Welcome to
Never Too Early to
Write?
Presented by:
Amy Harris
Aneth Segovia
January 7, 2013
Never Too Early to Write?
Ready… Why Write Early?
“Children who write before they read
become better readers than those who
don’t?”
HMMM?
Stop and Think!
Do you believe this
quote? Why or Why
not?
Reason for Writing Going Back into the
Classroom
Research tells us that by strengthening the
reading and writing connection you will
strengthen students’ abilities to master
these concepts more quickly.
Writing moved back into the classroom,
because classroom teachers can make a
more effective and efficient connection
between the materials being read and the
materials being written.
Acceptable Resources
Animated Literacy– for step-by-step
picture drawing and labeling
Houghton Mifflin Journeys– ideas,
suggestions, topics and writing ideas and
genres
Teaching Writing in Kindergarten
(Bergen)– the foundational principle of
writing workshop in kindergarten
Transition from Drawing to Writing
Only 10 minutes of writing time for the first 9-weeks may
be used for letter formation. Any additional time needed
must be outside the writing block or writing time needs to
be extended to accommodate.
Teacher models for the first 6-weeks how to draw and write.
Teacher should model sentences about week 3. Students
may not be able to copy the whole sentence at first.
First two weeks is draw and label
Next two weeks is draw and phrases
Last two weeks is draw and model sentences
Move into individual journal writing using topics and
connections from the Houghton-Mifflin Journeys. (When
determining a connection, think broad generalizations) Such
as the section on WHEELS– think transportation.
Genres
Labels
Captions
Class Stories (child does one page)
Descriptions
Individual Stories
Messages
Letters
Lists
Invitations
Reports
Response to Literature
Poems
Word Walls
Teachers should be working with letters
and sounds from the word wall daily.
Activities and games should be developed
around the word wall.
During transitions or downtime that you
have do a word wall activity to increase
letter and sound recognition
Main idea/ Seasonal word walls
Displaying Students work
Showing progress
Word Wall
Using color to differentiate between names
and high frequency words as well as
vowels.
Websites for Letter Review
http://viewpure.com/BELlZKpi1Zs A is for
Apple...
http://viewpure.com/hNNpp0xJe50 letters
http://viewpure.com/1pCFfkqmU2A letter/ sound
a-i
http://viewpure.com/Fotkt0dPra0 letter/ sound j-r
http://viewpure.com/oHcI2vtjybU letter/ sound r-z
Rubric
Teachers should use the rubric from the
Bergen book on page 92 as a guideline.
This rubric will help you determine what
your students should be able to do as they
grow throughout the year.
Writing is very individual and students will
progress and grow at very different rates.
Anchor Charts and Thematic Word
Walls
Anchor charts are designed with the students to
provide them lists for things they can write about,
places they can go or things they see.
Anchor charts are a great way to model different
mini-lessons for the students. They can be used
as a great reminder for students, if they are left up
as a reference point.
Thematic Word Walls are another great way to
expand the students’ writing vocabulary. They are
shaped according to the theme and they have very
specific, theme-based words written on them.
They are created with students to ensure they
know the words that are on the thematic wordwall.
Modeling
This is the most important thing you can do
when working with Kindergarten writers. They
need to see how you develop a story. They need
to hear how you talk through a story and make
different decisions that can affect your story.
Modeling is a great way to get students to
experience the story with you. If they are able to
relate to the story and help you with yours, then
they are actively involved in the writing process.
Build this Chart with Your Class
What Good Writer’s Do…
They think about their topic.
They write neatly.
They use a Capital Letter at the beginning
of a sentence and for Names of people.
They use punctuation at the end of a
sentence (. ! ?).
They use finger spaces between words.
They read it over and over.
They ask if it makes sense.
Environmental Print
Another great way to develop a word wall
is through environmental print. Most kids
recognize places through visuals signs
and cues.
Students can use environmental print word
walls to write about places they would like
to visit, or places they like to eat or shop.
