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Writing in preschoolers: An age-related analysis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 November 2008

Liliana Tolchinsky-Landsmann  and
Iris Levin
Liliana Tolchinsky-Landsmann*
Affiliation:
Tel Aviv University
Iris Levin*
Affiliation:
Tel Aviv University
*
ADDRESS FOR CORRESPONDENCE: School of Education, Tel Aviv University, Ramat- Aviv, Tel-Aviv 69978, Israel
ADDRESS FOR CORRESPONDENCE: School of Education, Tel Aviv University, Ramat- Aviv, Tel-Aviv 69978, Israel
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Abstract

We investigated the development in preschoolers' conceptualization of the written system from its graphic rendering and its mapping onto meaning by analyzing children's writings and readings of their writings. Forty-two Israeli children aged 3.4 – 5.8 years were asked to draw, write, and interpret a number of utterances. By the age of four, children's writings became constricted in size relative to their drawings and were composed of linearly organized units separated by regular blanks. These units increased in their adherence to conventional Hebrew letters throughout the age range examined. Children's interpretations of their own writing were classified into five modes: Interpretation unrelated to the utterance; preserving the content of the utterance but not its verbal form; complete reiteration; dividing the utterance into phonetic units; and description of the written characters. These modes were related to age and to conventionality of characters used.

Type
Articles
Information
Applied Psycholinguistics , Volume 6 , Issue 3 , September 1985 , pp. 319 - 339
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1985

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