Mark Making In Early Years

[AnonyMouse_3735]

as Beau said

 

when i have put pics on i used file attachments, browsed my pc for the file , and then added the attachment , only showed up when made the post (not in preview)

 

good luck, look forward to seeing the pics

 

Inge

[Guest]

I love this forum, dont post an awfull lot but get so much out of it its incredible, so thank you to everyone who does post

 

A list would be very useful pls

[Guest]

It's great to read such positive messages about good practice. I love the idea of children seeing themselves as readers and writers.

 

What we need to ensure we do is model our writing for a purpose, (showing children as we write notes, do the register) surround them with opportunities to develop balance, muscle control and motor skills (particularly outside) and they will develop the skills and understanding that print carries meaning and that mark-making is fun!

 

We would never stop a child from sharing a book, if s/he was unable to read.......

[Guest]

Hi I'm still trying to upload my chocolate pudding photos. Perhaps I can succeed today!

choc_pud.doc

[Guest]

Ha it worked!! Can you read the word being written in the chocolate pudding? You can see the corner of the OHP in the picture. We had already talked about 'the word' to be written and the children had explored it (and many other letters too) using magnetic letters put on the ohp and projected on the wall.

 

I have also found my 'definitive list of markmaking' which I had lost. Would you like me to post this? (I will need to type it out.....)

[Guest]

Hmm, just checking why my posts tally doesn't seem to change. Maybe because they are consecutive?

[Guest]

Just ignore that last post.... I'm being thick

 

Anyway, here's the markmaking document I was talking about. I'll post it under resources as well.

Enjoy! Don't forget to let us know of any more that you can think of.

Making_My_Mark.doc

[AnonyMouse_8469]

Firstly I agree with a great deal that has been said regarding "mark making" in the EY. But it is possible to teach skills and give freedom of expression at the same time.

 

One poster earlier said she felt it was important to "teach" a child how to hold a pencil correctly. I couldn't agree more. It seems ludicrous to be building a child's confidence with a writing tool whilst allowing him/her to form bad habits which will need to be undone later. A correct pencil grip is essential for later writing. I know that there are variants of a universal grip and within this I agree to let it go, but other than that I would "teach" the child the correct grip. In my class (Recep) I teach pencil grip using "FROG on a LOG" ie thumb and forefinger in pincer movement representing frog legs swimming and then sitting him on the log(3rd finger). I have a large picture of a frog on a log next to the writing area and one of a child holding a pencil correctly. If I see a child holding a pencil incorrectly once I've shown him the "frog" I'll gently remind him with "don't forget to put the frog on a log"- invariably the child will adapt the grip and continue with their writing.

 

As for letter formation- absolutely mark making is the first steps and squiggles, shapes etc are all essential to the process. However, (Oh goodness, here I go again...) if a child is beginning to write their name, ie making attempts at forming their letters, then I think that they are ready to be "taught" how to form their letters correctly. Again bad habits take months to undo but good ones take a moments to form. Undoing bad habits in my opinion is far more demoralising for a child than showing them the correct way. An "a" is NOT a circle with a line shoved on the end and a "g" is not a circle with a line hanging down. It can be quick and easy to show a child how to form letters correctly. I choose a letter at a time, model, and then guide (I use Living phonics letter formation games). And then leave them to it. Next time they write their name a gentle reminder don't forget and give them a model in the air and away they go. Doesn't matter if they got it wrong, it's simply showing them the correct way to form- and their faces when they see that they really can make it look like yours... Well you all know that face, and that's why we do it.

[Guest]

Great photo LJW and thanks for the difinitive list.

 

Peggy

[Guest]

Thanks Peggy. I've been trying to find a picture of a frog on a log to display in our writing area as per tuffspot's post. Has anyone got anything suitable?

[AnonyMouse_4544]

Are these any good?

[AnonyMouse_705]

These look great Marion, thank you. Can't seem to enlarge them, must be doing something silly!

[AnonyMouse_4544]

If you type pencil grip into google images there are a number of pics