Each stage is briefly discussed here: 

• Pre-phonemic: This stage begins at around 15 months of age and continues through 2 years. It is distinguished by scribbling and drawing as children learn to hold a pen, pencil, or crayon. 
• Early phonemic: In this stage, children begin to notice patterns/figures and then incorporate letter-like forms in their drawings. 
• Strings of random letters: Here, children are beginning to recognize that symbols reflect letters in the alphabet. They do not typically know what the letters mean but they can string together letters signifying “words.” They’re also improving their motor skills. 
• Invented/Transitional spelling: In this stage, children give their best attempt at spelling words, learning phonics, and sounding out words. 
• Conventional writing and spelling: This is the last stage of writing development when children are able to spell and write words correctly. 

Beginning Stage: Scribbling/Drawing

The scribbling and drawing characteristics of the beginning stage, or pre-phonemic stage, are significant because they indicate  fine motor skills are developing appropriately. Activities such as drawing, coloring, molding playdough, and playing with toys additionally help develop fine motor skills. 

As noted in Voyager Sopris Learning’s blog article, The Power of Pen: Placing Writing at the Heart of Literacy Instruction, “writing empowers our students to do more than consume, but to explore, express, and excel in ways that build on and strengthen a focus on reading.” Encouraging children to write can begin as early as the pre-phonemic stage. While children in this stage are not writing cohesive letters or words, they are still absorbing information. 

Teachers can work with children by asking them to repeat things such as the colors of the pens they are drawing or writing with. The acts of scribbling and drawing are their own forms of writing and create a connection in the brain, allowing children to process information while they write.

Progression: Letter-Like Forms and Shapes 

As children continue to grow, so do their fine motor and cognitive skills. At this stage, children are beginning to incorporate letter-like forms and shapes into their drawings. They are just beginning to understand that sounds are attached to letters and also learning to “copy” those letters for letter formation. This evolves seamlessly from the scribbling stage as they gain more control of their writing tools.

To determine if a child is in this stage, teachers can observe a child’s work to look for signs. For example, the child could have drawn a snowman on paper and then written letters above the drawing, which to the child mean something, even if the letters look like gibberish to the adult.

Advanced Stage: Letters and Spaces

As students progress from making letter-like forms and shapes, they steadily begin making legitimate letters and using spaces in their writing. Advancement from one stage to the next in this case is very direct and teachers can expect to see their students writing and drawing letters. Students can build on this by tracing and writing new words or letters on a piece of paper, in kinetic sand, in shaving cream, or in several other creative ways.

Moving Forward: Conventional Writing and Spelling

At this stage, children are beginning to spell and write most words correctly with heavy reliance on phonics knowledge. They enjoy creating signs (e.g. signs for their bedroom doors) and writing letters to their friends and family. They are also learning to use storybook language such as “once upon a time” or “in a land far, far away” because they are experiencing that type of language often. They use their imaginations and connect words to people, places, and things. Children in this stage also demonstrate more legible handwriting as their motor skills improve and become more refined. 

Teachers can support students in this stage by encouraging them to write and tell stories. They can celebrate the small and large “wins” with their students by displaying their work in the halls and noting their progress with others. 

Beyond the Classroom: How To Support Stages of Writing Development

When it comes to developing writing skills, practice and consistency make progress. Consistency should be encouraged both in and out of the classroom. Strategies for consistency across the stages of writing development include: 

• Pre-phonemic: Encourage the development of fine motor skills through coloring books, molding playdough, finger painting, using magnetic letters, and playing with toys such as stackable blocks and balls. 
• Early phonemic: Children in this stage can practice rhymes, sound sorting activities, and clapping exercises. This can also be implemented at home with word cards, educational gaming toys, and computer apps. 
• Strings of random letters: At this stage, writing development can be encouraged with activities such as:
• Message cards: Write a message on a small card and emphasize that their message can be understood even if the letters don’t form real words. 
• Name tracing: Write out the child’s name on a piece of paper in pencil and have them trace their name with a marker over the top.
• Story starters: Encourage children to use their imagination after being given a prompt. 
• Invented/Transitional spelling: Creativity and confidence are the main objectives in this stage. To support their students, teachers can set up “writing centers” in their classrooms with various types of paper and writing tools. These writing centers can also include prompts with open-ended questions, various writing activities, sentence-building games, and word walls. 
• Conventional writing and spelling: Children in this stage are aware of the basic rules of spelling and writing and can move forward with more challenging activities. These activities should teach them to make connections between words and their meanings. 

Tools for Boosting Stages of Writing Development

Voyager Sopris Learning^® offers writing solutions for all grade levels, K–12, including Step Up to Writing^®, a solution with multisensory writing strategies that develop students’ abilities to create meaningful compositions. It is designed to meet students where they are at in their learning and accelerate their writing abilities to meet and surpass grade-level standards. 

Conclusion 

The stages of writing development reach across the life span, beginning at 15 months of age and progressing into adulthood. Each stage—pre-phonemic, early phonemic, strings of random letters, invented/transitional spelling, and conventional writing and spelling—is best supported through interactive and engaging activities that focus on creativity and connecting meaning with letters and words. Voyager Sopris Learning offers many reading and writing solutions to support students through all stages of writing development.