‘Emergent’, also referred to as ‘developmental’ or ‘early’ writing, is a term for how a young child begins to control the process of writing from the earliest stage of the very first marks to beginning to use the conventions of writing to make meaning. At first children have little knowledge about words and sounds and how these are represented by letters. They experiment, imitating the flow and speed of the mature writer and play with the shape and orientation of letters and with punctuation marks like full stops. These early stages are explored by a number of writers including Bissex (1980) who charts her own child’s progress towards writing, Hall who stresses the young child’s urge to experiment with different written forms and Temple et al. (1988) who identify some stages in the journey towards becoming a writer. Marian Whitehead describes in detail the interplay between the young child as an active meaning maker, learner and their personal and cultural environment in the journey towards becoming a writer.
Here they are helped by the sensitive adult who takes the ideas and feelings children are shaping into narrative forms and acts as scribe – setting the message down in a conventional form (Whitehead, 2004, Chapter 8). Then the child acquires the confidence to write himself or herself.
Alison Kelly is concerned that terms like ‘emergent’ and ‘developmental’ might suggest that writing abilities just happen without specific teaching (Graham and Kelly, 2003). But early years educators are more likely to argue against mature forms being pressed on young children before they can cope with them. The important thing is that children should build confidence in their ability to write and feel positive about the enjoyment writing can bring.
Bissex, Glenda (1980) GNYS AT WRK: A Child Learns to Read and Write Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press.
Graham, Judith and Kelly, Alison (2003) Writing Under Control London: David Fulton.
Hall, Nigel (1987) The Emergence of Literacy Sevenoaks: Hodder & Stoughton.
Temple, C,. Nathan, R.G., Burris, N.A. and Temple, F. (1988, second edition) The Beginnings of Writing Boston, Mass.: Allyn & Bacon.
Whitehead, Marian (2004 edition) Language and Literacy in the Early Years London: Paul Chapman. See Chapter 8 ‘Early representation and emerging writing’.
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