As children develop writing skills, how do their early messages typically appear?

In the early stages of writing development, children's messages often reflect their current understanding of letters and the writing process. During this phase, children may produce letter-like forms, which can include random squiggles, shapes, and combinations of letters. This might also involve backwards letters or letters that do not correspond to standard spelling. Such representations signify their exploration and experimentation with writing as they begin to make connections between sounds and symbols but have not yet mastered the mechanics or conventions of written language.

As they engage in writing, children are expressing their thoughts and ideas, even if their forms do not resemble conventional writing. This stage is a critical part of literacy development, as it allows them to practice and refine their skills before moving on to more structured writing formats such as complete sentences. Therefore, the characteristic of containing letter-like forms with extra lines and backward letters accurately describes the typical output of children as they begin their writing journey.