Early+Years+Writers

Early Years Writers (Kathleen 2010) (Reading with kids 2009)

Writing, along with reading, speaking listening and viewing are necessary skills for ‘effective functioning in the community’ (Hill 2012, p.3) as it allows communication between one another.

The skills in being able to write is a continual process that begins as early as a child can hold a piece of writing equipment, for example, pencils, crayons, pens and paints. It is at this stage that children begin their journey, developing their skills in writing. The initial attempts of pretending to write and the scribbles that children make on any flat surface soon become drawings that begin to contain meaning (Hill 2012, p.6). Children also experiment with symbols and letters that are both made up and recognisable (Hill 2012, p.6).

As children progresses into kindergarten they begin to understand what a sentence is and that other people can read their written words (Hill 2012, p.6).

When at school children start to write simple words, such as their names and sentences with the appropriate spacing and punctuation (Hill 2012, p.6). During their first few years at school children become more confident with their writing, expressing their own ideas and begin to form paragraphs. The process of self checking and editing begins to become an important part of the overall writing process, with children creating a well punctuated and thoroughly thought out piece of writing (Hill 2012, p.6).



These developmental stages are known as the ‘Phases of Literacy Development’ (Hill 2012, p.6).These stages help answer the question that a pre service teacher may have: How can we measure and understand how literate a child is?

__ The Phases of Literacy Development __ There are many ways to describe the phases of literacy development, one such example is Hill’s (2012) ‘Phases in literacy development’ grid which covers six stages of an early years literacy learner. This grid covers the child’s stages in ‘Words, Reading and Writing’ (Hill 2012, p.6), this is because these three aspects of literacy are seen as ‘parallel processes’ (Hill 2012, p.5), working alongside each other to create an overall “literate” individual. This becomes a useful tool for teachers, enabling them to ‘envisage the distance or the zone of proximal development between what children can do and more sophisticated understanding’ (Hill 2012, p.5), allowing teachers through observation to identify a child’s level of literacy development and therefore plan for continual future development for that child. It is important though to understand that all children will develop at different rates and that these stages of literacy development are only guidelines in assessing a child’s literacy and that it is normal for children to be stronger or weaker in certain areas of literacy at a particular point in time. This is why a continual observation of the child’s development in literacy is necessary to build on strengths and work on weaker areas, giving support to the child at any literacy stage. This is where one of the three important ideas in understanding early years literacy learners come into consideration, that ‘adults scaffold children’s learning’ (Hill 2012, p.3), which allows them to grow and progress in their learning into the future.

Below is a description of each of the phases of development in writing with corresponding pictures and video footage.

Figure 1.1 ‘Phases in literacy development’ (Hill 2012, p.6)

Stages Writing Pictures sourced from, by line: (Kay 2010), (Iappfind 2010), (Padilla 2012) (Eddy 2010), (Cutcaster 2011), (Michelle 2012) (Erin 2010), (Google Images 2012) (Skoretz 2012) (Fellowes 2007) (Chater Junior School 2009)

(0-3 years of age) || Pretends to write on paper with crayons, paint or pencils.
 * Beginning



Understands that signs and symbols tell a message. || (3-5 years of age) || Scribble can contain drawing and writing.
 * Early-emergent

Invents some letters and repeats these.

Letters and numbers appear. Beginning of directionality. Copies some letters. || (P-Kindergarten) || Writes letters and words. Leaves spaces between words.
 * Emergent

Begins to understand a sentence and some punctuation.

Understands that another person can read their written words. || (K-Year1) || Writes about topics that are meaningful. Can write in simple sentences.
 * Early

Is aware of and can use most forms of punctuation.

May use repetitive sentences such as ‘I like…’. || (Years 1-2) || Can write several sentences with several ideas and includes punctuation. Records own ideas. Checks spelling and punctuation. The speed of writing increases and the ideas rather than the mechanics of writing take over. || (Years 2-4) || Writes a range of different types suited to different audiences. Revises, edits and proofreads, checks for flow and meaning of texts. Uses a range of punctuation conventions.
 * Transitional
 * Extending

Can construct a paragraph with topic sentence. Can link several ideas in a formal piece of text. ||

Take a look at this video below which goes through and explains the stages of literacy!

media type="youtube" key="f4BSMrhKC80" width="411" height="341" align="center"

(You Tube 2012)

__ Text Types- Genres __ There are many different text types or Genres that children can explore in their writing. An understanding of fact and fiction is necessary before children can emerge and develop their skills in structuring and producing different forms of writing (Hill 2012, p.344).

Below are six different examples of text types-genres with explanations on how they are used and structured:

(Hill (2012), p. 345, Fig. 15.2)



Examples of writing within the different text types-genres:


 * __ Discussion- __** Also known as exposition (persuasive).

