Kid WritingBy Lorena Montoya-Vargas & Gloria Gibson

• What is it that makes Kid Writing different from other young children’s writers workshops?

A Balanced Early Literacy Program

• Reading to Children• Reading with Children• Reading by Children

A Balanced Early Literacy ProgramA Balanced Writing Program in one that complements the reading program and

includes these three components:

• Writing to/for children.• Writing with children.• Writing by children.

Introducing Writing:

Assure children that they already know how to write!

The goal from day one is…For every spoken word, there is a matching written word.

The magic line strategy for when they don’t know what letter/s to use.

Train students to the procedures of journal writing.

Introducing the Basics:A mini lesson

This lesson will be repeated many many times with each child, until the child can independently write a message that the teacher can read.

How are you going to do this with 22 or 24 kids in your room?

Remember every student can write…3 ways to write

1. Draw a picture2. Label the picture3. Kid writing

Kid Writing Web Site:http://kidwriting.homestead.com/

The Right Way to Sound Out

The….Magic….Line

What is it?...I’m glad you asked!

A place holder for a word.

A life long writing strategy.

A strategy for when a student gets “stuck” in writing their message.

Underwriting: Adult Writing

Teacher praises student for doing great kid writing!

Teacher reads the story and writes the story under the student story using conventional or adult writing.

Teacher uses this as an opportunity for an individual mini lesson!

The Group Mini LessonThe teacher’s objective and the students can be very different.

How do I know what to teach?

What do I write on my lesson plans if I don’t know what I’m going to teach ahead of time?

Share their Writing!

It is also important to allow students time to share with each other!

Let them read their writing to a partner.

Publication Time

Displayed in the room

Make a book

Choose a journal entry to “edit”

HOW DO YOU PUBLISH?

Kid writing

Student Supplies• Pencil pouches/boxes

(contain pencils, markers, and crayons)

• Writing Journals;• Writing Notebooks; or • Writing Folders

Teacher Supplies• Small groups, black sharpie

or pencil• Material box with marker,

dry erase markers etc.• Writing Tablet or• Magnet Write & Wipe

Sentence Mat

What does Kid Writing look like in the classroom?

• Will I need a meeting area, where will it go? How will I use it and can it be used for other purposes?

• Do the students and I need areas for small groups, writing areas, and pair groups? How many will I need?

• How many writers per table and much space should students have between each other on the floor or rugs?

• Where will students keep their notebooks, folders, pencils and paper etc?

• How will students use the word wall, anchor charts and displays?

First ask yourself these questions:

There is no wrong answer, it’s how the room reflects your beliefs in teaching and learning. Debbie Diller

Putting our thinking on DISPLAY

IDEAS for Writing• Discuss in whole group; and

brainstorm ideas for writing so students will have a variety of topics to write about. (Create a list)

• Prompt questions: How do I celebrate my birthday? What’s my favorite thing to do at home, color or movie?

Visible Thinking• Capturing exactly what a child

dictates on paper, anchor charts and/or quotes to be placed for displays—Remember authenticity is essential.

A Typical Day

Writing Process

• Writing Workshop process consist of learning phonics and writing strategies, and creating the foundation of how written language works.

• A typical day of Kid writing should be 45-50 minutes.

Daily Schedule• Mini-Lessons approximately

7-10 minutes. • Kid-writing Process

approximately 20-30 minutes.

• Mini-Sharing approximately 5 minutes.

Seize the Opportunity Book Writing

• How-To Books• Silly-Funny Books• Alphabet Books• Nonfiction• Adventure Books• Fairy Tale• Big Stories• Pocket Chart Stories• Photo Stories• Story Murals• Menus• “If” Stories• Functional Writing• Responding to Literature/Current Events

Book writing-children develop many skills through book writing. Able to keep their focus on a topic, sequence events, and increase their vocabulary and complexity of sentences structures. Children should have the opportunity to write a variety of formats.