Interactive Writing – Here I go again!

As I write my student’s reports I can’t help but reflect upon my teaching and my student’s learning. What can I do better and what is going well? My blog helps me to reflect on, and improve my practice.

Interactive Writing As A Whole Class Student Led Writing / Reading Strategy

Why do I keep writing about this strategy? My experience tells me that Interactive Writing as a teacher led small group instruction method is great, but whole class-student led Interactive Writing is powerful in terms of student learning.

 What I hear is as important as what I see. The conversations the children engage in while writing are fascinating. They understand the concept of prompting, not answering. They see that personal achievement and pride comes from ‘having a go’ and letting others have ‘a go’. Editing their writing becomes a natural progression of learning conversations. Celebrating each other’s efforts at the time of writing and during share time is a natural part of discussion. Cooperation and organisation is intrinsic to success, coupled with participation. Less confident writers are supported and active participants. Not bad for 5 and 6 year old children!

So what have I learnt from watching and listening?

Having decided to write about our excursion (a shared experience) we discussed what a sentence is and the simple grammar we would need to use. Then as a class we came up with a sentence. Sometimes I give a ‘freebie’ word, but on this occasion I didn’t. A ‘freebie’ word/s is negotiated with the grade e.g. they might choose Immigration Museum. The sentence the children came up with was, ‘We went to the museum on a bus.’

N.B – All groups are writing the same class formed sentence. This will be extended to personal group formed writing at the beginning of next term.

Their writing informs my teaching!

What I see and hear tells me:

•  
  • Connection between speech and writing is developing
  • Writing conveys ideas / information
  • All can read back what they have written
  • Taught letter formations are transferring over to writing
  • Understanding of spaces between words needs developing
  • Conventional letters and groups of letters are being used
  • Simple punctuation- use of full stops & capital letters
  • Drawings support the text
  • Letter/ sound knowledge is developing well
  • Spelling of frequently written words is developing well
  • Most words of one syllable and regular spelling are spelt correctly
  • Is using phonological processes when recall isn’t automatic
  • Says the word to identify the sequence of sounds and letters as a strategy
  • Attempts to spell unfamiliar words (museum)
  • Relying heavily on letter-sound relationships

Please read my previous posts about Interactive Writing. The writing development is evident. Cheers Nina