Examples include topic questions such as: Are boys better at sport than girls? Is fast food bad? Should recess and lunchtime be longer?

Or Argumentative statements such as: Video games are taking over children’s lives. There should be no school uniform. Homework should be banned.

Students can agree, disagree or present aspects of both sides when writing a discussion piece.


 * [[image:http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--TiZ6lfgI7I/TV8ofTxuSBI/AAAAAAAAAOA/QR5-m_IbF9E/s320/101_8348.JPG width="454" height="411" align="left" caption="An example of the process in writing a discussion piece (Lori 2012)"]] || [[image:http://www.readingrockets.org/themes/rr_new/images/dynamic/persuasive-writing_2.jpg align="right" caption="An Example of a discussion piece (Reading rockets 2012)"]] ||

Examples include: -an instruction manual -recipes -contracts -experiment write ups (Hill 2012, p.345)
 * __ Procedure- __** Explains how to do things.


 * [[image:http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_mLIr0-4mDXs/TUEnFY03nWI/AAAAAAAAAZE/qYopH5GFxXY/s640/IMG_0596.JPG align="right" caption="An example of a recipe (Stacey 2012)"]] || [[image:http://craighillps.edublogs.org/files/2011/01/scan0112-y6cprr.jpg width="467" height="480" align="right" caption="An example of a Science experiment write up (Craighill Primary School: Tain 2011)"]] ||

__ Narrative- __ Examples include: Anything that tells a story, usually written in chronological events and set in the past, present or future such as: -fairytales -fables -myths -poems -plays -historical pieces - biographies - legends (Hill 2012, p.345)

During my teaching practium a few weeks ago, the grade 3/4's were finishing off their individual narratives on the topic of a 'Friendship story'. Below are two finished narrative samples from two grade 3 students that were in my class:


 * [[image:lasckk/ECL210_Wiki_Assignment_(Group)_002.JPG width="503" height="312" caption="Sample of a narrative (Morrison 2012)"]] || [[image:ECL210_Wiki_Assignment_(Group)_004.JPG width="532" height="339" caption="Sample of a narrative (Morrison 2012)"]] ||

Examples include: -newspaper accounts -diaries -letters -retelling of past events e.g. of growing things or how 'I' solved a problem (Hill 2012, p.345)
 * __Recount-__ ** The retelling of stories


 * [[image:http://ninadavis.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/journal-writing-day-1-term-4-2011-041.jpg width="483" height="602" caption="An example of a recount piece- retelling an event (Davis 2011)"]] || [[image:http://www.rustyandrosy.com/wp-content/uploads/photo.jpg width="640" height="480" caption="An example of a recount- a letter (Google Images 2012)"]] ||

Report- describes a class of things. Examples include: Reports on- - the community - a place - phenomena such as,the weather, skin or the heart (Hill 2012, p.345)
 * [[image:http://www.ite.org.uk/ite_topics/english_and_sustainable_development/img/shazias_weather.jpg width="482" height="538" caption="An example of a weather report (ITE English: English and Sustainable Development 2012)"]] || [[image:http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR82kH1kbjzIDix5-vLEQ4Z_cLg_p0R4LCZb7BqURx2JJFaLLKUgA width="609" height="537" caption="Students could write a report on Australia (Advance Australia Fair 2012)"]] ||

Examples include: -how kites fly -how springs work -an explanation on what sinks and what floats (Hill 2012, p.345)
 * __ Explanation- __** explains phenomena.
 * [[image:http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSam1J1WdEHW8PFxep6gVw882-g-iNevjEhZjZXL-O2LNmh8jC_EZTsORMA width="485" height="293" caption="An explanation could be written by students on how kites fly (Medsonline 2012)"]] || [[image:http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSjM7a6L679Kp4gvylvFd6aS4T7zSfKbI1mSZq_YjIE0neHpf6K width="533" height="333" caption="Stusents could write an explanation piece on what sinks and what floats (ACS Chemistry for life 2012)"]] ||

__ The Writing Process __ There are two sets of roles that need to be considered when writing. These are called: Authorial and Secretarial Roles 'Authorial Generating and organising ideas and information to   communicate with a known audience: • Planning • Composing • Revising Secretarial Dealing with the surface features of writing: • Recording • Publishing' (Cloonan 2009, slide 23)

The Writing process explained:


 * [[image:http://corporatewritingpro.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/writing-cycle.png width="540" height="403" caption="An example of a writing cycle (Baker 2011)"]] || [[image:http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS849fWr7sVl8vc0tAk6Z8Wcur24qGbcI7FQCCcbMQt3NI82nXa8w width="507" height="344" caption="An example of the writing process (Hughes 2007)"]] ||

