Developmental Progression of

1. Pictures

1. Pictures

2. Random
2. Random
Scribbling

Scribbling

3. Sc
3.
Scr
(Writt

(Writte
to mi
to mi

3. 3.
Scribble
Writing
Symbols
That
Scribble
Writing 4. 4.
Symbols
That
(Written
in linear
fashion
(Written
in linear
fashion Represent
Letters
Represent
Letters
to mimic real writing.)
to mimic real writing.)

to mimic
rea
to mimic

5.
Strings
5. Random
RandomLetters
Letters 6.6.Letter
Letter
Strings 7. 7.Letter
Let
(No relationship between
(No relationship between
sounds of letters and what
sounds of letters and what
the child is trying to say.)
the child is trying to say.)

(Progresses from left to right

groups ha
(Progresses from left to right (The
(The
group
and top to bottom when the
between to rese
and top to bottom when the
between to
child reads his writing.)
child reads his writing.)

totomimic
mimicreal
realwriting.)
writing.)

7.
7. Letter
LetterGroups
Groups

(The groups have spaces in

(The groups have spaces in
between to resemble words.)
between to resemble words.)

8.
8. Environmental
EnvironmentalPrint
Print
(Child copies print found in the
(Child copies print found in the
room, often without knowing
room, often without knowing
what the words are.)
what the words are.)

(The
horse
run.)
(The
horse
cancan
run.)

(We
went
store.)
(We
went
to to
thethe
store.)

(Today
I wat
(Today
I want
white
board
white
board
and
I want
to plw
I want
to play

Beginning
Sounds 10.
10.Early
Early
Inventive 11.11.Invent
Inve
9.9.Beginning
Sounds
Inventive
(Has
s
(Child
begins
to write
simple
(Has
thethe
sam
Spelling
(Child
begins
to write
simple
Spelling
the previo

the previous
sentences
using
sight
words
sentences
using
sight
words
andand (Includes
(Includes
same
elements
thethe
same
elements
as as more
more
soun
sounds
just
beginning
sounds
just
thethe
beginning
sounds
of of thethe
previous
level,
with
more ten,
ten,
inclu
previous
level,
butbut
with
more
includin
words.)
words.)
consonant
sounds
represented
Some
conv
consonant
sounds
represented
Some
conven
pattern
spaces
between
words.
patterns
m
andand
spaces
between
words.
) )

his writing.)
say.) child reads
child reads
his writing.)

what
theth
w
what

to the
(We went
tostore.)
the store.)
un.) (We went
(Today
I want
to play
withwith
the the
(Today
I want
to play
whitewhite
board
and
the
shapes,
and and
board and the shapes,
I want
to play
my friend.)
I want
to with
play with
my friend.)

(One(One
day,day,
I saw
m
I sa
Israel
and
Anthony
Israel and Anth
I found
the
I found

10. 10.
Early
Inventive
11. 11.
Inventive
Spelling
unds
Early
Inventive
Inventive
Spelling 12.
12.Tran
Tr
(Has(Has
the the
same
elements
as as
same
elements
Spelling
Writ
mple
Spelling
W

the previous
level,
butbut
with
the previous
level,
with(Includes all of t
ds and
(Includes all o
(Includes
the same
as asmore sounds per word writ(Includes
the elements
same elements
more sounds per word writ-ements, plus som
ds ofthe previous
ements, plus s
level, but
with
the previous
level,
but more
with more ten, ten,
including
the the
vowels.
including
vowels. of words with si
of words with
consonant
sounds
represented
conventional
spelling
consonant
sounds
represented Some
Some
conventional
spelling other spelling pa
other spelling
patterns
maymay
appear.)
patterns
appear.)
and spaces
between
words.
)
and spaces
between
words.
)
ation
is beginni
ation
is begi

what the words are.)

(One day, I saw my friends. It was

Israel and Anthony and they got lost.
I found them. The end.)

12. Transitional
Writing

(Includes all of the previous elements, plus some real spellings

of words with silent letters and
other spelling patterns. Punctuation is beginning to appear).