The Art of Teaching Writing Lucy Calkins

How Children Change as Writers

A Tentative Road Map “one day good; one day bad: regressions may be imbalances leading to new levels” (Piaget: tension between accommodation and disequilibrium)

Kindergarten & First Grade “Writing is exploration with pen and marker” – Outgrowth of gestures (Vygosky) – See self as writer – Know basic vocabulary – A collection of objects – A world held still

Do Give them – Time – Materials – Strructure – Encouragement – Reasons to write – YOU learn from their errors – By end of kindergarten, many are writing long stories (grounded in pictures)

First Grade “Era of Confidence” Rehearsal by drawing (older children’s topics, plans, drafts) Present – here and now Drawing is a scaffold for writing A word or so – embedded in a picture Move from “all abouts” to narratives by spring

Caution: Notice when pictures are no longer a help to the writing

Grade 1 Conferences – Help children reread and learn from their writing – Talk provides a scafold to writing until hey become more fluent…..vocalizing – Learn spacing, punctuation, large print, lots of capitals, dark letter for sound…. K & 1

Grade 1 Revision K-1 = want to fill space Will add on, staple, tape Need encouragement to look back at work Need to work at tables, interact, confernce (Sometimes don’t listen to a word others say, but they go back to re-work) Can lean to add on, be more specific.

Grade 1 Editing Spelling competes with meaning Correctness interferes with fluency FOCUS on content, then revise and edit Don’t be their dictionary (Doesn’t recommend word banks, picture dictionaries, etc.

Grade 1 Summary Writing for self to internalized audience Writing for sake of activity toward final product From less to more fluency From writing in “now” to looking ahead and back (anticipating a critique)

Grade 2: Opposites Rehearsal is a sign of growth Less confident Write more/ write less Write’s block (7 & 8 year olds: “Is this right?”)

Grade 2 - Talking Most effective way to help students find and explore topics Writing has surpassed drawing. Chat, interview Peer conferences need watching They can tell a story/can’t write it

Grade 2 - Drafting Margins, heading – “I’m done!” Need to learn: draft & confer Bed-to-bed stories All-about’s Like to write in patterns Use conventions repeatedly

Grade 2 - Revision “A concrete force for tremendous growth” Spurts – write, add on – write – Enjoy activity: reading,, talking,cutting, pasting, adding on Rarely return to rework it Resist revision

Grade 3 – Deliberate & Concrete Cautious & wooden Not risk-takers Care about audience Topics often life incidents Nothing in moderation! Sound effects, punctuation Often chain-of-events.

Grade 3-Revision Revision means correction Move on to another draft … Rarely visualize a sentence before writing Think, pencil in hand More concrete, deliberate

Grades 4-6 New Flexibility Revision becomes “second nature Develop voice Begin to internalize draft options No longer trial and error

Vygotsky “What a child can do in conference today, he can do alone tomorrow.”

Grade 3 -Revision Correction Move on