Learning to Write: Early Exposure to Printed Language

Learning to write is a gradual process wherein children get exposed to the printed form of the language. It is reckoned as part of the language development of a child.
Early exposure to printed language significantly impacts the development of a child’s reading and writing skills and contributes significantly to their language acquisition.
Before writing, children often engage in ‘pretend’ reading and writing, mimicking the behaviours they have observed in adults or older children.
The ability to recognise and comprehend the symbols of a printed language forms the basic foundations of writing. For writing to occur, a child must first recognise that each letter or group of letters represents certain sounds.
The process of learning to write involves more than just letter recognition - children also need to understand grammar rules and sentence structure, gain a vocabulary, and learn how to organise their thoughts on paper.
Children start off with pre-writing skills like drawing or scribbling, often imitating the actions of adults.
‘Environmental print’, the print of everyday life including signs, labels, bills etc., are often a child’s first introduction to written language.
Alphabet books, phonics books, and children’s literature are all resources that expose children to printed language and assist in their development of writing skills.
Generally, at the age of 3 to 4 years old, children start recognising some letters, especially the ones in their name. This marks the start of their formal understanding of printed language.
Textured books and interactive ebooks can provide a tactile experience and encourage children towards understanding the printed language.
Fine motor skills, developed through activities like cutting, colouring, and moulding clay, are essential for children to be physically capable of writing.
Direct instruction, modelling, shared activities, and encouragement by parents, caregivers, and teachers can promote early writing skills. The role of these adults in providing an enriched environment full of print exposure cannot be understated.
Understanding the concept of spaces between words, punctuation marks, and capitalisation are some of the later stages in learning to write.
Developmental spelling, where children write words the way they sound, is a milestone on the way to more conventional spelling.

Remember, learning to write is not a race - each child develops at their own pace. It is important to provide them with plenty of encouragement and opportunities for early exposure to printed language.