Brave Writing: The Portal to Literacy Development
9/15/2016
Phonics instruction is systematic, rigorous, planned and an essential part of the fuller instructional program. Children learn phonics as they master other concepts and learn about their world.
Dr. Rachel Eells and Dr. Sandra Doering LEA Convocation October 2016
Teachers measure their students’ understanding of phonics and other conventions of writing by looking closely at their writing processes and products. Let’s look at some samples and see what you can learn about this child through her “brave writing”…..
Children are encouraged to write down the sounds they hear as they write. Letter names and sounds are taught together.
In groups of 3-5, look at these samples and list the student’s understanding of phonics and other conventions of writing. How did she grow from the first semester to the end of the year? This child is in Kindergarten Early December sample End of year (May) sample
1
9/15/2016
Journal writing provides children with an opportunity to systematically explore written language in the supportive environment in which they are learning by doing for an authentic purpose—to communicate their ideas.
Beginning writing using phonics-based spelling can be helpful for developing understanding of the identification of speech sounds and sound-spelling relationships.
For many children writing is the gateway to understanding how reading works. Fostering early writing success produces literacy success in the overwhelming majority of children.
The key here is not to tell children how to write, but to help them sound out words until they feel confident writing independently. The more opportunities children are given to write, the better their writing becomes. Teachers’ expectations of children’s writing need to send the empowering message “You can do it”.
In this approach, only logical, thoughtful spellings are acceptable for words not yet taught and conventional spelling is expected for word that have been formally taught. We need to educate our parents about the stages of developmental spelling through which the children progress if given a supportive environment in which to write. (More on this later)
2
9/15/2016
Set up a time every day for journal writing. Get the students into the habit of writing. Teach them to draw first if they can’t think of anything to write. Help them sound out or stretch the words at first. Praise the child for all the things he/she does correctly (even if it is just one letter sound) Use what you are seeing in their writing as indicators of what you need to teach. (When a child consistently misspells a word the same way, it is time to teach him/her how to spell it correctly) Work writing into all your content (science, social studies, read alouds…)
Put their pieces up around the room.
Let them make little books using their brave spelling.
Teachers need to provide frequent and varied demonstrations of writing in full-group situations in order to model the knowledge and thinking processes involved and to show that writing is an important and integral part of the classroom culture.
On a regular basis turn their pieces into little books using standard spelling. Teach them to read the little books they have written using the standard spelling.
Children learn to read and write best through gradual approximations to adult conventions. Development stages of spelling growth Richard Gentry’s “Monster Test”
Children learn best in risk-free environments with high levels of challenge and support. Children learn best through social interactions with a more knowledgeable peer or adult. Children need frequent, ongoing opportunities to play with written language and investigate how written language works.
3
Phonics instruction is systematic, rigorous, planned and an essential part of the fuller instructional program. Children learn phonics as they master other concepts and learn about their world.
Dr. Rachel Eells and Dr. Sandra Doering LEA Convocation October 2016
Teachers measure their students’ understanding of phonics and other conventions of writing by looking closely at their writing processes and products. Let’s look at some samples and see what you can learn about this child through her “brave writing”…..
Children are encouraged to write down the sounds they hear as they write. Letter names and sounds are taught together.
In groups of 3-5, look at these samples and list the student’s understanding of phonics and other conventions of writing. How did she grow from the first semester to the end of the year? This child is in Kindergarten Early December sample End of year (May) sample
1
9/15/2016
Journal writing provides children with an opportunity to systematically explore written language in the supportive environment in which they are learning by doing for an authentic purpose—to communicate their ideas.
Beginning writing using phonics-based spelling can be helpful for developing understanding of the identification of speech sounds and sound-spelling relationships.
For many children writing is the gateway to understanding how reading works. Fostering early writing success produces literacy success in the overwhelming majority of children.
The key here is not to tell children how to write, but to help them sound out words until they feel confident writing independently. The more opportunities children are given to write, the better their writing becomes. Teachers’ expectations of children’s writing need to send the empowering message “You can do it”.
In this approach, only logical, thoughtful spellings are acceptable for words not yet taught and conventional spelling is expected for word that have been formally taught. We need to educate our parents about the stages of developmental spelling through which the children progress if given a supportive environment in which to write. (More on this later)
2
9/15/2016
Set up a time every day for journal writing. Get the students into the habit of writing. Teach them to draw first if they can’t think of anything to write. Help them sound out or stretch the words at first. Praise the child for all the things he/she does correctly (even if it is just one letter sound) Use what you are seeing in their writing as indicators of what you need to teach. (When a child consistently misspells a word the same way, it is time to teach him/her how to spell it correctly) Work writing into all your content (science, social studies, read alouds…)
Put their pieces up around the room.
Let them make little books using their brave spelling.
Teachers need to provide frequent and varied demonstrations of writing in full-group situations in order to model the knowledge and thinking processes involved and to show that writing is an important and integral part of the classroom culture.
On a regular basis turn their pieces into little books using standard spelling. Teach them to read the little books they have written using the standard spelling.
Children learn to read and write best through gradual approximations to adult conventions. Development stages of spelling growth Richard Gentry’s “Monster Test”
Children learn best in risk-free environments with high levels of challenge and support. Children learn best through social interactions with a more knowledgeable peer or adult. Children need frequent, ongoing opportunities to play with written language and investigate how written language works.
3
