The Scribbling and Drawing Stage
Writing using simplest forms, such as, marks, scribbles and lines of loops.
Drawings represent meaning using signs, symbols and figures.
Building wrist and hand muscle control, grasping strength and eye-hand coordination.
Pre-phonemic Stage
Scribbles gradually change into little marks, also called “mock letters”.
Actual letters start to be seen among the “mock letters”, typically the first letter of the child’s name.
Children at this stage are gaining more small muscle (fine motor) control.
Early Phonemic Stage
Letters represent sounds.
Uses 1-2 uppercase consonant letters in writing (i.e. MDIF, My dad is fishing).
The Letter-Naming Stage
Uses more than 1-2 consonant letters.
Begins to use one or more vowels.
The Transitional Stage
Use sound to symbol spelling mixed with conventional spellings.
Over generalizes spelling rules and patterns.
Exploring text directional format.