Teaching of Early Writing
At our school, Drawing Club is an integral part of the writing curriculum in Nursery and Reception. It is designed to foster early literacy skills through engagement with high-quality texts. A book serves as the stimulus for each writing session, chosen from a range of recommended reads, topic-related texts, or reading for pleasure from our reading spine.
After listening to a story, children are introduced to new vocabulary, which is displayed on our ‘Wow Word Wall’ and revisited regularly to reinforce understanding and usage. During each session, children engage in drawing activities that include the addition of a ‘magic button.’ To activate the ‘magic,’ they must include a ‘secret code,’ which varies according to their developmental needs. This may include:
A sound they are learning that day
A word, caption, or full sentence
A number or mathematical fact
Each session begins with teacher modelling. The teacher demonstrates the drawing process and models the corresponding writing on the board for the whole class. Children then participate in a small-group Drawing Club session, facilitated by an adult who provides scaffolding appropriate to each child's stage of development.
Physical Development and Writing Readiness
Prior to engaging in formal writing activities, children in Nursery and Reception are given extensive opportunities to develop their physical strength and fine motor control. Activities focus on building core stability, upper body strength, and dexterity in the hands and fingers to support early writing skills.
Daily Writing Modelling
Teachers model writing every day in various forms, such as mind maps, to capture children's prior knowledge before introducing a new topic. This practice ensures that writing is embedded across the curriculum and that children develop confidence and competence in their writing journey.
Purposeful Writing in Early Years
Writing in the Early Years should be recognised as a purposeful and meaningful activity. To facilitate this, our home corners are equipped with a variety of printed materials, such as recipe books, magazines, and menu leaflets, to expose children to print within their play environment. Additionally, resources and materials are provided to enable children to create their own recipe books, takeaway orders, and other written forms.
Opportunities for writing in play-based contexts include: phones and notepads for taking messages in the home corner; greetings cards and invitations readily available for children to engage in writing; props for role-play, such as registers and books, to support experiences like playing school. Books and materials are always available for children to ‘write’ their own stories.
Modelling and Encouraging Writing
Adults in the Early Years actively seek opportunities to model and encourage writing in everyday and playful contexts. Writing for specific audiences is demonstrated through practical examples, such as composing a letter to a family member or friend who lives far away. We build upon children’s interests and identify relevant opportunities in self-initiated play to introduce writing for a purpose. Examples include creating a sign for a den to instruct ‘baddies’ to keep out or writing invitations for a tea party.
By embedding writing into meaningful and engaging activities, we ensure that children develop confidence and motivation to write from an early stage.