MyLeoNes™

Writing goes across the page — Language, 4–6

You learn where writing starts, which way it travels, and what happens when one line ends.

Writing goes across the page

When you write, you start near one side of the page and move across it, keeping the marks in a row. When the row is full, you begin a new row underneath. Try following a line with your finger, then let your pencil travel the same way.

Why does writing have a path?

A shared path lets another person know which mark comes first and where to look next. Without it, the same page could be read in many different ways. Follow the path when you read or write, so your message can travel clearly from your hand to someone else’s eyes.

Follow one written line

Look at the words: “The cat sleeps.” First, find the beginning at the left. Next, move your finger across the words, stopping at each space. Then go to the next line only if there is one. Try it again with your pencil, drawing a gentle path under the words.

The page can feel backwards

You may want to start wherever your pencil happens to land, or jump to the next line because it looks interesting. That is a reasonable choice: pictures do not have one fixed path. Writing does, so check the first mark and follow the row before you move down.

Where this helps

This path helps you read a shopping list, a name tag, a note, or a page in a book. It also helps when you copy a phone number or write a label for a drawing. Each time, your eyes know where the next mark will be, so your hands and eyes can work together.

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