Florida Institute of Education

University of North Florida

12000 Alumni Drive

Jacksonville, Florida 32224-2678

(904) 620-2496

www.unf.edu/dept/fie/ellm

Characteristicsof Children’sWriting:

For Families

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AuthorBrian Kissel

Senior EditorsDr. Janice Wood

Dr. Bronwyn McLemoreDr. Rebecca England

Consulting EditorsDr. Janice WoodVicki Winslow

Graphic AssistantsSandra GuerreroByron Spates

University of North Florida12000 Alumni Drive

Jacksonville, Florida 32224(904) 620-2496

www.unf.edu/dept/fie/ellm

© Copyright 2005Early Literacy and Learning ModelFlorida Institute of Education

Reproduction of this material for resale or distribution is prohibited.

Helpful Hints:

When writing with your child:

• When you are writing, point out the use of capital letters at the beginning ofsentences and other proper nouns. Discuss with your child the correct use ofpunctuation marks at the end of each sentence.

• While you are writing, show your child how to use print in the environment to find thecorrect spelling of words.

• Call out words with unusual spellings for your child to write to give him/her practicespelling new words.

When reading with your child:

• Expose your child to a variety of different texts to see examples of differentpurposes for writing.

When working on letters with your child:

• Explore word families with your child so he/she can learn to spell new words basedon words he/she already knows.

When working on sounds with your child:

• Have your child practice separating sounds in words so he/she can learn to spellwords that he/she can say.

17 2This guide contains samples of children’s writing from several ELLM classrooms.

Use this guide to help you:

• Recognize that children display many characteristics of writing as they develop as writers.

• Identify writing characteristics of your child.

• Select strategies to help your child develop as a writer.

How to use this guide:

• Get a sample of your child’s writing.

• Choose the picture that best matches the writing of your child.

• Read and use the suggestions in the guide.

Characteristics of Children’s Writing

Description of the Writing Process:

• This child wrote several sentences about a trip to the beach.

Characteristics of Conventional Writing that uses Inventive Spelling:

• Although there are some spelling errors, this child is continuing to work towardsstandard spelling. This will continue to develop throughout the elementary school years.

• The writing is “conventional” because it includes appropriate uppercase letters, usescorrect punctuation (for the most part), and has a theme throughout the written text.

• The writing is also easily readable by the reader.

Conventional Writingthat uses Inventive Spelling

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Features of Children’s WritingsCharacteristics of Children’s Writing

Drawing for Writing RANDOM LETTERS for WritingLETTER-LIKE FORMATIONS for WritingScribbling for Writing

CONVENTIONAL WRITING that uses INVENTIVE SPELLINGWriting with Beginning, Middle, and EndingBeginning Sounds for Writing

Florida Institute of Education at the University of North Florida, 2005

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• Demonstrate how to use knowledge of certain words to help with the formation ofother words. For example, knowing how to spell the word day can help a writer spellthe word say.

When reading with your child:

• When reading a story, suggest to your child that he/she writes about one of thecharacters or events in the story. Tell your child to look at the book to learn how tospell each word.

When working on letters with your child:

• Make available manipulative letters needed to form certain sight words. Mix theletters together and challenge your child to unscramble the letters to form theword. Point out to him/her how he/she uses the same skill when writing words.

When working on sounds with your child:

• Encourage your child to name words that end with the same sound as a word thatyou name. When he/she can do this easily, encourage him/her to name words withthe same middle sound.

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Features of Children’s WritingsCharacteristics of Children’s Writing

DRAWING for Writing Random Letters for WritingLetter-Like Formations for WritingSCRIBBLING for Writing

Conventional Writing that uses Inventive SpellingWriting with BEGINNING, MIDDLE, and Ending SoundsBEGINNING SOUNDS for Writing

Florida Institute of Education at the University of North Florida, 2005

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Description of the Writing Process:

• This child began by writing her sentence, and then drawing the picture to match.

• This child decided to write about a food that she likes to eat.

• Her writing says, “I love spaghetti.”

Characteristics of the Writing with Beginning, Middle, and Ending Sounds:

• It is clear that this child understands that words consist of beginning, middle, andending sounds.

• Even though the words are not quite written “conventionally” using correct spellingand ending punctuation, the child is developing an awareness of the spelling of theword, and writing it as conventionally as possible.

• For this child, the message is contained through the text and is supported by theillustration.