Environmental print word wall /
Environmental print
Temporary Spelling
Temporary spelling, invented spelling, or
phonetic spelling – Whatever you call it; it is
absolutely necessary for kids to feel
comfortable when experimenting with letters
and sounds written down.
This temporary spelling will give students the
confidence they need to want to be writers. If
they have to spell everything correctly, they will
be limited in the choice of words that they use
and the topics that they write about.
Students should be held accountable for words
that are on the word wall, but words that can
be “temporarily” spelled should be.
Mini-Lessons and Conferencing
Mini-lessons should be taught as a whole
group everyday. These lessons should reflect
something that you want them to specifically
know or learn.
Individual mini-lessons can be used for
individual skills that students need in order to
move their writing forward.
Take a little tablet with you, when you
conference with students and write down
things that you notice students need to work
on individually or as a whole class.
Celebrate Your Students’ Successes
as Writers
Making students feel as though they are
wonderful writers will create a sense of
enthusiasm and joy for your students.
Celebrate writing rather than Correct
writing!!
Correcting writing every time inhibits
creative, thoughtful writing.
Take a risk and teach students that it is
okay to take a risk!!
Journaling
Journaling can be the greatest fun that you
and your students can do together.
You get to experience their lives and the
journeys that you take together as writers.
Get ready to lead students
into the greatest literacy
experience of their lives!!!
Stages of Writing Development
Stage 1: The child scribbles
Stage 2: The child is starting to write with a varying series of
lines. Size of objects are shown by the size of the marks
made
Stage 3: The child starts to arrange known letters in ways to
make different words (No knowledge of the alphabet at this
stage)
Stage 4: The child starts tracing and copying and using mockletters and symbols. (reversing letters and changing direction
is common)
Stage 5: The child uses random lettering, labeling, and listing
of key words. Temporary or invented spelling will start to
emerge. The child will hear one letter for each syllable in a
word
Stage 6: The child learns and uses more alphabet letters and
sounds (Vowels will begin to appear in words). Closer to
conventional spelling.
Stage 7: Conventional spelling is used, for the most part.
Emergent Writers
During this stage, children will begin with random marks or
scribbles, and move toward discovering that scribbling and drawing
can represent something.
Ideas for Making Writing “Fun” for Students
– Concept of Word: Write words on cards. Give to students. Each
student
– recites their word in an oral sentence.
Name Bags: Place letters of child’s name in a bag. Have child put
letters in
order (can later be done with others’ names).
Show Me: Fold paper 3 times, and fold up bottom to create pockets.
Students spell 3-letter words (e.g. C-V-C).
Beginning Writers
During this stage, children begin to write in a more
conventional way. Their writing becomes more
readable, by themselves and by others.
Ideas for Making Writing “Fun” for Students
Treasure Hunt: Use word & picture cards to guide
students to prizes (e.g. bookmarks, pencils,
etc.)
you have hidden.
Silly Poems: Help children create poems with
pretend words, a la Lewis Carroll’s Jabberwocky.
Word Hunts: Have students search for words in
newspapers, etc. that begin with certain letters,
etc.
Transitional Writers
During this stage, children write with increasing fluency and
expression. They express their ideas in more complex ways,
and they are able to write with greater speed. They are able to
present sequence of events, and stories have morals.
Ideas for Making Writing “Fun” for Students
Around the World: Children create sight word cards and play
games (e.g. I have -sight word-; can you find a different sw).
Spice It Up!: Students “spice up” newspaper articles by
creating better words for “said” and “says,” etc.
Word Family Bingo: Practice word family endings (e.g. -at, -an,
etc.).
Writers are Thinkers
You can READ without thinking, but you cannot
WRITE without thinking creatively!!(Bea Johnson)
Teach students how to think about their writing.
Metacognition– through think a-louds.
Talk to the students as you model your thinking as
you write.
Creative writing is the best way to get your
students to think through problems and processes.
Research shows that children who are given the
opportunities to write and express themselves
progress faster and score higher in school.
Thank you!!
Please make sure to write your questions
on our parking lot!