Composition and Writing

1. Composition and Writing Creativity at work

2. What is Writing? • Writing comes in three modes • Expressive mode: A free flow of ideas and emotions from ones self • Poetic mode: Considered a type of art and often relates closely to expressive • Transactional mode: An attempt is made to persuade or advise others The information above is from Shedd, Meagan (2008). Writing and Composition. Presentation for TE 301, East Lansing, Michigan

3. How is writing different from Composition? • Children compose before they write • Children can dictate the stories they create to others • Children often compose their stories from bits and pieces of other stories they have heard The information above is from Shedd, Meagan (2008). Writing and Composition. Presentation for TE 301, East Lansing, Michigan

4. How good writers write • Good writers prepare • Brainstorming, outlining, etc. • Good writers convey their own ideas instead of copying others • Good writers convey their thoughts clearly • “Show, don’t tell” • Good writers convey actions/events through elaborative descriptions instead of just “telling” what’s happening • Good writers use correct grammar and punctuation

5. The Components of writing • Emergent Writing Components • Recurring principle: writing consists of the same moves repeated over and over again • Generative principle: writing created by employing the same small set of letters combined in different ways • Sign concept: a graphic display representing text • Flexibility concept: the idea that letters can be varied to produce new letters • Directionality: the arrangement of print on a page • Negative space: the space between words • A child’s first name is often the first thing they write. Writing these first letters is a good start for learning to write the rest of the alphabet The information above is from Shedd, Meagan (2008). Writing and Composition. Presentation for TE 301, East Lansing, Michigan

6. The Components of Writing • Early writing • Tracing: writing over letters that have been already written • Copying: Using the letters someone else has written as a prompt to write one’s own letters • Generating: Creating one’s own letters without prompting • Inventory principle: Children tend to make lists of letters and words they can write The information above is from Shedd, Meagan (2008). Writing and Composition. Presentation for TE 301, East Lansing, Michigan

7. The Components of Writing • More Practiced Writing • Invented spelling: early spellings children produce on their own • Cpidrmn = Spider-man • Letter-name strategy: using a letter to spell a sound if the name of the letter closely resembles the sound • Prk = Park • Incorrect use of digraphs: using one letter to spell a digraph • Pepr = Pepper The information above is from Shedd, Meagan (2008). Writing and Composition. Presentation for TE 301, East Lansing, Michigan

8. The Components of Writing • More Practice Writing Cont’d • Invented spelling of long vowels: lack markers to indicate length • Invented spelling of short vowels: use of letter-name strategy in place of short vowel • Vowel omissions: lack of vowels in syllables • Transitional spelling: words may look like English words, but are spelled incorrectly The information above is from Shedd, Meagan (2008). Writing and Composition. Presentation for TE 301, East Lansing, Michigan

9. The Stages of Writing Development • There are six common stages through which children go for writing development • Writing through drawing • Writing through scribbling • Writing through letter-like forms • Writing through familiar units of letter strings • Writing through estimated spelling • Writing through conventional spelling

10. The Stages of Writing Development • Writing through drawing • Children convey their thoughts and ideas by drawing them (Shedd, 2008) • They can often describe the story they drew • Like a wordless picture book

11. The Stages of Writing Development • Writing through scribbling • Squiggly lines appear to represent words • The lines may even follow the structure of a letter, list or story • Grocery lists and squiggles to go with their illustrations are popular at this stage The information above is from Shedd, Meagan (2008). Writing and Composition. Presentation for TE 301, East Lansing, Michigan

12. The Stages of Writing Development • Writing through letter-like forms • Some letters, but mostly letter-like forms begin to appear • This may include strings of letters that a child knows put together The information above is from Shedd, Meagan (2008). Writing and Composition. Presentation for TE 301, East Lansing, Michigan

13. The Stages of Writing Development • Writing through estimated spelling • More letters are used and more are conventionally formed • They use their knowledge of sounds to help in their writing • Words begin to form The information above is from Shedd, Meagan (2008). Writing and Composition. Presentation for TE 301, East Lansing, Michigan

14. The Stages of Writing Development • Writing through conventional spelling • Through time, practice and exposure to printed language, children begin to spell more conventionally • This typically develops around Kindergarten through First Grade, but children continue to hone their spelling skills grade after grade The information above is from Shedd, Meagan (2008). Writing and Composition. Presentation for TE 301, East Lansing, Michigan

15. Issues for Second Language Learners • SLL’s may have a completely different system of writing • Chinese has symbols that represent words and sometimes sentences • Some languages are written from right to left

16. Activities and Assessments • Early on, children can practice writing letters and words in lined work books ' http://www.enchantedlearning.com/alphabet/finishsentencecomic/

17. Activities and Assessments • As they progress, they can begin to write short stories (fiction or non-fiction) http://www.enchantedlearning.com/drawandwrite/family.shtml

18. Activities and Assessments • In later grades, children can practice the structures of different types of writing http://www.enchantedlearning.com/newspaper/writing/reporternotes2/ Newspaper article

19. References • Shedd, Meagan (2008). Writing and Composition. Presentation for TE 301, East Lansing, Michigan • Enchanted learning (2002-2008). http://www.enchantedlearning.com/essay/writing.shtml