How Children Learn to Write Words

Abstract

Mastering the writing system of one’s language is crucial for success in a modern society. This book examines how children learn to produce writing. The book provides a novel theoretical framework that integrates findings from a wide range of age groups—from children who are producing their first scribbles to experienced spellers who are writing complex words. To set the stage for these discussions, the first section of the book considers the nature of writing systems and the nature of learning itself. Existing theories of spelling acquisition are also discussed. The following chapters take up various aspects of orthographic development, including the learning of symbol shapes and the learning of punctuation in addition to the learning of spelling per se. Each chapter reviews research with learners of a variety of languages and writing systems, revealing crosslinguistic similarities and differences. Discussions of pedagogy are incorporated into each chapter. The book is unique in the range of topics and languages that it covers. Also unique is the way in which the book integrates linguistic insights about the nature of writing systems with discussions of literacy development in children.