My young writers truly inspire me. Just watching these very young children put their learning into practice is wonderful. They’re searching for letters, hunting for words, starting to prompt each other, using the tool cards, giving writing spacers a ‘real go’ and ‘thinking aloud’. They are engaged, and there is even a little bit of amazement when I read back what they have written. It’s that look of wonder, and that realization that what they’re writing can be read. This is a quick post, but it’s really rewarding to be their teacher. They are teaching me!
I love this final writing sample. This student had so much to write, was completely engaged, and read this back with ‘gusto’. One child wrote two linked sentences, amd this is independent writing. And yes we still have time to play!
Cheers Nina
Nina Davis: Teaching & Learning in Australia 
Hi Julie,
For PrepD Student Led Interactive Writing the children are writing a class discussed sentence (Language Experience) at this time of the year. Later in the year they will totaly construct their own paragraph as a group. The children sound out the words long and short etc. to write the words. They can spell a number of simple sight words now. They can use words around the room, if they can read them, but they have to use this strategy without prompt. I’m always looking to see if they start looking at our reading texts.
The Language Experience sentence at this stage is simple and the same for each group. However, I encourage the incorporation of a complex word into each simple sentence.
Student Led Interactive Writing is their collaborative effort. Their weekly journal is totally independent, and I’m looking for evidence of my teaching in their learning. This strategy is what makes my student’s writing amazing. It works! And their reading is zooming. Fluency and meaning are the key. Read Fountas and Pinell, and get the PM Writing Big Book exemplars if you don’t have them. Stay in contact, and thanks for commenting.
Cheers Nina
Hi Nina love reading your blog I an getting lots of inspiration being a first time prep teacher. Can you tell me is the writing chn are doing a sentence or beginning sentence( I am We are) just a copy from what you have written or are they looking for sounds matching letters to construct a sentence that has been discussed? I am a little unsure how to start the process and if it is totally modelled(copied) or writing/forming of letters independantly with only a common information thread.
Cheers Julie