K-2 Writers: Teaching and Guiding Young Writers Using the 6 Traits & other Writing Instruction Strategies with Young Writers

Given the basic elements of K-2 writing instruction, participants will: 1. Recognize and validate the various forms of writing used by K-2 writers 2. Recognize and use tools, strategies and ideas to implement K-2 writing instruction 3. Ask questions, contribute, and discuss K-2 instructional practices 4. Instruct, support, coach and validate the modes: Persuasive (Opinion Pieces) Informative/Explanatory Narrative Shared Research and Writing Projects 5. Explore a variety of digital tools to produce and publish

At primary level, writing is wondrous and magical. Sketches Scribbles Dictated Stories Recordings Word Play “ Tadpole People ” Pictographs Conventional Text Some forms are…

Do you believe these Premises? All children can write in some form. Children learn the language of writers long before the traits are reflected in their own writing.

Many times children don ’ t realize they can write. An effective writing teacher leads kids to an understanding of the four structures needed for early-childhood writing…Are dictation, scribblings, drawing, and temporary spelling necessary to early writing development? Yes. Bea Johnson (1999, 42)

Anchor Words I*lookhereis* thisupama* gocomein*it* seeto*you*the* likeof*weme that*atmyon and* *Identified by Richard Lederer as 25% of ALL words used in English. From Donald Graves, A Fresh Look At Writing Portsmouth, New Hampshire: Heinemann. Pg 262. List assembled based on research by reading/spelling specialist Marie Clay.

Ideas Organization Voice Word Choice Sentence Fluency Conventions

Goals for Beginning Writers To- Feel a sense of joy in writing/reading To know the language of writers (the traits, that is!) To understand more than they can do (revision, editing, etc.)

How Traits Can Be Taught At Primary Level Teach the concept first Read aloud-so they hear it Connect you comments to the traits Ask children to be assessors Model writing-and ask for their help Write from day #1

Books- The Heart of It!

Using Literature Effectively 1.Make a prediction (ORGANIZATION) * From the cover * From the first page * From the first line

2.Choose favorite words (WORD CHOICE) * Write them down * Make a list 3.What do you picture in your mind? (IDEAS) 4.How does the book make you feel? (VOICE)

5.How much voice does this book have? (VOICE) * Ask students to vote * They can line up or form groups 6.Predict the ending: What will happen? (ORGANIZATION)

7.Write a letter (ALL TRAITS) * To the author * To the illustrator * To a character * From one character to another

8.Write a book review (ALL TRAITS) 9.Look at the pictures in detail (IDEAS) * What do you notice? * Is this illustrator a good observer? * How can you tell?

Books For Developing A Sense of Place Angelou, Maya. My Painted House, My Friendly Chicken, and Me. Clarkson N. Potter (Random House). ISBN Bruchac, Joseph and Locker, Thomas. Between Earth & Sky: Legends of Native American Sacred Places Harcourt Brace & Company. ISBN MacLachlan, Patricia. All the Places to Love Harper Collins. ISBN MacLachlan, Patricia. What You Know First Harper Collins. ISBN Ryder, Joanne. Earthdance Henry Holt. ISBN

Books for Developing a Sense of Self Angelou, Maya. Life Doesn ’ t Frighten Me Random House. ISBN Baylor, Byrd. Guess Who My Favorite Person Is Macmillan. ISBN Krull, Kathleen. Wilma Unlimited Harcourt Brace & Company. ISBN Ringgold, Faith. Tar Beach Crown Publishers. ISBN

Books for Exploring the Concept of Story Fox, Mem. Wilfred Gordon McDonald Partridge Kane Miller. ISBN X. Lobel, Arnold. Fables Harper Collins. ISBN Lobel, Arnold. The Frog and Toad Treasury Harper Collins. ISBN Mathers, Petra. Sophie and Lou Harper Collins. ISBN Polacco, Patricia. The Keeping Quilt Simon & Schuster. ISBN Polacco, Patricia. Chicken Sunday Philomel books. ISBN Steig, William. Amos & Boris Puffin Books. ISBN

Books Just for the Love of Language Burdett, Lois. A Child ’ s Portrait of Shakespeare Black Moss Press. ISBN Burdett, Lois, Macbeth for Kids Black Moss Press. ISBN Burdett, Lois and Coburn, Christine. Twelfth Night for Kids. Black Moss Press. ISBN Dorros, Arthur. Isla Dutton Children ’ s Books. ISBN

Books to Show the Power of Informational Writing Bash, Barbara. Tree of Life Sierra club Books. ISBN Nussbaum, Hedda, editor. Charlie Brown ’ s Fifth Super book of Questions and Answers Random House. ISBN X. Scieszka, Jon and Smith,Lane. Math Curse. Viking. ISBN

Books To Build Observation Skills Blizzard, Gladys S. Come Look With Me Thomasson-Grant. ISBN Johnson, Stephen T. Alphabet City Viking. ISBN Wick, Walter and Marzollo, Jean. I Spy: A Book of Picture Riddles Scholastic. ISBN

Give It Time Some children pick up a pencil and begin creating meaning through text at a remarkable early age, because for them writing is totally natural. Similarly, some children will, almost from the first day, write much the way they speak, gracing every line with the truest of voices which flows like water when the writing is an extension of self. You can ’ t stop children from writing, if the tools are there. Vicki Spandel Creating Writers, 357