Writing: Putting Words into Print

Learning how to write begins at a very early age. Young children eagerly and enthusiastically use crayons or markers to write. Toddlers and preschoolers think that all they have to do is pick up a pen and scrawl little lines and dots. Gradually, they realize that writing is speech in the form of symbols on paper, so they talk and scribble away--and expect you to read this scribble! As their fine motor skills develop, children draw pictures and dictate words to accompany the pictures. Sometimes they try to write words. They may start with words they remember seeing somewhere, or may attempt to write the sounds they hear when they say the words aloud. For example, a child might write "D" or "DG" for "dog."

From these modest but enthusiastic beginnings, writers emerge. Children who have been encouraged to express their ideas on paper from an early age become confident about their ability to write. The more they write, the more they learn about writing. For this reason, writing experiences in school should build on this natural momentum rather than impose premature or excessive demands for correct spelling, punctuation and other mechanics. Children who are enthusiastic about writing will learn the mechanics as they strive to put their ideas into print.

Writing requires a complex set of skills, some creative, others mechanical. These skills include:

• choosing a topic
• sequencing ideas
• conveying an idea clearly
• organizing information or a story line
• using mechanics correctly (spelling, punctuation, capitalization)
• editing and revising
• proofreading

What you should see in the classroom

Learning the mechanics of writing

Questions to ask your child's teacher

What You Should See In Your Child's Classroom: The Writing Workshop

Although daily opportunities to write are essential, children benefit from three or more discrete periods each week that are devoted specifically to developing writing skills. Scheduled writing times allow children to focus on what they want to say and how to say it. This special time is often called "writing workshop." The elements of a typical writing workshop are:

• Mini-Lessons. The writing workshop often begins with a brief lesson. The teacher may select a specific aspect of writing based on his or her observations of the children's work.
  
• Writing Time. Following the lesson, children try out what they have learned. They need to work on their own, but occasionally they may want to write with a friend.
  
• Conferences. Children have opportunities to confer individually with the teacher to discuss their work or to learn a specific skill. Even just a few minutes of undivided attention from the teacher--when questions are answered, progress noted, or advice given--can build children's confidence and writing skills.
  
• Sharing. Children read their drafts to the class and ask for help in specific areas. This sharing allows children to appreciate each other's work and to give and receive constructive criticism.
  
• Revising and Editing. To beginning writers, these steps can be overwhelming. For this reason we encourage teachers to consider only one or two things at a time in a child's story. (If your child is focusing on one skill at a time, the work you see may still contain errors, so find out the teacher's system and look for progress over time.)
  
• Publishing. Once children have had some experience revising and editing their work, they are ready to think about putting it in a form for others to see. For many first graders, too much "copying over" is unreasonable--getting their thoughts on paper is challenge enough. Second and third graders can rewrite some of the writing or type it on the computer.

back to top

Learning the Mechanics of Writing

Children may not be taught the mechanics of writing--spelling, handwriting, grammar, punctuation, and capitalization--the same way that you were. You may have practiced spelling, handwriting, and punctuation in isolated lessons before you began writing stories. But child development specialists have shown that premature emphasis on these mechanics can become roadblocks to writing. However, when mechanics are taught and practiced in the context of doing the actual writing, children are motivated to learn and use them. Why is this? When children have an audience and a story to tell, they want the story to be clear, understandable, and easy to read.

Spelling

As children write they are encouraged to listen to the sounds they hear in a given word and spell that word the way it sounds. This is called invented spelling. Many parents wonder how children will learn to spell words correctly if they are encouraged to write without attending to accurate spelling. To put a little perspective on invented spelling, try to remember how your child first began to talk. There was a great deal of babbling before recognizable words became clear. Similarly, when children use invented spelling, they get at least some semblance of a word on paper. Over time, as with speaking, they begin to understand that spelling is standardized.

Children progress through developmental stages as they learn to spell. For example, they usually begin representing words with consonants first, because consonant sounds are more distinct than vowel sounds. They may write a whole sentence using letters that represent the initial sounds of words, for example, "I l m c" for "I love my cat." Later, they add ending sounds, so the word cat looks like "ct."

Children use vowels after they understand that the sounds between consonants are represented by letters. Figuring out which vowel to use is difficult because vowel sounds are more subtle than consonant sounds; it is much easier to distinguish between the sounds of b and d than it is to distinguish between the ah sound of a as in bat and the eh sound of e as in bet.

Most children need explicit directions in learning to spell words accurately. First graders who write extensively can be held accountable for a list of basic words that they use regularly. Second and third graders can begin to memorize spelling rules and patterns, core lists of words, specific words from their writing, and can play spelling games. Research shows that children who write more use more interesting language and are better spellers.

Handwriting

Proper handwriting is another mechanical skill children learn in time. For some children in the primary grades, learning to form letters correctly and efficiently is a difficult task because their fine motor skills are still developing. Eventually, most children are willing to work on their handwriting when they realize it must be legible so others can read it. For this reason, children are more motivated to practice handwriting in the context of an ongoing writing program.

Punctuation and Capitalization

As with spelling, children learn to use capital letters, periods and question marks, and other types of punctuation more willingly and easily when teachers create meaningful opportunities for them to do so. For instance, children can read their written stories aloud to hear where the punctuation belongs, then write the punctuation on the paper. They can notice where a word has been inadvertently left out of a sentence, then insert the word. As they watch their teacher writing on a chart, they can see the various conventions of print as the teacher calls attention to them.

Questions To Ask Your Child's Teacher

• Can you show me samples of my child's writing from the beginning of the year and now?
• What kinds of writing does he most enjoy?
• Can you tell me about the progression of her spelling skills?
• What does he do when he doesn't know how to spell a word?
• Does my child write as a free choice activity (such as writing skits or game directions)?
• What are your goals for my child as a writer this year?
• How will you help her achieve these goals?
• What can I do to help?

back to top