ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the learning and development that takes place before children begin formal schooling. There is much they need to experience and understand about writing before they produce recognisable words. Adults can provide many and diverse opportunities for young children to explore writing in all its forms at different points in time as they gain control over their writing. Gerde and colleagues stress that adults writing for and with the children will be an important supportive activity throughout the preschool years. Myhill points out that spoken language and written language are quite distinct, and young children need to understand and learn about these differences. Written language, therefore, is decontextualised, without an evident context and needs to be more explicit than spoken language. All these clues are missing for the reader of written language, as the message is transported through time and space.
