Young children, learning to write...
Up to this point young children have gone through the learning to write process starting with scribbling to actually forming letters. Now they are ready to really start writing. During this stage learning to write develops from one letter representing a whole word to quite readable inventive spelling. Children learn to use writing in many ways, and there are many things we can do to support them through this process.
Inventive Spelling
What is important
- Using beginning sound
- Using ending sound
- Using medial sounds
- Using blends
- Using vowel combinations
How to help children develop these concepts and skills
- Model writing. Model in a way that is one little step above where the children are able to work. For example, if they are able to use beginning sounds to represent a word, model how to listen for and write the ending sound also.
- Interactive writing. In this activity, the teacher and children write together. They share the pen. Children take turns writing words with the teacher to assist. Children help sound out words together.
At this stage children begin to use their expanding knowledge of letters and sounds and phonological awareness concepts to write more of the letters in each word. They also begin learning to write sight words.
As children move through the early reading and writing stage, their ability to write phonetically improves. They also learn more concepts of print and sight words.
Forms
What is important
- Letters
- Stories
- Descriptions
- Information
- Narrations
How to help children develop these concepts and skills
- Provide many different types of writing materials for dramatic playtime. For example, little notebooks to take orders at a restaurant, paper for shopping lists, postcards to write letters on.
- Work together to write and publish a story with pictures.
- Practice orally retelling an event. Then write it down. Model writing your version of the event, and then let the children write their versions.
To see all of the skills in the Early reading and writing stage, click on the links below:
Phonics
Sight Words
Vocabulary and Oral Language
Concepts About Print
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