Writing - Janet Craigie

 How beginning writing was scaffolded in the 1960s and 1970s.
The writing in that time was creative in the sense that it stemmed from the child's own dictated sentences - a precursor to composing.
Steps followed:

• Trace letters and words
• Copy letters and words
• Order or sequence letters in words (left to right direction)

When tracing or copying their own dictated sentences, children were supported to:

• Order or sequence words in sentences
• Visually scan and analyse letters in words
• Say and analyse words into sounds
• Say and analyse sentences into words. (When the re-read as the write.)

At the same time, there was explicit handwriting instruction. This instruction and the intensive practice of letter formation supported children's acquisition of letter knowledge that could relate what they were doing in writing to what they were doing in reading - RECIPROCITY between reading and writing.

When using this method, it helps if beginning writers work in a blank book. This allows them to draw before writing - the older writer's "mind map".

The drawing gives a physical representation of the theme for dictation.

A simple instruction, "Tell me about your picture," gives the child the opportunity to make a statement about the picture, which the teacher can then scribe onto the facing page. In large, clear, well-proportioned script. In pencil. The teacher is the demonstrator of the act of linking something said to something written. The child and teacher then read the script together, the teacher helping the child to word match as the reading happens.

The child is then required to trace over the pencilled script with a strong coloured felt pen. At the very beginning, this process needs to be closely supervised for:

• Pencil grip
• Starting point and direction
• Letter formation

A read back on completion allows the dictated text to become more secure and may elicit additional dictation as the child becomes more confident.

The task is complete when the child writes his/her name under the writing.

This process needs to continue until the child shows that he/she is tracing confidently, pen strokes are firm, letter starting points are consistent and the tracing is done with ease.

The child can then move to copying under the teacher's script, written in pen, and from there to copying from a child dictated script on a separate piece of paper.

At the end of this process, a firm foundation has been laid for learning to write for oneself, and beginning to take more responsibility for problem solving - the "haring and recording sounds" method of teaching writing.

How long does this take?
There is no time limit on any of the ways of working.

Observations of how the child performs in each way of working determine moving on.

As written above, the child must be confident, the production must be secure, and the child must be working with ease.

It is critical that opportunities for writing in the handwriting sense as well as the dictating sense happen daily.

The child needs to know specifically what you are valuing and needs to be praised for appropriate endeavours. (Not excessively - words like "awesome" and "wonderful" are overused,) Praise can be, "Your tall letters are really tall today."

(Thanks to Janet for these notes.)