Ace the Arizona Educator Proficiency Test 2025 – Teach, Inspire, Succeed!

Before beginning to write, a child should have developed small muscle control. This skill is essential because writing requires the fine motor skills necessary to manipulate a pencil or pen effectively. Small muscle control involves the coordination of the small muscles in the hands and fingers, allowing for precise movements that contribute to forming letters and words on paper.

Children typically enhance their small muscle control through activities such as drawing, cutting with scissors, and engaging in crafts, which prepare them for the finer demands of writing.

While large muscle coordination, creative thinking, and reading comprehension are important developmental skills, they are not as directly tied to the specific physical act of writing as small muscle control is. Large muscle coordination impacts gross motor skills but does not facilitate the fine movements required for writing. Creative thinking supports a child's ability to express ideas but does not relate to the mechanics of writing itself. Reading comprehension is crucial for understanding written material, but it is not a prerequisite for the physical act of writing. Thus, the focus on small muscle control underscores the importance of physical readiness for the writing process.