The Connection between Kindergarten Reading and Writing By: Brittany Jacobs

Reading Expectations 1st nine weeks - learning some letters and letters sounds; able to listen to a story and remember important details; no grade is assigned. 2nd nine weeks - learning 10-26 upper and lowercase letters; concepts of print; clap syllables in words; put some beginning sounds in writing. 3rd nine weeks - more than 10 upper and lowercase letters (know more than 2nd nine weeks); more than 10 letter sounds; continue concepts of print (know more than last nine weeks); can use strategies to help with beginning reading skills. 4th nine weeks - all letter names and sounds; beginning to read books; concepts of print in writing; begin to demonstrate comprehension through use of strategies (picture walk and making predictions). Link to Florida’s Sunshine State Standards for Kindergarten

Reader’s Workshop A daily block of instructional time including: Read Alouds (teacher directed) Shared Reading (teacher & student) Reading Groups & Literacy Centers Independent Reading The Scholastic Website has book lists for each grade level and also has books you can purchase to expand your home library.

Reading Strategies Look at Picture Skip and then go back and read Get your mouth ready Reread-go back and read again Chunk it Think- Does it look right? Does it sound right? Does it make sense?

Reading Sight Words Sight words are words that are most commonly used in a wide variety of texts. These words do not follow conventional rules and must be learned to help with reading fluency. (i.e., know, the, they, is, was, do, of, from, what, said, my, could) Sight words are practiced in the classroom, in reading groups, for homework, and in writing workshop. Sight Word List Sight Word Flash Cards

Learning Letters & Words at Home Here are some creative ways to engage your child in practicing letters, letters sounds, and sight words: Write in sand, shaving cream, paint, Magna-Doodle, etc. Circle or cut out words in newspaper or magazines Make words with Play-Doh Use magnetic letters (match, sort, and search for letters, and make words) Go Fish with letters and words Memory Game (letters and words) Bingo Scrabble Rainbow Write Letter Assessment Checklist www.starfall.com is a great website for children to learn letter and sounds as well as practice reading online books.

Use this template to make an I Can Read book at home. Reading Help At Home Read nightly with your child Become a reader yourself Practice letter and letter sounds Post and practice sight words in a visible location Sing familiar rhymes and songs Go to the public library Play word games (orally and written) Create an I CAN READ book of Environmental Print Use this template to make an I Can Read book at home.

How Are Reading & Writing Connected? The areas of reading and writing both involve the knowledge of letter recognition, letter sounds, letter formation, and the ability to hear sounds in a word. Without one, the other is not possible. Inventive spelling is a necessary step to having a successful writer. Students that can identify letters and their corresponding sounds then have the beginning tools to write.

A Note To Parents Dear Parents, Sumtimz the way werds sound iz not the way thay luk. Yung readers and writers need tim to focus on the mesaj and wil spel werds using the soundz thay hear. Az thay becum awair of convintinal speling u wil begn to see the chanj. So plez don’t spel werds for thim and let thim do the best thay kan! If you have any questions about working with your child in writing, please contact your child’s teacher for specific information. Sincerely, The Kindergarten Team

Writing with Inventive Spelling Students use their phonemic awareness to put together words using their own skills. (i.e., their writing will improve throughout the year). Students find patterns in words that they write. Students learn sight words and how to put those words into their writing. Students must go through this stage of writing in order to understand exceptions to the rules of language.

Journals Journal writing is a daily activity where students can create their own stories (here is where they use their knowledge of language and use inventive spelling). Journals are a creative outlet for students to use personal experiences as a story starter. A journal should be kept at home as well as school so students can practice skills during weekends, holidays, etc. AND to encourage writing in a variety of settings and situations. Use this template for journal pages at home.

Writer’s Workshop A daily block of instruction time including: Modeled Writing Shared & Interactive Writing Independent Writing Conferencing Teacher Share

Writing Expectations Communicates through drawings Scribbles (randomly or from left to right) Makes mock letters, numbers, or symbols Writes random strings of letters Writes mock words (wkak, sken, itsar) Uses 1st letter sound of a word to represent the word ( I W F W M D ) Writes some familiar words correctly (mom, dad, cat, dog, fish) Approximates words with beginning, medial and ending letters Uses spelling approximations to write phrases Writes whole sentence using spelling approximations Link to Florida’s Sunshine State Standards for Kindergarten

Writing Help At Home Have plenty of writing materials available (different kinds of paper, pencils, markers, crayons, word cards, pictures, etc.). Encourage your child to make books, write, and draw about their interests or something that they enjoy doing. Be a writer yourself (let your child see you writing). Keep a list of words that your student may need to use (family names, places, toys that are part of their routines).

Please see us if you have any questions. Thank you for coming and learning about your child’s connection to reading and writing! Please see us if you have any questions.