Helpful Hints:

When writing with your child:

• While writing, encourage your child to suggest the beginning, middle, and endingsounds of words that you are writing. Then fill in the letters that your child does nothear.

• Encourage your child to continue drawing pictures to go with his/her writing. Thedetails in the pictures will often encourage your child to write more text.

• Model using print in your environment to find correct spelling of words to use whenwriting.

Writing with Beginning, Middle, andEnding Sounds

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Description of the Writing Process:

• The child above expressed his message through a drawing.

• After drawing the picture, the teacher asked the child to “read” his drawing. Heresponded, “This is my mommy. She make me a cake. Yummy cake. I like eating cake.I love my mommy. The end.”

Characteristics of Drawing for Writing:

• This child does not yet understand the difference between drawing and writing.

• This child writes by making up the story through drawings.

• When a child first begins to “read,” he/she does not read the words written on the page.Instead, he/she reads the drawings that go with a story.

• This child believes that the illustrations in a book carry the message rather than the words.

Helpful Hints:

When writing with your child:

• Encourage your child to “read” his/her drawings. The term “read” implies that there isa message there to be understood.

• Help your child realize that there is a difference between drawing and writing. Fold thebottom third section of your child’s piece of paper. Ask him/her to draw a picture of thestory in the top section of the paper.

• Alllow your child to use scribbling for writing, he/she will begin to see that there isa difference between drawing and writing.

• Have writing tools and materials around your house to give your child theopportunity to write as he/she plays.

• Draw a picture as you talk through the process. Then label the picture with one word andtalk with your child about the writing matching the illustration.

Drawing for Writing• When talking with your child about his/her writing, comment on his/her ability to

write letters that match sounds in the words.

When working on letters with your child:

• Encourage your child to sound out the beginning and ending sounds in words.When he/she can do this easily, have him/her sound out the middle sounds.

• Call out a word, and have your child find the letter that makes the beginning soundsomewhere in your home. When he/she can do this easily, ask him/her to find theletter that makes the ending sound.

When working on sounds with your child:

• Show your child pictures of objects, and ask him/her to identify the letter that beginsthe word.

• Encourage your child to also identify the sound at the end of the word.

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When reading with your child:

• Point to the words as you are reading a story, and ask your child if they are “words”or “pictures.”

• Point out the pictures as you read stories.

• Ask your child if you read the words or the pictures.

When your child is reading:

• Provide your child with pointers to use when reading so he/she can practice pointingto the words in the text as he/she reads.

Description of the Writing Process:

• This child began her writing by drawing an illustration.

• This child decided to write about foods that she enjoys eating.

• After drawing the picture, the child wrote a sentence by writing a beginning letterfor each word in the sentence.

• When asked to read her writing the child responded, “I eat bananas and green beansand strawberries and blueberries.”

Characteristics of Beginning Sounds for Writing:

• This child has successfully begun to make the letter-sound connection. She thinks thatthe beginning sound represents the entire word.

• For this child, the message has shifted from illustration to print.

Helpful Hints:

When writing with your child:

• Call out a word, and ask your child to write the beginning letter of the word.

• While writing, encourage your child to suggest the beginning and ending sounds of thewords that you are writing. When he/she is able to do this easily, encourage him/her tomake suggestions for the middle sounds of words as well.

Beginning Sounds for Writing

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Description of the Writing Process:

• This child began his writing by drawing a jellyfish and four fish below.

• When asked to write the text of his story, the child created four lines of linear scribbles.

• When asked to read the text, the child said, “Jellyfish sting fish.”

Characteristics of Scribbling for Writing:

• Even though the child does not know how to form specific letters, the child has reachedsome understanding of the difference between drawing and writing.

• When children make the distinction between illustrations and print, their knowledgebegins to emerge in their writing attempts.

• Children will understand why they are writing before they learn how to writeconventionally.

Helpful Hints:

When writing with your child:

• Stress the different purposes of writing (label, list, letter, how-to, report, story, etc.) whileyour child continues to gain knowledge about why we write and how writing is formed.

• When you write, point out the direction of the text being from left to right.

• When your child’s writing has only illustrations, prompt him/her to write words aboutthe illustrations.

• Periodically, ask your child to tell you what he/she has written. Write the response ona sticky note and attach it to the back of the paper. Keep in mind that when you writeconventionally on the child’s paper after he/she has completed the writing, it conveys themessage that the scribbling for writing was not writing after all.

