Supporting Preschoolers’ Writing Identities in the Scribbling Phase

The early emergent stage of writing consists of drawing and scribbling. This article provides a rationale for teachers to reframe their dispositions toward scribbling and reshape their interactions with writers in the early emergent stage. These teaching tips were derived from the authors’ study of teacher, parent, and young students’ perceptions of scribbling and highlight the importance of positive teacher interactions regarding the scribbling phase of early emergent writers to maintain students’ self‐efficacy, motivation, and writing identity in preschool classrooms. Practical strategies, positive verbal responses, and engaging questions are provided for teachers to acknowledge and encourage scribbling as early writing.