Questions to think about while writing:
 * [[image:http://teachers.scholarschoice.ca/images/products/25/The-Writing-Process-Chart-N21814_XL.jpg width="500" height="500" align="center" caption="Questions to think about in the wring process (Ferrante 2011)"]] ||

__ Writing Interests __ How can teachers make writing lessons interesting and engaging for their students?

It is important that teacher's know their students, this includes knowing their writing interests. Writing Interest surveys can be undertaken to discover the student's thoughts and outlook on writing. In our first assignment for this unit we were required to interview an early years learner. During this interview a writing survey (adapted from the Reading Survey Hill 2012, pp. 430-31) was conducted with the child to investigate their writing interests.

Below is a table that summaries each of the writing interviews conducted by all six members of the group, the children interviewed varied from grades one to three:

(adapted from the Reading Survey Hill 2012, pp. 430-31) || Answers Child 1 || Answers Child 2 || Answers Child 3 || Answers Child 4 || Answers Child 5 || Answers Child 6 || Enjoys writing recounts. || Likes to write stories about what he did during the week. At school the teacher gets them to write in their diary every Monday morning about what they did over the weekend. || Is creative. Likes making up stories about the jungle, people who have a new teacher, people who make friends, when you were a baby, people who get new pets and crocodiles, snakes and other reptiles. It was found through conversation that she has an Uncle who is a zookeeper in QLD that works with reptiles, hence his fascination. || Journals and songs. || Stories and I like to practice my spelling. || Enjoys writing action stories and anything that pops into his head. || They write letters, cards and e-mails on the computer. || He sometimes has to write notes on the white board to the whole class. || Writes birthday cards to her friends and family (both immediate and extended). Plays a game on the IPhone that allows you to send fake emails in a speech bubble (email app mother previously mentioned). Writes pretend emails to her best friends. || I help myself write. I write with friends. || My friends and family with letters. || Family, in my Birthday cards. || Dad: writes papers for work Josh: school work Abbie: pretend emails on IPhone game || Me, Mum and Dad. || My family, they write to each other. || Mum and Dad writes. Writes letters, cards,e-mails and both write for work. || independentlyand rarely asks for assistance. || Use words I already know, have a go, sound it out, look for the word in the room or book, ask someone || If uncertain on how to spell a word he will still write how it sounds and approach his teacher for assistance. ||
 * Questions
 * ** Tell me what you like to write about? ** || Writing stories about anything that comes to mind.
 * ** Does anybody write to you? How do they write? ** || Friends and family write to her.
 * ** When do you write? ** || At school and sometimes at home. || Writes everyday at school and when he does homework. He writes letters every year to Santa. || At home and at school. || In spare time, when I am not allowed to watch T.V. || I write at home for my homework and at school. || At school and at home, in my room. ||
 * ** Who writes in your family? What do they write? ** || Her Dad types on the computer for work and Mum types on the computer for work and her studies (in childcare). || Everyone in his family writes except his younger brother. His sister does homework sheets and his mother writes notes when she does her homework. || Mum: emails
 * ** Why do people write? ** || To write information to someone and be able to find written information on someone. Also, to be able to write a response to people e.g. a letter or e-mail. || People write to give other people a message. They can tell stories or tell people what to do. || Likes to write when she is bored. After further prompts, unable to answer question. || To find out information and to know what is happening. || To communicate. || To tell people things. ||
 * ** What do you do if you cannot spell a word when writing? ** || I try to imagin the word in my head and work it out myself rather than asking someone or looking the word up in a dictionary. || Ask the teacher. || Try to sound out the letters then ask a teacher or adult if I still cannot work it out. || Mainly works

During the interview each of the students were also asked if they like writing, all comments and answers were positive. The questions though above in the table go beyond whether the child likes or dislikes reading. The writing interests of the child were explored as well as the underlying messages on why people write and the people they know that write and for what reasons and purposes they write. The strategies used when the child gets stuck on spelling a word when writing was also answered in the writing interview.

From the table it is evident that most of the children like writing stories, one child though had an answer that was a bit different to the others, saying that they like writing journals and songs. It was interesting to see that child 3 loved writing about reptiles as her Uncle is a zookeeper. The answers were very similar to the question on who writes to them and in what form, with all six children answering that either their family or friends write to them. In terms of writing formats for this question, popular answers were cards, letters and e-mails. When asked 'When do you write' (adapted from the Reading Survey Hill 2012, p. 430), most answers were either at school, at home or both. Most children said that their parents write when asked who writes in their family. Some included that their siblings can write or are too young to write. It was evident that most children said their parents write for work and that most of them commented that their parents use the computer to type e-mails. All the children interviewed had a clear understanding on why people write with answers including, for communication and to convey messages. The final question in the table on strategies in spelling showed that there was variation in what the children felt more comfortable doing. A few of the students commented that they preferred to get assistance with their spelling during writing from someone else e.g. a Teacher or family members, while others preferred to work out how to spell the word by themselves.

