Writing
Suellen Concessio Fernandes
Definition
Writing is a form of human communication reflecting language
and emotion with signs and symbols.
Writing is often thought of as the physical performance of
handwriting(using a writing instrument). However, we know that
efficient writing may occur either by hand or typing and involves
the complex and concurrent integration of many skills.
No matter which method of generation, written communication
also involves spelling, grammar and structure.
Handwriting Performance
• Although we commonly think of handwriting as simply what we see
written on the page, handwriting actually reflects two equally important
aspects:
• Product: What the written outcome looks like (e.g. Are the letters neat,
legible, written on the line and correctly formed?).
• Performance: How the handwriting is performed (e.g. How is the pencil
held? How fast is the task performed? Is there any pain during
performance?).
• Both these crucial aspects of handwriting are themselves dependent
upon several underlying abilities including:
• Legibility (readability/what is produced): Influenced by letter/number
awareness and formation; writing on (not above) the line; leaving
appropriate spaces between letters and words, and letters being the correct
size. At a very basic level, it is also dependent upon the ability to form the
‘pre-writing shapes’ that combine to form letters and numbers (e.g. o + l = a).
• Mechanics: Where the movement comes from (either from the shoulder,
elbow, wrist or fingers) to allow appropriate pencil fluency and support
appropriate pencil skill endurance which is influenced by pencil grip, finger
strength and control, sensory processing (especially in the hand and fingers)
and positioning (e.g. posture at the table).
Writing Skills
• Pre Writing skills or writing readiness
• Writing using a writing instrument
• Letter formation
• Words and spaces
• Spelling and encoding
• Sentences and structures
• Grammar
• Audience based writing – persuasive, narrative, etc
Pre writing Skills/writing
readiness
• Hand and finger strength: An ability to exert force against resistance using the hands and fingers
that allows the necessary muscle power for controlled movement of the pencil.
• Crossing the mid-line: The ability to cross the imaginary line running from a person’s nose to
pelvis that divides the body into left and right sides.
• Pencil grasp: The efficiency of how the pencil is held, allowing age appropriate pencil movement
generation.
• Hand eye coordination: The ability to process information received from the eyes to control,
guide and direct the hands in the performance of a task such as handwriting.
• Bilateral integration: Using two hands together with one hand leading (e.g. holding and moving
the pencil with the dominant hand while the other hand helps by holding the writing paper).
• Upper body strength: The strength and stability provided by the shoulder to allow controlled
hand movement for good pencil control.
• Object manipulation: The ability to skilfully manipulate tools (including holding and moving
pencils and scissors) and controlled use of everyday tools (such as a toothbrush, hairbrush,
cutlery).
• Visual perception: The brain’s ability to interpret and make sense of visual images seen by the
eyes, such as letters and numbers.
• Hand dominance: The consistent use of one (usually the same) hand for task performance, which
allows refined skills to develop.
• Hand division: Using just the thumb, index and middle finger for manipulation, leaving the fourth
and little finger tucked into the palm stabilizing the other fingers but not participating.
• Language – receptive and expressive language.
• Concept understanding
Writing with instruments
• Scribbling
• Gross writing grips and gross writing lines
• Paper/ board orientation
• Strokes – vertical or horizontal line or circular
• Coloring within outlines – raised /thick/fine
• Imitates
• Copies
• Traces
• Shape formation
• Patterns - cursive or print
Letter formation
• Developmentally children copy forms in a predictable order |-
O+□∆
• Hence some letters are easier than others
• Print: capital letters are easier than lower case
• Cursive – lower case first then uppercase
• To start children need to understand vocabulary –
• big line small line big curve small curve;
• vertical horizontal diagonal lines- position in space
• Apart together rainbow smile, squiggle etc. curves
• Use same vocabulary constantly
Letter formation
• Some tips
• Border the writing board or the paper
• Place a smiley on top left hand corner
• Place paper appropriately
• Use a simple instruction said loudly while writing the letter
• Teaching order: upper case print
• Frog jump Capitals – F E D P B R N M
• Starting Corner Capitals – HKL, (U V W X Y Z – use the starting
corner but use different strokes to finish the letter)
• Centre Starters –
• C O Q G – start with magic c stroke
• SAIT J – start in the centre use different strokes to finish the letter
Letter formation
• Lower case print
• c o s v w – same as upper case
• t - first letter above the line
• Magic c letters – a d g
• Vowels – u i e – frequency
• l k y j – letters above and then letters below
• Diver letters – p r n m h b
• Fqxz – difficult ones
Words and spaces
• Providing a definitive slot for answers and blanks. – Eg two
boxes for two numbers.
• Providing guidelines – A top line to indicate height (max) of
each letter, red blue lines for lower case answers, etc
• Using one box for each number or letter always.
• Using a tooth pick width to indicate letter spacing within a
wird
• Using an icecream stick or punched symbol (strawberry on
toothpick ) to indicate space between words
• Alignment of all letters above and below the line letters.
Spelling and Encoding
• Phonetic VS Sight
• VAKT approach
Sentence and structure
• ESL - literal translation from hindi to english make very
silly sentences
• Noun verb agreement – Eg. The boy does his HW. The boys do
their HW
• Simple sentences
• Sentence lengths - how to make sentences less monotonous
• Complex sentences
Grammar
• Grammar in language is a set of rules and examples that encompass:
• Syntax : The way in which we order words to create phrases, clauses
(i.e. a group of words that contain a subject and a predicate) and
sentences.
• Word structures (morphology) – e.g. adding an ‘s’ to the word ‘dog’
to create the plural ‘dogs’.
• Children first learn how to use grammar in their spoken language
and then at school will be taught how to formulate written
sentences using appropriate punctuation and grammatical
elements, such as tense, word order and the use of word classes –
e.g. nouns (naming words), pronouns (e.g. I, me, mine, my, you),
verbs (action/doing words), adjectives (describing words) and
adverbs (describes a verb – e.g. slowly). By teaching these elements
children learn that their words are intended to be read and
understood and that this is easier to do if it is grammatically correct,
accurately spelt, well-punctuated and neatly written.
Audience based Writing
• Higher functioning PWD
• The writing is catered to suit the purpose for which the
communication is taking place Eg formal letter/ informal letter
• Fiction VS non Fiction