Scribbling for Writing• Encourage your child to continue drawing illustrations as a support for his/her

writing efforts.

When working on letters with your child:

• When reviewing letters of the alphabet, say the sound that each letter makes.

• Discuss the beginning sound and beginning letter of your child’s name.

• Allow your child to match pictures and objects to the letter that makes thebeginning sound.

• Write two letters on a piece of paper, and then call out a word. Ask your child whichof the two letters would be at the beginning of the word you called. Then tellhim/her that this is the first letter needed to write that word.

When working on sounds with your child:

• Ask your child to name other words that have the same beginning letteras his/her name.

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Helpful Hints:

When reading with your child:

• Explain that we read and write using the same directions of top to bottom andleft to right.

• Use a pointer to point to text while reading aloud, so your child learns that theprint carries the message rather than the illustrations.

• Point out letters that your child is familiar with, beginning with the first letterin his/her name.

When working on letters with your child:

• Introduce your child to new letters by demonstrating how each letter is formed sohe/she begins to learn how to make each letter.

• Invite your child to “build” letters using popsicle sticks. Fifteen uppercase(A, E, F, H, I, K, L, M, N, T, V, W, X, Y, and Z) and nine lowercase letters(i, k, l, t, v, w, x, y, and z) can be built using popsicle sticks.

Description of the Writing Process:

• This child decided to write a report describing a fact about jellyfish after listeningto a story about ocean creatures.

• This child began his writing by drawing an illustration.

• After drawing the picture, the child wrote a series of random letters.

• When asked to read his writing the child responded, “Jellyfish sting penguins.”

Characteristics of Random Letters for Writing:

• This child is actually writing conventional letters.

• His letters, however, do not match the sounds of the words spoken.

• This child is on his way towards the understanding that words contain letters, but hisknowledge of the letter-sound match has not yet developed.

• For this child, the message is still carried through the illustration rather than the text.

Helpful Hints:

When writing with your child:

• When writing, say the sound of each letter as it is written and explain to your childthat you are writing the specific letter because it matches the specific sound you hear inthe word.

• Encourage your child to write one letter to represent each word. Emphasize to him/herthat he/she should listen to the sound he/she hears at the beginning of the word andwrite the matching letter.

Random Letters for Writing

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Description of the Writing Process:

• This child began her writing by drawing a picture.

• This child has been interested in dolphins and decided to write a report about dolphins.

• She drew a picture of a dolphin and then wrote letter-like formations below the picture.

• When asked to read her writing the child responded, “Dolphins live in the ocean.”

Characteristics of Letter-Like Formations for Writing:

• This child is not scribbling. She is creating formations that look like letters.

• As she learns about the letters of the alphabet and the letters in her own name, she isbeginning to include them in her writing.

• Although this child is not writing conventional letters, her experimentations andunderstandings of how letters are formed are shown in her writing.

• For this child, the message is still carried through the picture, rather than the text.

Helpful Hints:

When writing with your child:

• When writing, point out letters that are at the beginning of your child’s name.

• When writing, demonstrate for your child how to find a letter in the environment aroundyou as a resource for knowing how to form each letter.

• When your child shares his/her writing, give positive feedback on any letters that areformed correctly.

• Place manipulative letters in in your home to provide your child with opportunities totouch and explore letters and how they are formed.

Letter-Like Formations for Writing• Write a letter in front of your child using a different color marker or crayon for each

line in the letter. This will help your child understand each of the steps involved inwriting the letter.

• Encourage your child to continue drawing illustrations as a support for his/herwriting efforts.

When reading with your child:

• Point out letters in books. Encourage your child to find the letters around yourhome.

• Discuss with your child how the author used letters in his writing, just as he/sheuses letters in his/her own writing.

When working on letters with your child:

• Demonstrate the correct letter formation of each letter as it is reviewed.

• Provide opportunities for your child to form letters with clay or cooked spaghetti.

The modules presented here were funded in part by the Office of Postsecondary Education, U.S. Department of Education as part of theVirtual School Readiness Incubator Project, the Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on Children, Youth and Familiesas part of the Early Learning Opportunities Act/Bringing Education and Support to Teachers, Parents and Children (ELOA/BEST) Project,and the Florida Institute of Education at the University of North Florida. The content of these modules does not necessarily reflect the viewsor policies or imply endorsement by the U.S. Department of Education, the Department of Health and Human Services,and/or the University of North Florida.