__ Assessment of Writing __ Writing assessment sheets can be used to assess students in writing. During the interview with an early years literacy learner in Assignment 1 of this unit, the child was required to do a writing sample. From these writing samples we were able to assess the child in writing. This was done by using Hill's (2012) writing assessment sheets on pages 323 and 326. Here is the filled in assessment sheets I did after analysing the writing sample from the child I interviewed.

This first assessment sheet is titled 'Emergent and early writing assessment sheet' (Hill 2012, p.323), but from the results I found that I had to fill in another assessment sheet, a more complex one, as my grade three student was demonstrating a higher level of competency.


 * [[image:Photos_for_Wiki_001.JPG width="595" height="654" align="center" caption="'Emergent and early writing assessment sheet' (Hill 2012, p.323)"]] ||

The more complex writing assessment sheet:


 * [[image:Photos_for_Wiki_002.JPG width="625" height="731" caption="'More complex writing assessment sheet' (Hill 2012, p.326)"]] ||

__ VELS (Victorian Essential Learning Standards) __ (Department of education and early childhood development 2010)

Just like the assessment of reading, teachers assess students in writing by using VELS (Victorian Essential Learning Standards). The idea is that students work through the progress points, standards and levels from prep (level 1) to year 10 (level 6). As this unit focuses on early years learners the levels we will be looking at while assessing students is from levels 1-3, which covers prep (level 1), grades one and two (level 2), and a little bit of grades three and four (level 3). Take a look at the VELS website for detailed information and explanations of all the progress points and levels for writing in the early years.

Website Link: (Department of education and early childhood development 2010)


 * [] ||

__ Assessment of writing in our assignments __ Here are the results we came up with after analysing the writing samples in Assignment 1 using the 'Phases in literacy development' (Hill 2012, p.6), the 'Writing assessment sheets' (Hill 2012, pp. 323 & 326) and 'VELS' (Department of education and early childhood development 2010).

-Children are named as per the writing interests table.

Child 1: Grade 3 student. This child is between the “transitional phase” and “extending phase” in regards to the ‘Phases of literacy development’ (Hill 2012, p.6). Child 1 appears to be at level 3.0 of VELS with her writing.

Child 2: Grade 1 student. This child is in the Emergent phase of literacy development (Hill 2012, p.6) and again progressing towards VELS level 2, at progression point 1.25.

Child 3: Grade 1 student. This child is in- between Transitional points 1.5 and 1.75 of VELS. It also appears that the child is nearing a Transitional writing stage in the 'Phases of literacy development’ (Hill 2012, p.6).

Child 4: Grade 2 student. This child demonstrated links to the early phase in literacy development (Hill 2012, p. 6) and showed evidence of writing at VELS level 1.25.

Child 5: Grade 1 student. This child is at the transitional level according to the 'Phases in literacy development' (Hill 2012, p.6) table and is in the early stages of VELS level 1.75.

Child 6: Grade 2 student. This child is in the early phases in regards to the 'Phases in literacy development' (Hill 2012, p.6) and is at VELS level 1.25.

From the results obtained all students seem to be at or working at their appropriate grade level. It is interesting to note how well the 'Phases in literacy development' (Hill 2012, p.6) and the VELS (Department of education and early childhood development 2010) levels match up, they seem to both in par with each other when it comes to assessing writing.


 * [[image:Ipod_photos_002.JPG width="509" height="357" align="center" caption="Child 1 doing her writing sample (Morrison 2012)"]] ||

The knowledge and information gained on early years writers during this unit demonstrates just how important it is to understand student's different writing abilities and interests so that in the classrooms we as teachers can give the appropriate support. The endless ways writing can be taught makes the teaching of writing an enjoyable and interactive process.

Here is the finished product of a literacy (writing) lesson I taught while on teaching practicum: __ Lesson on adjectives __


 * [[image:ChristineMorrison1.JPG width="374" height="454" caption="The final display (Morrison 2012)"]] || [[image:ChristineMorrison2.JPG width="340" height="240" caption="The aim/focus of the lesson (Morrison 2012)"]] || [[image:lasckk/ChristineMorrison3.JPG width="311" height="486" caption="An example of one of the adjective acrostic poems written about themselves (Morrison 2012) "]] ||

Christine Morrison 2012