This document consists of four papers on the acquisition of writing skills by young children. The first paper provides a historical and developmental perspective on early writing. Children's development of manual dexterity is briefly overviewed and aspects of the educational approaches of Pestalozzi, Montessori, Chomsky, Rogers and Ashton-Warner as well as the programs of O.K. Moore and Bereiter and Engelmann are pointed out. The second paper briefly explores two questions: When is a child ready to learn the handwriting skill? and How is the handwriting skill taught? An organic reading program is briefly described. The third paper discusses 10 skill areas that can be used as assessment criteria, bases for developing writing readiness, or bases for increasing writing ability. The fourth paper presents a method of controlling children's initial responses when learning to make letters. The procedure is designed to eliminate errors and reversals so that children can be successful regardless of their conception of the left-right orientation. This final paper also presents a practical method for teaching "at risk" children and children with special needs how to write their names. (Author/RH)