Small Writers…Enormous Possibilities! Effective Writing Instruction in the Kindergarten Classroom

1. Welcome! Small Writers…Enormous Possibilities! Effective Writing Instruction in the Kindergarten Classroom

3. Meet Hannah

6. Writing Before Reading? First graders are not well positioned for reading. They can read only the words they have learned to read or can sound out - a fairly small lexicon. But they beautifully positioned for writing. They can write all the words they can say. Even younger children who don’t know the alphabet can write if they have seen other people write. They just scribble, scribble, scribble - but with meaning, they can “read” their writing back to you. - Peter Elbow From “Writing First” Published in Educational Leadership, Oct. 2004

7. Structure of Writer’s Workshop in Kindergarten • MINI-LESSON • INDEPENDENT WRITING TIME • MID-WORKSHOP TEACHING POINT • CONFERRING • WHOLE-CLASS SHARE

8. Handout Page 2 MINI-LESSON • 5-10 minutes • Short and focused • Skill that can be used for life • Whatever “bugs” you today, becomes tomorrow’s mini-lesson

9. INDEPENDENT WRITING TIME • 5-25 minutes • Kids are writing and chatting • Teacher is conferring

10. MID-WORKSHOP TEACHING POINT • Very Brief • Highlight a student’s work or process • Encourage others to try it

11. Handout Page 3 CONFERRING √ Short and Focused √ Student-oriented so that the writer does most of the talking √ An opportunity to work on one writer’s problem, not the world of writing.

12. Handout Page 4 CONFERENCE RECORD Created by April Willard

13. CONFERENCE RECORD SHEET

14. WHOLE-CLASS SHARING • 5-10 Minutes • Options for sharing • Sharing Problems/Solutions

15. Vicki Spandell in Creating Writers: Gentle, gradual encouragement is among the most effective of all teaching strategies. We have more or less abandoned this approach in much of our formal instruction, but most of us, if we think about it, instinctively know the power of a teacher who believes absolutely in our capability. kelly_boswell@beavton.k12.or.us