Children's Writing

Question 1

First Stage of Writing

Answer 1

Drawing

Question 2

Second Stage of Writing

Answer 2

Letter-like forms

Question 3

Third Stage of Writing

Answer 3

Copied letters

Question 4

Fourth Stage of Writing

Answer 4

Child’s name and string of letters

Question 5

Fifth Stage of Writing

Answer 5

Words

Question 6

Sixth Stage of Writing

Answer 6

Sentences

Question 7

Seventh Stage of Writing

Answer 7

Text

Question 8

What are gross motor skills?

Answer 8

Skills associated with larger movements like walking, jumping or waving

Question 9

What are fine motor skills?

Answer 9

Skills associated with more precise movements with the fingers. E.g. writing, playing with lego, using scissors

Question 10

What are the different functions of reading?

Answer 10

• Developing speech
• Increasing children’s knowledge of their environment
• Developing sensory understanding
• Provides moral lessons
• Allows them to develop socially through shared experiences
• Entertains with imaginative characters and settings
• Helps them learn to read and write (understanding genres)

Question 11

Kroll’s Writing Stages: Preparation

Answer 11

Basic motor skills are acquired along with some principles of spelling. Occurs typically up to age 6.

Question 12

Kroll’s Writing Stages: Consolidation

Answer 12

Writing at this stage is similar to spoken language. There is informal register, unfinished sentences and strings of clauses joined by ‘and’. Occurs during 7.

Question 13

Kroll’s Writing Stages: Differentiation

Answer 13

During this stage, there is an awareness of writing as seperate from speech emerges. There is a stronger sense of audience and purpose is shown and they become more automatic. Occurs during ages 8 to 10.

Question 14

Kroll’s Writing Stages: Integration

Answer 14

Work begins to be characterised by a personal voive. There is greater control over writing and appropriate linguistic choices are made. Occurs during mid teens.

Question 15

Joan Rothery

Answer 15

Joan Rothery noted that children are taught to write in distinct genres at school. These genres are:

Observation: Observation made, followed by an evaluative comment.
Recount: Usually a chronological sequence of events. Follows the sequence of orientation-event-reorientation
Report: Factual, objective description of events or things. This isn’t usually chronological
Narrative: Genre for stories. Follows sequence of orientation-complication-resolution-coda.

Question 16

Katherine Perera

Answer 16

Katherine Perera noted that children learn to write chronological and non-chronological texts. Non-chronological texts are considered harder to write than chronological texts.

Chronological Writing
-Chronological texts use lots of connectives to link idea

Non-Chronological Writing

• Non-chronological are more concerned with the linking of ideas and making logical connections between them
• As these are considered more abstract and do not have the luxury of revolving around time, Perera proposes they are harder to write

Question 17

James Britton

Answer 17

Proposed three styles of writing (these are in chronological order):

Expressive Writing:

• Egocentric: ‘undifferentiated expression of self’
• Not tailored for different audiences and contexts
• Many personal pronouns

Poetic Writing:

• Crafting of creative language techniques
• Writing for effect
• Developing a literary style
• Imagery and semantic choices are frequent
• There is a nuance of lexical choice
• Command of structure
• Awareness of audience and context

Transactional Writing:

• Informative writing used to show knowledge
• Impersonal, informative, uses factual tone
• Authority comes over subject matter