Writing is a key skill for all children to develop and master. For the soon-to-be first graders, they have learned a complete mastery of their alphabet. They have also learned how to write many new words.
In Kindergarten, your child learned to write her first and last name if she was not already doing so. She likely also learned how to label pictures, write short words, and begin writing sentences. Keep up this momentum at home as you prepare for First Grade.
NOW, IT IS TIME for them to refine the skills of forming sentences. A fun and engaging way for them to do this is through writing. Encourage them to express their thoughts via the written word. Keep in mind – all the words she writes do not need to be spelled correctly right now. Invented spelling, or spelling words phonetically, is absolutely fine at this age. As she learns more phonetic rules in First and Second Grades, correct spelling will follow. At this time, writing by sounding out words is developmentally appropriate and encouraged.
Here is an idea to get started. Gather some fun writing supplies: different types of paper, markers, crayons, pencils. Have your child think of an answer to the prompt: If you worked in a zoo, what animal would you want to take care of? …. . If they just give you a one word answer ask them again and say this time I’d like you to tell me with a sentence. Then show them the fun supplies you gathered and let them choose how they would like to WRITE out the sentence they just told you. You may want to write it out on another paper for them to copy, maybe they will want to try to write the words on their own by sounding them out or maybe if they feel overwhelmed by this task you can write it with a yellow marker and they can trace over what you wrote. No matter how they do it …. THEY WILL BE WRITING!! Encourage them also to illustrate their writing as well.
**I would love to hear what animal my new First Grade Friends would choose. If they would like to share it with me, snap a picture of their paper and send it to me at mvigil@questac.org
