Writing

Emergent writing refers to the earliest stages of writing development, where children explore, experiment, and invent written language before mastering conventional rules. It’s about fostering creativity, expression, and confidence in young writers.

1. Set Up the Environment

Create a writing-rich space with lots of tools and surfaces. Think:

• Pencils, crayons, markers, paintbrushes

• Paper, walls, dry erase boards, chalkboards

• Magnetic letters, alphabet blocks, foam letters

• Label makers, typewriters, tablets, computers

• Writing toys like LeapFrog or VTech

• Adapted tools for students with physical needs

The goal is to make writing accessible, engaging, and varied.

2. Build a Writing Community

• Use the Big Paper Strategy: Cover a table with chart paper and invite everyone—students, teachers, support staff—to write together.

• Celebrate all writing: Let students read their work aloud. Respond with genuine interest and specific praise.

• Publish everything: Even scribbles and inventive spelling deserve to be printed and shared. It teaches that writing is for communication.

• Read alouds: Encourage students to share their writing with the group.

✨ Create Opportunities for Writing

Use pictures: Let students choose images to inspire their writing. You can say things like, “I see you picked a picture of candy—tell me more about why you love it!”

Connect with peers: Link one student’s writing to another’s. For example, “You wrote about candy, and Zain wrote about chocolate yesterday. You both love sweet treats!”

Sign-in, Sign-up, Sign-out: Give students real reasons to write their names—when arriving, choosing snacks, picking centers, or leaving for the day. Let them write freely without correction. Adults can model proper writing after the student finishes.

🧠 Teaching Strategies That Work

Expand writing: Use prompts like “Tell me more about that!” to encourage deeper expression.

Morning Message: Write a short daily message on a board or chart. Think aloud as you write—point out capital letters, punctuation, and sound out words.

Predictable Chart Writing (without using a chart here):

• Start by asking students to share something they like (e.g., “I like frogs”).

• Revisit their sentences daily, reading them aloud together.

• Break sentences into words and help students rebuild them.

• Turn the sentences into a group activity—students can hold word cards and arrange themselves in sentence order.

• By the end of the week, students can reconstruct their sentences on paper, add drawings, and compile them into a class book.

✨ Write for a Purpose

Children are more motivated to write when it feels meaningful. Give them real-life reasons to put pencil to paper:

• Create letters to friends or family

• Make birthday cards or party invitations

• Write grocery lists or recipes

• Leave messages for family members

• Jot down reminders or to-do lists

These everyday tasks show that writing is a powerful tool for communication.

🖍️ Provide Writing Tools

Set the stage with a variety of materials that invite exploration:

• Pens, pencils, markers, crayons, chalk, stamps, and paint

• Paper options like notepads, construction paper, postcards, envelopes, sticky notes

Having choices makes writing feel personal and exciting. A glittery marker or a heart-shaped notepad can spark a whole story!

🎲 Make Writing Fun

Blend writing into playtime to make it feel natural and joyful:

• Keep score during board games or sports

• Write prescriptions while playing doctor

• Create menus and order slips while playing restaurant

• Make photo books with captions

• Play school by taking attendance, writing messages, or designing worksheets

When writing is part of imaginative play, kids don’t just learn—they live the experience.