Early Literacy Matters April 29 and May 1, 2010

Early Childhood Update

Sharing Your Work Plan Assemble in Coaching Cohorts.

Goals Identify pre-requisite motor skills and activities to support children in both drawing and writing Discuss ways to provide children with daily opportunities to write throughout the classroom Identify ways to support all children in their attempts to learn to write their own names Use the writing continuum to inform scaffolding

Expectations Teachers will: provide multiple opportunities for children to use emergent writing skills in many settings and for different purposes. use scaffolding to support children’s writing. engage children in activities involving vertical surfaces, bilateral skilla, proper wrist position, and strengthening and stability. support ALL children’s attempts to write their own name during daily routines.

Making Sense of Print Individually Look at the document. Identify the language you are reading. As a group Determine what the document says. Discuss how you determined the meaning. List the clues that informed your conclusions. Tables will report to the large group.

The social context The development of children’s writing has its roots in their social interactions with other more competent members of the society through various meaningful and purposeful activities. (Haneda & Wells, 2000: Newman & Roskos, 1997)

Authentic Use of Writing Sharing information (showing another child to how to write) Transacting business (writing a bill at a restaurant) Organizing activities (generating list or planning a party) Showing ownership (lunch box, cubby, paper)

What’s in a name “The process of writing helps children focus closely on the features that distinguish each letter from the others. To the extent that writing their names sensitizes children to the unique qualities of each letter’s shape, the process of writing may increase children’s awareness of differences among letters and facilitate their learning of the letters names, particularly the names of the letters in their own names.” Clay (2001) Change over time in children’s literacy development

Our Changing Understanding Reading Readiness theory: Children need a certain “maturity” to learn to read. Read first, then learn to write. Emergent Literacy theory: Children learn skills over time; reading is an accumulation of multiple skills. Learning to write informs learning to read, and vice versa

Teaching Writing Requires… both the mechanics of writing and the reason to write. Meaningful Purpose

Writing Continuum At your table: as a group sort the stages of writing along a developmental continuum. As you do so discuss how/why you have placed each stage in its position What clues are you able to detect about the child’s understanding of print at each stage?

Looking at Writing Development Using the writing samples from your classroom or the samples provided at your table, place each child on the writing continuum. Discuss with a partner how you might support each child’s writing or movement to the next stage on the writing continuum. At each table select 3-5 writing samples to post along the continuum on the back wall for a whole group discussion. Use any of the ideas on the Preschool Writing Environment handout to support your work.

Stages of Writing  Scribbling  Letter-like symbols  Strings of letters  Beginning sounds emerge  Consonants represent words  Initial, middle and final sounds  Transitional phase  Standard spelling

Children go through certain developmental stages of writing – these stages may vary in length from child to child. Development typically spans from 2 or 2 ½ to 5 years of age – from the late toddler stage to the end of the preschool years. Language, reading and writing skills develop at the same time and are intimately linked. (Baghban, 1984; Clay, 1987; Schickendanz, 1990)

“If children are provided with marking tools, a suitable surface on which to write, and a safe place to play, they begin to make marks at quite an early age.” Judith Schickedanz, 2000

Scribbling is to writing as babbling is to speaking.

Understanding Writing as Narrative Tell stories as narrative to express thoughts, ideas, feelings Organize stories with a beginning, middle, end Identify critical components of stories (character, setting, plot, etc.)

Dictation Write down child’s exact words Encourage all attempts Ask questions to extend language Make sure the child can see you write Read dictation back to child, following the print with your finger Encourage child to reread dictation by themselves, or to friends or family members

Concepts of Stories Stories have a sequence. Stories have characters, actions, and settings. Stories have a beginning, middle, and an end. We read words from the top of the page to the bottom There is a one-to-one correspondence between written and spoken words.

Enhancing Early Writing Abilities M

Message Center, Library Check Out, or Book Review

Writing Across the Curriculum

Children Show Individual Differences

Numeric Symbols

Oral and Written Messages

Sign in Sheet

Use Signs

Lunch

Carousel Activity 1. Count off Form 10 groups. 2. Begin at the flip chart with the number of your group. 3.At each chart, brainstorm how you can include writing, print referencing, or storytelling and dictation in that area. 4. You will have 2-5 minutes before you are prompted to move to the next area. 5. Continue until the facilitator halts the activity.

Work Plans Provide each child with at least two opportunities to write each day. Use scaffolding techniques to support individuals or small groups of children in their writing Engage children in activities to develop fine motor skills Support ALL children in attempts to write their name at least once during the school day

Wrap up and Evaluations

Make and Take