Book Study: Already Ready Chapter 5

As part of being part of the early educations network in my area, I am part of a year long study on bookmaking in childcare through to Year 1. For this I had to read this book. Each post will discuss my reflections. Feel free to comment with any feedback, things I could try in my classroom or your experiences with teaching writing.




This chapter is called 'The Child's Image of Self as Writer'.

Important facts

• It is important to assist children to develop an image of themselves as writers - people who make books (p.89). Do adults really see this? or are they playing along?
• For book making to be effective in the classroom, students need to love it. 
• Book making is an activity that is privileged and encouraged by teachers.
• Students choose to make books, rather than being told they must.
• Students need to want to do book making - to have the initiative. Ways to do that are..
  
  
  1. Creating energy around read-alouds
  • use of positive language/encouragement - pg 91
  • connecting this first engagement to picture books by professional authors is important because those books help children have a vision for what a book would be if they were to try to make one
  • read alouds (chapter 7)
  
  
  
  
  2. Inviting individual children to make books.
• gives them a ‘leg up'
• we need to appreciate students for the writers they are. When children see themselves as capable writers they sit down and show us what they are able to do, and this is how we know what to teach them.
• Page 92, has some scenarios where teachers might invite children to make books.
• When children see themselves as capable writers, they sit down and show us what they are able to do, and this is how we know what to teach them (p.94).

• This chapter also discussed the importance of not dictating what the students are trying to write. I found it very powerful. Watch out for a future post where I talk about this more.

Things I learnt

• About a 'writers high'... how can I get that into my classroom?
• Students need to have a sense of identity as a writer.. you can develop this through...
• The text goes through some language to use within the classroom, this is what I intend to use.
• Don't dictate what students write
• I already knew about the Zone of Proximal Development (Vygotsky) but it was good to explicitly see some clear links.

How will I apply it to my classroom

• Develop and support students identity as a writer.
• Use of language about book making to get students engaged and want to create books
• In relation to dictation, I am going to use sticky notes and attach them in my assessment folder or put it in my weekly notes for that child.

Questions I still have that need to be answered

• How do you get students from the Stage 5 to Stage 9. I know the saying 'When students are ready they will take it in an apply it' but I am getting impatient especially for students who are repeating foundation.
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