Writing Activities For Reception Children

[Guest]

Any ideas for writing activities for higher achieving reception children please?

[Guest]

Any ideas for writing activities for higher achieving reception children please?

Hi, I tend to use my construction area to promote further writing. I set challenges such as build a supermarket, airport, garage etc (dependent upon topic focus) and the children have to write labels for what they have done, and things to go with it, for example posters for the supermarket, special offer flyers or shopping lists. They then report back on what they have built, so some better writers will write a basic report to be read.

At the beginning of the year, they simply write labels, which might only be one letter, but progression through the year is fab to see. Hope this helps!

Anj

[Guest]

Letters!

We have a resident elf who sends letters to the children on a regular basis and they write back (yes, Becksyboo, he's still with us ). I also have a penfriend link with another school - their children are Y2, but my YR group write to the children there who are working at a similar level. They write to the spiders and ants in the outside area (on tiny paper), and deliver them via the insect postbox. Some of the girls have been writing "joke" notes and putting them in each others wellies (eg. Watch out, there's a bug in your wellies!)

We have a general rule that they can leave their models intact on display as long as they write a label or caption to go with it (otherwise they take a digi photo of it and pop it in their scrap books)

In this last half of the summer term, my better writers are now writing their own captions to go with the photos in their scrap books, (eg. I liked playing with the cooker in the kitchen!)

 

"Talking Tins" are brilliant for helping them form sentences that make sense. We use them as an alternative to writing when they are putting things on display.

 

Working backwards to make a treasure hunt for their friends is a nice one, too.

 

I've given up producing signs for around the classroom this year and ask the children to make them instead - we have everything from "Take care, these paintings are still wet" to "Please tuck your chair in."

 

I think writing is one of the areas that our younger children benefit from having the Y1s and Y2s in the class, as so much of the writing they see is by other children, and for a real purpose.

 

Tracy

[Guest]

Thanks these are great ideas ! What are talking tins ?

[Guest]

Thanks these are great ideas ! What are talking tins ?

 

http://www.talkingproducts.co.uk/talking_tins.htm

 

Very easy to use - the same people making taking photo albums etc. too. They were designed for people with visual impairment to put on the top of tins - the carer records the contents of each tin - but they're finding their way into other places now. Magnetic, and you can buy holders to attach them to walls. You have to go through the pain barrier of the children shouting into them and saying rude words for a couple of weeks first, of course, but once they get over the novelty of them, they are brill!

They only take a clock battery - no on/off switch - ours are used all the time and still going after 2 years.

[Guest]

Have just looked up these talking tins (never come across them beore - look good!) which do you find most useful - 10 or 30 second ones?

Gosh I love this site for all these useful, tried and tested ideas.

[Guest]

I have found some at school I didn't even know they were there the children loved them today ours are 30 second ones, I think 10 seconds would be a bit too short for some of my pupils.

[Guest]

wow! I've just looked at this site too! I love the talking tins - great to go with models etc as a step for those children who want to save them - those reluctant to speak can record and those reluctant to write can write a caption. Simple but brilliant ideas!

[Guest]

Forgot to say that I love all the opportunities for real writing, tracylu. Thanks!

[Guest]

Forgot to say that I love all the opportunities for real writing, tracylu. Thanks!

No problem - glad you liked them and it's lovely to have my ego massaged - have been a newbie in reception this year and so used to saying "I'm not worthy" that it's nice being able to contribute for a change! We use the yellow tins for sentence work mainly, and the red, 30 second ones for longer bits and pieces. Really want some talking photo albums now.

If you like this sort of stuff - have you seen Crazy Talk, by the way? It's a free download - children take a pic of their drawings/paintings with a digi camera, then use the software to animate the mouth - record their voice and add it on - (it's really easy, honest). The results are brilliant. Worth a look.

http://www.reallusion.com/crazytalk/

don't be put off by the adult looking screen on the homepage - imagine it with a child's drawing/painting

Edited July 11, 2009 by Guest

[Guest]

Crazy Talk looks amazing - although is it really that easy? Can't wait to try this in September!!!

[Guest]

Crazy Talk looks amazing - although is it really that easy? Can't wait to try this in September!!!

 

It is, as long as you use the basic setting rather than advanced - needs an adult focus to start it off, but the children soon get the hang of dragging the mouth corners in place. Oh, be careful how many files you store at a time though - they can take up quiet a bit of space!

[Guest]

Letters!

We have a resident elf who sends letters to the children on a regular basis and they write back (yes, Becksyboo, he's still with us ).

 

 

I love Patch.

I keep trying get my class interested - but sadly they aren't

Guess who's class are retelling the story of Goldilocks (using Pie Corbett actions) to the Reception children on Friday??!?