Writing
My approach to writing is student centered. Writing is a form of communication, and students should feel confident writing whatever they want to say. Because of this, I teach students use their "inventive spelling" and use the sounds they hear, the letters they know, take guesses, and even use pictures. I do not want students to feel confined to only writing words they have learned to spell beecause that limits their communication, creativity, and willingness to take risks.
Once students gain the confidence to write their thoughts on paper, and progress to a transitional state; that is when we start introducing writing conventions such as starting with a capital, using spaces between words, using proper spelling of any "sight words" they have learned, and using ending punctuation.
Writing can be very intimidating. Some students take longer than others to learn. A little encouragement goes a long way. It is also important to recognize that strength and stamina play a huge role in the development of writing. See Home Activities for Pre-Handwriting Skills.
"I like Skate Night."
Developmental Stages of Writing:
Student Interviews
For the first few month of school, we have the classes interview students. One student is picked at random, and is given a "crown" to wear as he/she is interviewed. Common questions include, "What is your favorite food?" and "Do you have any pets?" Teachers model writing the answers to student interview questions. Afterward, each student makes a page for the interviewee. Pages are collected and stapled together in a book for the interviewee to take home. I do this activity instead of Star of the Week because everybody participates. Also, instead of "show and tell", students take turns bringing a mystery item that starts with a certain letter sound, and classmates listen to clues to guess the object. They love it!
Reading and Writing are Interconnected. Reading skills help with writing.
