Learning to Write: Handwriting and Orthography

Learning to write encompasses two major components: mastering handwriting skills and understanding orthography. Handwriting refers to the motor skills needed to form letters, while orthography is the knowledge of how letters and sounds are connected.
Initially, pre-school-age learners’ handwriting may appear chaotic and irregular, with no adherence to standard letter shapes, sizes, or orientation. As they mature and their fine motor skills develop, their writing will typically become more consistent and recognisable.
The process of learning handwriting generally moves through clear stages: scribbling, imitative shapes, imitative letters and, finally, conventional writing. These stages are a general guideline and the speed at which children progress through them can vary greatly.
As young learners improve their pencil grip, control, and overall manipulation, they will often begin to form recognisable letters - usually beginning with their own name. This is often referred to as ‘emergent writing’ stage.
Orthographic awareness, or the recognition that spoken words are represented by sequences of letters in systematic ways, is another vital element of learning to write. Orthographic knowledge builds on phonological awareness and provides the basis for spelling skills.
The English orthography is largely irregular, making it one of the most challenging to master. It involves understanding complex rules and exceptions. The irregularities can complicate a learner’s ability to match sounds with their corresponding symbols.
Children typically start to develop orthographic knowledge with simple and consistent words that follow basic phonics rules. As they encounter more words and gain experience, they engage in analysing the internal structures of words and comparing similarities and differences.
Spelling errors in early writing often reflect children’s developing understanding of orthography. For instance, an early writer may spell ‘cat’ as ‘kat’ - reflecting an understanding of phonetics, but not yet accurate orthographic knowledge.
Over time, repeated exposure to words can help learners form abstract representations in their memory, which aids in the recognition of spelling patterns and common clusters of letters. They also start to understand and apply more complex orthographic rules, and can self-correct handwriting and spelling errors.
Teaching strategies for handwriting and orthography often involve explicit instruction, modelling, guided practice, feedback, and time for independent practice. It is important to consider the balance between instruction on letter formation, spelling rules and meaningful writing activities.

Remember: the process of learning to write is complex and can take several years. It’s normal for there to be significant individual variation in when and how quickly these skills develop.