English · Foundation · Becoming Authors · Term 3

Scribing and Emergent Writing

Students will experiment with scribbling, drawing, and using letter-like shapes to represent ideas and words.

• ACARA Content Descriptions
• AC9EFLY06

About This Topic

Emergent writing introduces Foundation students to the power of marks on paper as a way to share ideas, aligning with AC9EFLY06. Through scribing, they experiment with scribbles, drawings, and letter-like shapes to represent words and stories. This builds understanding that a wavy line can mean "snake slithering" or dots stand for "rain falling," directly addressing key questions about how marks convey meaning and how to construct simple messages.

In the Becoming Authors unit, this topic lays groundwork for composing texts by linking oral language to visual symbols. Students gain confidence in expressing themselves without pressure for perfection, while practicing differentiation between drawing as illustration and writing as linear message representation. It fosters fine motor skills, creativity, and early phonemic awareness as shapes mimic letters.

Active learning excels in this area because hands-on experimentation with diverse materials makes meaning-making personal and immediate. When students share and interpret each other's marks in pairs or groups, they see multiple perspectives on the same scribble, reinforcing that all attempts communicate valid ideas and motivating progression toward conventional writing.

Key Questions

1. Explain how scribbles and drawings can represent ideas.
2. Construct a message using emergent writing techniques.
3. Differentiate between drawing and writing.

Learning Objectives

• Classify scribbles, drawings, and letter-like shapes based on their communicative intent.
• Construct a simple message using scribbles, drawings, or letter-like shapes to represent ideas.
• Explain how a specific scribble or drawing can represent a word or idea.
• Differentiate between a drawing that illustrates a story and writing that conveys a message.

Before You Start

Fine Motor Skill Development

Why: Students need basic control over their hands and fingers to hold writing tools and make deliberate marks.

Oral Language Development

Why: Students must be able to express ideas verbally to then attempt to represent those ideas visually or through emergent writing.

Key Vocabulary

Scribble	A random or uncontrolled mark made on a surface. For young children, scribbles are an early form of drawing and writing.
Drawing	Creating a picture or visual representation using lines, shapes, and colors. Drawings often show what something looks like.
Letter-like shapes	Marks that resemble letters of the alphabet but may not follow conventional letter formation or sound associations. They are a step between scribbles and conventional writing.
Message	An idea or piece of information that someone wants to communicate to another person.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

Writing must always use correct letters and spelling from the start.

What to Teach Instead

Emergent writing prioritizes communication over accuracy. Pair sharing of scribbles shows students their ideas are valued first, reducing anxiety and encouraging experimentation. Teacher transcription of dictations models the bridge to conventions.

Common Misconception

Drawings do not count as writing.

What to Teach Instead

Both drawings and scribbles represent ideas in early literacy. Activities like drawing-then-scribing a scene help students actively differentiate modes while seeing drawing as a valid starting point. Group discussions validate these overlaps.

Common Misconception

Scribbles are random marks with no purpose.

What to Teach Instead

Children intentionally create scribbles to convey stories. Whole-class show-and-tell sessions let them explain meanings, helping peers recognize purpose in marks and building a classroom culture of interpretation.

Active Learning Ideas

Stations Rotation: Mark-Making Stations

Prepare four stations with varied materials: crayons for scribbles, markers for drawings, playdough letters for shapes, and whiteboards for mock messages. Small groups spend 7 minutes at each, creating a piece and noting what it represents. Groups rotate and share one creation per station with the class.

40 min·Small Groups

Pairs: Scribble Stories

Partners take turns scribbling a quick picture story on shared paper for 5 minutes, then explain its meaning to each other. Switch roles and add to the partner's scribble. End with pairs presenting one story to the group.

25 min·Pairs

Whole Class: Message Chain

Teacher models a scribble message on chart paper, such as 'I see a bird.' Each student adds their own mark or drawing to extend the message. Discuss meanings as a class and reread the chain together.

30 min·Whole Class

Individual: Name Scribbles

Students use mirrors and varied tools to create emergent versions of their names through scribbles and shapes. They dictate what each part means, then share in a gallery walk where peers guess elements.

20 min·Individual

Real-World Connections

• Graphic designers use drawings and symbols to create logos and visual messages for companies, like the iconic Qantas kangaroo. They must decide if a picture or a word best communicates the brand's idea.
• Early cartographers drew maps using symbols and lines to represent land and water, helping explorers navigate. Their drawings conveyed essential information about distances and features.

Assessment Ideas

Quick Check

Provide students with paper and crayons. Ask them to draw a picture of their favorite animal and then try to write the animal's name next to it using scribbles or letter-like shapes. Observe if they differentiate between the drawing and the 'writing'.

Discussion Prompt

Show students a collection of different scribbles and drawings. Ask: 'Which of these marks do you think tells a story? Which one do you think is trying to say a specific word? How can you tell the difference?'

Exit Ticket

Give each student a small card. Ask them to draw one thing they did today and then make a scribble or letter-like shape that they think means 'fun'. Collect the cards to see how they represent ideas visually.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is emergent writing in Australian Foundation English?

Emergent writing involves young students using scribbles, drawings, and letter-like forms to express ideas, as per AC9EFLY06. It emphasizes meaning-making over correctness, helping children link speech to print. Teachers support this by providing open-ended prompts and celebrating all attempts, fostering lifelong writing habits through play-based exploration.

How to help Foundation students differentiate drawing from writing?

Use side-by-side activities where students draw a picture then add linear scribbles below as the 'story words.' Discuss how drawings show what happened while writing tells the sequence. Model with think-alouds and peer feedback to highlight distinctions, reinforcing spatial and symbolic differences.

How can active learning benefit emergent writing lessons?

Active learning engages students through hands-on mark-making and collaborative sharing, making abstract concepts concrete. Stations or pair dictations let children experiment freely, interpret peers' work, and receive immediate feedback. This builds confidence, reveals personal meanings, and shows progression from scribble to script in real time, aligning with Foundation play-based pedagogy.

How to assess scribing and emergent writing progress?

Observe intent to communicate via photos of work, dictations, and student explanations during shares. Track growth in mark complexity, linearity, and letter approximations over time using simple rubrics. Portfolios of dated pieces provide evidence for AC9EFLY06, highlighting individual paths without grading accuracy.