Writing features develop sequentially: universal features (linearity, segmentation, simple units) are acquired before language-specific features¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · associational r2 · q3
Currency · newest study 2011 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person · overdue for a recheck since 2016: baselines and conditions change

Subclaims¶

q3 i? Guttman scaling coefficients of reproducibility exceeded .90 on the Write Name and composing tasks, supporting sequential acquisition of writing features with universal features appearing first. → Puranik 2011

Evidence¶

Puranik 2011¶

Puranik, Cynthia S., Lonigan, Christopher J. (2011). From Scribbles to Scrabble: Preschool Children's Developing Knowledge of Written Language. Reading and Writing. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11145-009-9220-8

q3 · i? · associational · r2

Guttman scaling analysis of feature scores from 372 preschoolers across the Write Name task (CR = .94) and four composing tasks. The article reports "High coefficients of reproducibility" on the composing tasks, implying a fixed acquisition order, and that the three universal features appeared before language-specific features.

"High coefficients of reproducibility (CR = .99 for Picture Description 1 and both Sentence Retell tasks and CR = .98 for Picture Description 2 task) were obtained for the composing tasks that were scored dichotomously, which implies a fixed order in the acquisition of the features of writing."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Age differences on composing tasks (Picture Description, Sentence Retell) were not significant, unlike letter, name, and spelling tasks — related
• Children's writing proficiency is task dependent: children use more advanced features on easier tasks and regress to basic features on harder tasks — related
• Preschoolers' writing and writing-related skills increase significantly between ages 3 and 5 on letter, name, and CVC word tasks — related
• Older preschoolers outperformed younger preschoolers on most writing measures but not on the generative composing tasks — related
• Children's name writing knowledge is more advanced than their other writing skills, with substantial letter knowledge of their own names by age 3-4 — related