Language Experience – PrepD Interactive Writing – 5&6 Year Olds Leading Learning

This week the CSIRO visited my school to run a ‘hands on’ session with the Prep children on the ‘Science of Toys’. Sean, our very ‘cool’  fun CSIRO scientist ran the session and had the children engaged from the moment he spoke. If he wasn’t a scientist, I’m sure he would be a comedian. He knows I’m writing this and I hope he reads it. Thank you Sean for making science so real and fun for this group of students.

The children had a wonderful experience and were very keen to talk and record what they learnt. Interactive  Writing -student led was the strategy of choice to extend the children’s understanding and record this experience. The children’s writing was then made into a little book for the children to read and illustrate. Conversation and discussion about their shared experience was used to revisit the vocabulary the children would need. The children were given their ‘freebie word’ (read previous posts) and asked to write 3 – 4 linked sentences. Extending the children’s writing and using ‘coloring words’ – adjectives, is a focus for this group of young writers. My Intern (4th year university teaching student) has planned and led this whole process. Her planning and teaching has been outstanding! ( Jacinta, I know you read this blog – so well done – ‘You make me proud and humble!)

Interactive Writing

-jointly composing a large print text on a subject of interest to the students

-sharing responsibility for the recording at various points in the writing.

This eases the transition to independent writing by:

-making explicit how written language works

-constructing words using orthographic and phonological knowledge

-producing a text that can be read again.

Source – Sofweb

The children have been illustrating their ‘little book’ which will become a ‘take home’ book. Having talked about how important illustrations are to support meaning, the children have been taking great care to make sure their pictures will help others who read their book. This also reaffirms the importance of looking at pictures when reading to scaffold meaning. I’ll include photos of their illustrations in a future post because their drawings are amazing! Why? They understand the importance!

I’ve included links to some great research articles about Interactive Writing which is an essential element of the Language Experience approach.

Cheers Nina