Writer’s Workshop

 

In past years, children kept journals. With journal writing, teachers often gave students prompts such as "Write about your favorite toy". With writer's workshop, students select their own topics. We find that choice results in increased motivation and greater interest in writing.

 

Our students have writing kits which are pocket folders. The folders have the child’s finished work as well as writing that is “in progress.” 
 

We have Writer’s Workshop three days per week. We start with a mini-lesson which is letter writing practice or a specific topic related to writing such as how/when to use a question mark. Students then return to their desks to write. During the first 5 to 10 minutes, quiet music is playing and it is “silent”. After that, writing continues but teachers are talking to students about their work and possibly adding some “adult spelling” to the child’s work. At the end of the session, three students go to the Author’s Chair to share their work. The rest of the students can ask questions.

 

The Writing Process

 

How children "write" depends on their individual developmental stage. Some only draw. Some draw and label their drawings. Others write a few words. The actual writing may be scribbles, random letters, letters strung together or actual words. All of these forms of writing are acceptable and should be appreciated. Children progress through stages in a predictable order as they learn to write. By the end of the year, all of them will probably be writing a few sentences using a combination of sight words and developmental spelling (writing the sounds they hear).