Enhanced Language & Literacy Success
The Vanderbilt University/Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools Early Reading First Program
Writing With Preschoolers
The Teacher’s Role: Guides to Speech and Action
Dr. Debbie Rowe, Vanderbilt University
Teaching Basics:
1. Sit at the table with the children.
$ Sit at the same level, next to, or across from children at the writing centers.
$ When you work on the same table surface, children can see your writing easily.
$ You can easily reach across and position paper and other materials in front of the child. Arranging materials in front of the child, physically suggests what he/she is to do.
2. Invite children to write messages.
$ Put the pen in the child’s hand!
$ Whenever possible let the child write instead of doing it yourself.
3. Accept and praise ALL children’s writing even if it doesn’t look like correctly formed letters or is not spelled correctly.
4. Respond to the meaning of children’s writing.
$ Avoid correcting the form of preschoolers’ marks.
What to Say
5. Talk with children about their writing table activities
$ Observe what children decide to do with materials
$ Tell me about that!’
$ How did you learn to do that!
$ Talk about the interesting writing/drawing activities a child as underway so that other children can get ideas from their peers
6. Talk to children “as if” they are writers
$ You are really a fabulous writer!
$ Why don’t you write about that on your picture.
7. Suggest the child add print to his/her products
$ You should write the words on that. What would ‘pumpkin’ start with?
$ Put your name on your paper so we’ll know who did that.
1 05.18.09
Writing with Preschoolers
Guides to Speech and Action
8. Ask children to read their marks.
$ What did you write?” “What does that say?
$ Read that to me?
9. Suggest writing activities that children might do.
$ You could draw a pumpkin and then we’ll write the words on it. You could take it home to tell your mom about that tricky pumpkin we read about
$ Let children decide whether the do what you have suggested. They often get ideas from your suggestions that get them started.
10. When children are reluctant or refuse to write, encourage them to use “kidwriting”.
$ If children aren’t experimenting with writing messages, they are missing chances to learn how print works!
$ Talk about “kidwriting”: It’s OK to pretend to write. That’s how you learn.” It’s OK to write it with kidwriting
$ Just do it the best way you can. You’ll be able to read it.
$ You can do it your way – in kidwriting – then you can read it to me.
$ Tell children: Adults don’t always know how to spell words either. We just write it down the best way we can, then we can ask someone or look it up later.
$ Share the writing job with them. Support them in figuring out the first letter or sound and writing it. You can write the remaining letters if they refuse to write more.
$ Praise all of their efforts, even if unconventional.
Provide Help as Needed
11. Help children with writing and drawing as needed.
$ Provide the help children ask for, without taking over all the writing and drawing tasks.
$ Some children will be reluctant to write. They may ask you to write for them.
$ Encourage them to do kid writing.
12. Share the writing.
$ Tell them you will do the first part, and then they can do the next part
$ We’ll share the writing. I’ll write the P, then you can write the next letter.
13. Help children use the materials.
$ Depending on age and experience, children will need help learning how to use writing materials such as markers, scissors, staplers, glue sticks, etc.
14. Locate materials and provide information that can extend children’s writing.
$ I think we have a book in the book center that shows pictures of birds. I’ll get it so we can see how they look and we can read their names.
15. Help children invent spellings.
$ Inventing spellings is the best practice in phonemic awareness and letter/sound correspondence children can get!!!!!!!
$ Choose one important word to spell with the child.
$ Say the word out loud. “Stretch” out the sounds
$ Emphasize the first sound as you say the word.
$ Ask the child which letter he/she needs.
$ Give clues using classmates’ names or any special letter/sound cues you have introduced.
$ If children suggest a letter that could not match the sound, help them with the correct letter/sound match
$ (K makes the “kuh” sound. Mat begins with M like MyArie)
$ If children suggest a letter or letter name that could make the sound, but is not the correct choice, let it stand.
o Yes, C can make the “s” sound at the beginning of the word “saw. We’ll be able to read that!
$ For preschoolers, do not try to sound out all the letters in a word.
o Help the child sound out the beginning and ending letters, or the letter that begins and ends each syllable
(PMBN for “pumpkin”)
o As children get more practice, encourage them to stretch out the word and help them listen for the first and last sounds.
o Encourage children to see themselves and their peers as letter experts.
o Ask children to help each other with letters and sounds. (Send them to Destinee if they need the “D” sound.)
o Notice when children are tiring.
o Inventing spellings is very hard work for preschoolers. Be ready to share the writing of the rest of the message, or to back off and encourage them to do it their own way.
o Match your support to the child.
$ Not all preschoolers are ready to begin to invent spellings. However, all children benefit from observing teachers thinking out loud as they stretch out words and choose letters.
16. Write dictation that records what the child said about his scribbles and other marks
$ It is OK to write the child’s message in “adult writing”, but avoid making the child feel like his writing was not correct. It is not necessary to do this on all papers. Do this sparingly. We want the child to write as much as possible on his/her own.
$ Wait until the child has finished his own writing and ask him to read the marks to you.
$ Praise his “kidwriting.” Talk about features of writing meanings and forms that you notice.
o Wow! That’s a long story. I like the part where the boy jumps in the water!
o You wrote left to right just like Ms. Sarah does!
o You wrote a letter D just like Destinee’s name!
o That is fabulous kidwriting! Do you want me to write in Ms. Debbie’s writing, too?
$ Writing the message in adult writing is helpful for some papers that will go home. This allows parents to start a conversation with the child about their papers.
Provide Teacher Demonstrations of Writing
17. Start a writing project on your own paper – perhaps related to the week’s theme, a book read at group time, an important event at school or in children’s homes.
$ Many writing projects will start with a simple drawing, and then add print.
18. Talk out loud about what you are doing and why
$ I think I’ll draw a pumpkin like the one we just read about.
$ Read your writing out loud as you write letters and words on paper.
19. Invite children to help you (co-author) as you work on your paper
$ Shakira, help me draw the eyes for this pumpkin
1 05.18.09
Enhanced Language & Literacy Success
The Vanderbilt University/Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools Early Reading First Program
Writing: Guides to Speech and Action
Dr. Debbie Rowe, Vanderbilt University
Teaching Basics:
1. Sit at the table with the children
2. Invite children to write messages
3. Accept and praise all children’s writing
4. Respond to the meaning of their writing
What to Say:
5. Talk with children about their writing
6. Talk to children “as if” they are writers
7. Suggest that children add print to their papers
8. Ask children to read their marks
9. Suggest writing activities children might do
10. Encourage reluctant writers to use “kidwriting”
Provide Help
11. Help child with writing and drawing
12. Share the writing
13. Help children use the materials
14. Locate materials and provide information
15. Help children invent spellings
16. Write dictation to record the child’s message
Provide Demonstrations of Writing
17. Start a writing project on your own paper
18. Talk out loud about your writing
19. Invite children to help you in your writing project
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