PrepD Interactive Writing: 5 and 6 Year Olds – Linking sentences, using adjectives and ’rounding off’ passages! The essential strategy weaved into the Language Experience Classroom!

Today is the first day of Spring and my children’s writing is blossoming! Interactive Writing – Student Led was the strategy selected for the children to compose a text about our recent school sports – a shared experience. Interactive Writing is an essential strategy used in the Language Experience classroom. So what growth is shown in their writing? What can I see that will inform my planning for the class as a whole,  small groups with common needs and for individuals?

N.B. Each child writes with their own color with names recorded down the side of the sheet. Children write in the order their name is written. Names have been removed for privacy reasons.

Discussion of text for children Green and Red. For example, this sample tells me that child Green is reversing ‘s’ and still has some confusion with capital letters. Using ‘e’ on the end of the word to change the vowel sound needs to be continuously revised for all and particularly child Green. A focus on ‘ck’ would be beneficial to all students and will be planned into a writing session. Have a look at how child Green spelt vortex. What a creative attempt – ‘4 tex’. I could read it!  Other great attempts: fantastic – fantastik, time – tim, discus – dissck, metre – metar, relay- rheelay, last – lust.

My students are ‘taking risks’, using adjectives ( coloring in words ) and extending their writing to 3/4/5 sentences. There is lots to celebrate here, and it is transferring to their independent writing!  The Early Years strategies – Modelled, Shared, Guided, Independent and Interactive Writing ( teacher & student led ) when strategically planned into a weekly program scaffold writing development.

When looking at this writing sample, I can see some terrific attempts at spelling vocabulary. Great attempts: blue – bow, green – grni, didn’t – didt (tricky final sound represented). When looking closely, it is obvious that child Green needs to revise forming a lower case ‘n’ as this is evident in many words. I’m always pleased to see ‘self driven’ editing that develops as a natural process of writing. These children are 5 & 6 year olds in their first year of formal schooling and every now and then I have to remember that! They just amaze me with what they do! Their conversations when writing are incredible. My 4th Year University student teacher overheard one child say ‘ we need to put in an adjective’. That sort of discussion among young children excites me!

This strategy supports young writers as they share, refine and practise taught strategies whilst writing.  The writer has the support of other children to prompt when needed. It’s sensational! I have written many posts about this strategy and if you go back to the beginning of my blog you can see their writing  journey. Just put Interactive Writing in the search box and take a look! Cheers Nina