Teaching writing in kindergarten is very different from teaching writing in later grades. Representing with pictures and symbols plays a much larger role in the way kindergarten students express themselves on paper. Learning the alphabet, forming letters and creating invented spelling are all ways in which students first start working with written language. In a kindergarten classroom, the teacher plays a very important role as a model for writing and representing. It is stated in the Integrated Resource Package for English Language Arts K-7 that “‘Children are more likely to engage in literacy activities during play when teachers introduce the literacy objects such as books, writing tools and signs, and model their use’ (Morrow, as cited in Jamison Rog, 2002, p. 29)”. In order to get children interested in writing, it is important that the teacher introduce the students to book, words, letters and pictures that will familiarize the students with the concept of written communication and representations.
One of the single most important things to teach kindergarten students about writing and representing is that these are activities that can be fun. It is stated clearly in the prescribed learning outcomes for kindergarten language arts instruction that students should be able to “show an interest in, and a positive attitude toward, writing and representing” (ELA Kindergarten IRP, PLO C3). It is true of any subject being taught at any grade level that a teacher should aim to engage and inspire their students. This is truer still at the kindergarten level, and for a subject so fundamental to a child’s education as language arts. Kindergarten provides many children with their first formal introduction to writing and representing. It is important that a child’s first experiences with writing, representing and the language arts as a whole are positive, and leave that student feeling happy, competent and wanting to learn more. First Impressions are important. It is crucial that students develop a positive attitude towards the subjects of writing and representing at this early age, as these modes of communication will play a fundamental role in their future education from kindergarten to university, and throughout their personal and professional lives as well.
Essential to a child’s enjoyment and interest in writing and representing is the knowledge that these are activities that can be done for their own sake. In Constructing Meaning, James Moffett’s concern was expressed that “too much of the writing children were required to do in school was for the purpose of evaluating what they had learned” and he felt that this would detract from students learning to see writing as “a way of exploring thought”(Chapter 8, p. 265). Making sure that writing is done not solely for assessment is more of a concern for later grades, but the idea that writing and representing can be ways of exploring thoughts and feelings is an important lesson for kindergarten. Journals or sketchbooks which include both pictures and words would help students to see that they can put their ideas, feelings and experiences down on the paper without worrying about finishing a product or fitting it in to a prescribed assignment or template.
It is also essential to teach kindergarten students that writing and representing are both methods of communication. In order for student to begin to participate in writing, they must know what it actually is. It is important that they understand that both drawing and writing are ways of composing a message or an expression. Drawing does this in a more interpretive way, while writing does so in accordance with a set of rules that make it very specific and structured. The PLOs for kindergarten assert that children should be able to “recognize that writing can be “talk written down” and that print carries a constant message” (ELA Kindergarten IRP, PLO C2). Students need to be taught the connection between talk and writing, and how writing is a way of communicating a message between writer and reader.
The importance of talk is expressed in the PLOs for kindergarten where it is stated that children should be able to “engage in discussions before writing and representing to generate ideas when responding to text and classroom experiences”, and to “engage in discussions after writing or representing about the experience of writing or representing and share work with others” (ELA Kindergarten IRP, PLO C4, C6). Constructing Meaning similarly stresses the importance of talk in the writing process, stating that “[a]s children talk together or with a teacher, continual scaffolding is evident” (Chapter 8, p.288). In this way, oracy plays a large role in a child’s development of writing and representing abilities. Talking about their ideas and experiences before writing or representing and sharing their representations with others later can also help the student make the connection between talk and writing or “talk written down”. Once a student sees that writing is simply another way to express the ideas that they already know how to express with words, they will see how much they have to write and represent about, and they will begin to see themselves as potential writers.
One great advantage that kindergarten students have over many older children and adults is that they already love to tell stories from their lives and imaginations. As Robin Stevenson mentioned in her presentation to the class, it is important to show children that they have stories to tell. This can often be difficult at later grade levels, but in kindergarten children are more open and eager to share. It is incredibly vital that teachers support and foster this enthusiasm for storytelling, and instill children with the belief that their stories are relevant and important. By modeling a positive attitude towards writing and representing, and by creating a classroom full of books, pictures and words that are fun and interesting for students, teachers can create a fun, playful learning environment. In this environment children can explore and experiment with representing and writing in ways that encourage creativity, positive attitude and confidence in their own abilities.
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