Mark-making area - supporting early writing

[AnonyMouse_4562]

Hi,

at the moment I have a box with word cards in, first-dictionary type books and a display with different types of writing in my mark-making area but find that the children don't really use the cards or the books to support their writing even when shown. They like looking throught the word cards and using them as tickets in the role-play area but they don't really go to find one to help them to write a word.

I want something to support and extend those children who like writing and are forming recognisable letters. Any ideas? I'm thinking words like 'mummy' 'daddy' etc - which I have cards for but it's just a generic picture of a 'mummy' so it's not always clear what the word means.

Bearing in mind THAT recent Ofsted video, I don't want to make this too formalised but do want to give them the chance to write words if they are ready and interest but don't see the point in providing random words that the children can't read yet.

Any ideas will be appreciated.

I don't have a lot of display room, so would have to be in a box or book or laminated sheet or something like that.

Thanks,

Green Hippo x

[AnonyMouse_14268]

Can I ask a dumb question but "what Ofsted video"?? have I missed something of huge importance??

[AnonyMouse_19782]

http://eyfs.info/forums/topic/36044-literacy-in-the-early-years/

 

You can find it here Zigzag!

[Guest]

don't get us all started on that again!!!! how about making a 'word wall' - could be humpty's wall? maybe use communicate in print so you get a picture and the word to support. words are the 'bricks'. to, mum, dad, love, from, and might be useful? x

[AnonyMouse_4562]

Thanks Sooty99.

What is Communicate in print?

Green hippo x

[Guest]

for children needing visual cues/prompts. speech and language difficulties/understanding problems. by widgit. our school has bought into it. you type in a word and a picture/choice of picture appears too. there is a widgit app and googling it appears you can get bits free if you look on here

 

http://www.widgit.com/resources/

 

and search

hope it helps x

Edited February 6, 2013 by sooty99

[AnonyMouse_4562]

Thanks

[AnonyMouse_4562]

Has anyone tried making flip-books with simple sentences. E.g. I love my mummy/daddy/grandma/grandad/brother/sister etc? Or I can run/hop/jump/skip? Thinking that I would introduce these to the children (they would have picture clues) then leave them in the mark-making area? I'm trying to think of things that support and encourage children to write but don't want them to stop 'thinking' about writing e.g. expecting that everything will be written down for them to copy instead of encouraging them to write down sounds they can hear.

Thanks

Green Hippo x

[Guest]

Dont shout at me but im not sure that this is appropriate in pre-school and we would get the children to think more creatively, sorry

[AnonyMouse_4562]

Dont shout at me but im not sure that this is appropriate in pre-school and we would get the children to think more creatively, sorry

That's just what I'm mulling over Suer. It was just that someone suggested to me about having sentences up to support/challenge further writing but like you wondered what they would actually get out of this sort of resource especially if not supported by pictures etc. However, I'm also thinking that these children are actually secure in phase 1 phonics and are already hearing sounds in words and learning how to write the letters - very much through CI activities - so just mulling over ideas that would encourage, support and challenge them further but not too formally.

Just thinking through ideas and wondered what others would do?

Thanks

Green Hippo x

[Guest]

why dont you get them to write stories and create pictures to support the writings they have done

turn them into books by laminating them.

 

Are these children secure in other areas?? Maybe look at these

[Guest]

Hi, I read your post about the mark making area and can give you some ideas from the things we put out. Our children are 3 years old so it is pretty basic. We don't focus too much on tracing although we do put out their photos with their names for tracing, if they want to.

Rainbow sand tray

Notepads - we make ours from scraps of paper stapled together.

Modelling clay - pencils or other tools.

Laminated bingo marker mats which we also use with play dough

Laminated tracing pages- relating to the area of interest which the children like.

Laminated letters for sticking play dough or buttons, etc

A post box - we still have our reindeer one from Christmas. They liked it so much.

Magazines, scissors and glue.

Markers, crayons, bingo markers (for stamping)

funny font hunts - with a big letter of the week which relates to one of the children's names.

Most of the ideas I get from Pinterest.com which links to tons of teachers and mums around the world. There are always so many things to find and choose from.

The other thing is, maybe your centre is in the wrong place? We move things around from time to time as they simply stop working (being inviting) for the children.

Anyway, it is something that evolves and I am sure you will find tons of ideas from everyone here.

Kerry

[AnonyMouse_19782]

I had a catalogue arrive today called Cosy it has lots of resources for mark making to buy but frankly lots of them you could buy cheaply elsewhere. The website is www.cosydirect.com a few mark making belts which were very good I have to say

Edited February 11, 2013 by Panders

[AnonyMouse_30128]

I LOVE cosy they have fantastic ideas (and as panda says lots to copy too!) their website is only for ordering the catalogue at the moment though as they are a fairly new company. They have the most fantastic willow weaver working for them who produces beautiful things!! :wub:

[Guest]

What works for us: big chalks outside - let the children make marks on the fence, ground, even on the bikes, it comes off!

notepads and pencils in all the areas so they can use them whenever they get the urge, make them small so they can carry them round from place to place. old wallpaper stretched out on the floor or put up on a wall so they can do collaborative mark making or lay down and use crayons etc., painting the fence with large diy style brushes and water - our children love this, for more tips go to this website, especially if you're trying to encourage boys to mark make:

http://abcdoes.typepad.com/abc-does-a-blog/resourcesdraft.html

[AnonyMouse_4562]

Thanks for all you replies and ideas.

We've got/do many of the things mentioned above and have a really well used mark-making area. I purposefully moved it to be right in the middle of the large room so it has become a very popular area - plus we have writing materials in other areas and encourage children to take resources from mark-making area to other areas if they need extra resources.

I just got thinking about how to further support my very good writers - they are writing using recognisable letters, beginning to use their phonological knowledge and often writing with a purpose in mind. The 'observer' that came in suggested having sentences for the children to write but I'm not sure how helpful this would be to them if they can't read them, so was thinking of ideas that would support them in their independent writing that would extend their learning not just encourage copying. I have seen some Reception classes that have key words/topic words hanging down in writing area but again not sure how helpful they would be to children as they wouldn't be able to read them without a picture clue. Hmm...

Thanks

Green Hippo x

[Guest p0rridge]

We always have cardboard boxes around, when the children have finished with them 'flattened due to a train/car crash' we get the markers out, lying on the floor just doodleing, ideas, language just pour out, we draw around ourselves etc. it then leads us on to other ideas. We've recently been building so when we finished with the boxes the boys particularly, just lye down and drew out their own ideas.