Journal Writing in Kindergarten

I am often taken back with the reaction of visitors from other schools who come into my classroom and observe the writing behaviors of my kindergarten children.  "They are actually writing and not just drawing an illustration", they comment.  "How do you get them to this point?"

"It's a lot of work", I say with a smile, "but I do have First Steps to help me."  First Steps is a Developmental Continuum in Writing researched and developed by the Education Department of Western Australia in 1994.  They also developed continua in oral language, reading and spelling.  First Steps provides a framework for linking assessment with teaching and learning.  For each of the four areas, a developmental continuum was prepared to identify the phases in a child's development from pre-literacy to independence. By analyzing children's work with reference to the Continua, every child's development can be assessed and monitored.  First Steps also identifies milestones in children's growth and development, called key indicators.  By identifying the key indicators in a child's writing, I can place that child on the continuum and know what teaching strategies I need to employ to move that child to the next step.

Most children entering kindergarten are in Phase 1 ~ Role Play Writing.  They are just beginning to come to terms with a new aspect of language, that of written symbols.  They experiment with marks on paper with the intention of communicating a message.  They assign a message to their own symbols.  In this phase, they become aware that print carries a message, they understand that writing and drawing are different and they use known letters or approximations of letters to represent written language.  They may place letters randomly on a page, or mix up letters, numerals and invented letter shapes.  Often, along with an illustration, the child repeats a few known alphabet symbols, frequently using letters from own name.

Knowing that most children enter kindergarten at Phase 1, I employ several teaching strategies (modeled writing, shared writing) that allow the children to understand the precise connection between oral and written language. Through modeled writing at circle time, children see (a.) that written language remains constant; (b.) writing communicates a message; (c.) there are certain conventions in print; (d.) writing is purposeful and has an intended audience; and (e.) writing consists of understanding the connection between symbol/sound.  Through the fall, children are exposed to all the letters and the sounds they make.  I provide opportunity for children to "experiment" with writing everyday.

Now it is the spring of kindergarten writing.  Over the past nine months, the children have moved along the continuum.  By initiating their own writing activities in their daily journal writing, they have learned to apply, practice and refine their understandings gained through shared and modelled reading and writing.  They have moved on to Phase 2 ~ Experimental Writing and some are beginning to exhibit key indicators of Phase 3 ~ Early Writing.

In Phase 2, children realize that print contains a constant message, that one writes from left to right and top to bottom, that there is a one-to-one correspondence between written and spoken words.  When writing, a child in phase 2 relies heavily on the most obvious sounds of a word, e.g. 'I lik to rid mi bik'.

In Phase 3, children continue to write about topics which are personally significant, use basic sentence structures and may experiment with words drawn from language experience activities, literature, media and oral language of peers and others.  They are beginning to develop editing skills and utilize some punctuation.

Children learn to walk by taking their first stumbling steps, children learn to read and write the same way.  Children need to be given the time to experiment with authentic reading and writing activities....not with worksheets where they are asked to color or make an X on the picture that begins with the /b/ sound.  I am always amazed that some kindergarten programs are still utilizing dittos where the child is expected to cut and paste.  What a total waste of valuable learning time.

Children in kindergarten CAN write if given the opportunity and the strategies to utilize during modeled and shared writing sessions at circle time.  Come celebrate our newest crop of writers.

"Tomoroa I  m iat go to self carliana. I'm gunnu suim in a pool.  My sistr's are to. 4-17-09

(Tomorrow I am going to South Carolina.  I'm going to swim in a pool.  My sisters are too.)

Hannah

I am gunu be a fasin modl in the summr.  I owas wontid to be a fahin modl.  thy got my fone numbr.  (I am going to be a fashion model in the summer.  I always wanted to be a fashion model.  They got my phone number.)  Azelin

My Mom bot me eregs.  She bot tem at the stur.  (My Mom bought me earrings.  She bought them at the store.)  Azelin

I am jriving my jeep.  Now my jeep is all mude.  My jeep is big.  Cameron

I am geting four dans tickis.  I am dising to The cof fesh bol.  My Mom and Dad are ganu woch me dising to The cof fesh bol.  (I am getting four dance tickets.  I am dancing to the Cod Fish Ball.  My Mom and Dad are going to watch me dancing to the Codfish Ball.) Cora

Yastnday my dad bot a sthret bick.  It is a blue sthret bick the had to stop at the red lit sis giy was bahid him.  (Yesterday my Dad bought a street bike.  It is blue street bike that had to stop at the red light since a guy was behind him.)  Dominic

I got a frey rabit.  I nam it brone.  I love hem so so mojs.  I mishem at schll.  (I got a free rabbit.  I named him Browny.  I love him so so much.  I miss him at school.  Dylan

I am going to roll my chahju For Disne.  I love dsne.  I will like to go on oll uv the rides.  (I am going to roll my change for Disney.  I love Disney.  I am going to go on all the rides.)Jordan

I'm getgin a noow kinputr today.  My sistr oirate hes a kinputr.  The print oinley is black and wiat.  So oinley the things you wot to bee blak and wiat.  I Love dooing wrck.  (I'm getting a new computer today.  My sister already has a computer.  The print is black and white.  So only the things you want to be black and white.  I love doing work.) Paige

Now it is your turn.  See if you can read Cara's entries: