Cathy Barclay's 7 Stages of Writing Development

Stage 1

Scribbling - Children make random marks on the page, learning to hold a pencil or crayon.

Stage 2

Mock handwriting - Children practice drawing shapes, with letter-like forms appearing as an attempt to write letters.

Stage 3

Mock letters - Children produce random letters without awareness of spacing or matching sounds with symbols.

Stage 4

Conventional letters - Children match sounds with symbols, writing letters that match spoken sounds, and using initial consonants to represent words.

Stage 5

Invented spelling - Most words are spelled phonetically, with some simple and familiar words spelled correctly.

Stage 6

Appropriate spelling - Sentences become more complex as the child becomes aware of standard spelling patterns, and writing becomes more legible.

Stage 7

Correct spelling - Most words are spelled correctly.