Getting Ready for Writing (Pre-writing patterns) Factsheet

Year Level: Early Years
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A downloadable factsheet which identifies the six basic (Pre-writing) patterns that form the basis of all alphabet letters.

Throughout the early years, children are encouraged to participate in a range of fine motor activities that develop:

  • their manipulative skills
  • a dominant hand
  • the ability to use both hands together

In conjunction with the above motor activities, introducing pre-writing patterns aids the smooth transition to writing alphabet letters.

Pre-writing Patterns presents a simple, systematic and fun approach for teaching the foundation skills that are necessary for fluent handwriting. It outlines six basic movements that are essential for children to learn the prewriting patterns used to make pictures and then combined to make letters and numbers. It is through the systematic rehearsal of a movement (with eyes closed and eyes open) that a child is able to develop a kinaesthetic memory. We can think of this as an internal memory that allows the child’s actions (when making patterns) to be automatic.

Six basic patterns form the basis of all alphabet letters.

  • sideways, sideways, left to right
  • tall lines and short lines
  • circles, drawn forwards and backwards
  • zig zags
  • up and overs
  • down and unders/down, back and unders

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