Assessment Tools for

Early WritingReported by: Karla GaerlanAugust 10, 2013

Early Attempts at Writing: • Scribbles,

Lines & Drawings

1 ½ years old:• Fine motor skills starts to

improve steadily• Physical readiness in his grab

and hold of a crayon • Some scribble vigorously• Others start cautiously—

• they'll drag a crayon around on paper, doodling carelessly

1 ½ years old:• Children develop

at different rates• Around 16

months: scribbling pro

• Own gallery of drawings for the refrigerator

Almost 2 years old:• apparent shapes, though does not yet form

letters and numbers • difficulty in holding and writing crayons or

pencils in forming such figures• fascinated by anything he/she can draw

with crayons, pens, and colored pencils

Almost 2 years old:• the prime time for crayon scribbles on the

wall. Furthermore• starting to spend longer on each individual

drawing • covering more of the paper rather than

making a single swirl

• scribbles to true art• more interested in coloring and painting• adding colors and trying to represent

real objects and things

2- 2 ½ years old:

2 ½- 3 years old:• hold a thick pencil or crayon

solidly in a writing position

• According to Nina Lief, a child development expert and co-author of The First Three Years of Life• children this age are

usually able to master the up-and-down movement required to make a "V," which is a little trickier and requires more skill than making a straight line

• language into his drawings• larger scribbles are figures• chicken scratches are attempts at letters

or words• start signing his pictures

2- 2 ½ years old:

• circular strokes• Some will able to write a few letters

or marks • Some will start to write their first

name or a few letters of it

2 ½- 3 years old:

• more skilled at using crayons and pencils • more elaborate and accurate drawings• horizontal lines, copy a circle and a square,

and draw people • before entering kindergarten, most children

would already start and know how to write their first name

Pre-schooler (4-5 y/o)

Early Writing:• requires knowledge of the ff:• Alphabet Recognition• Spelling skills and reading

comprehension• Teachers must assess their

students' writing skills at designated intervals throughout the year to ensure that progress is being made

Early Writing:• Alphabet Recognition:• For beginners: alphabet

recognition with students three to four times a year by showing either an uppercase or lowercase letter

• The student must tell the teacher what letter it is

• provide the sound of the letter

Early Writing:• Spelling Tests:• administered throughout the

year: both reading and writing skills

• Teachers should only ask words that the students are expected to have learned prior to the exam.

Early Writing:• A spelling exam is generally

not advised for kindergarten • at least 15 words per test are

suggested for first graders Second and third graders can show mastery of up to 25 words per exam

• spelling bee in class, asking student to spell words out loud

Early Writing:• Children who are still not capable in

writing should not be easily judged• Parents or teachers should not feel

pressured to push a child in learning how to write

• a developmental skill that does not have a formal timetable A toddler can take his/her time and still be developmentally on track

Early Writing:• However, children who still exhibit

problems in writing by the time in which they should be actually starting to demonstrate writing skills should not be ignored

• should be given an intervention so that the child could catch up with his class