The techniques are twofold. When students have a combination of this understanding and the skills, they are then free to apply techniques and abilities in a wide range of situations. This graphic represents the necessary steps in developing writing skills. The underlying processing skills involve development in a variety of memory, motor, and language areas. The mechanical skills involve lower level tasks such as automatic letter form, use of space, basic spelling, capitalization, and punctuation.
More mature mechanics involve speed, clarity of expression, and appropriate grammar.
The content skills relate to organizing and expressing ideas. There are many reasons a student may avoid writing, but most relate to the concept that writing is not fun or enjoyable. When writing is not meaningful, it is difficult to pull together the variety of skills needed to develop enthusiasm about writing. Students learn to write by writing, which then gives them the confidence to continue to write and continue to develop their skills. Using a variety of modalities can help create enthusiasm for writing and help students view writing as a more meaningful activity.