This week: Journal Writing and Literacy Centres!

This week I will be introducing my two ETFI classes to the steps I would like them to use when writing a journal entry. They include: choosing a topic; writing the date at the top right hand side; writing three detailed sentences about their topic; drawing a coloured picture that corresponds with their topic; and reviewing their entry with a checklist to ensure captial letters and punctuation are used correctly. 

During journal writing, and most other writing activities taking place, I encourage the use of inventive, or phonetic spelling. For those of you who were not able to attend Meet the Teacher, I want to explain a bit about inventive spelling here. Inventive spelling is a phonetic way of spelling words that is completely appropriate for students at this level of learning. It allows them to independently write their creative ideas and not be hindered by the “correct” way to spell every word they want to write. It also is very good practice for letter sounds and blends. As your child becomes more familiar with writing, he or she will make the transition to standard spelling. Please see the image below for an example of inventive, or phonetic spelling. 

That being said, this does not apply to word wall words! I will insist that those are spelled correctly since they are words we have practiced and are posted in the classroom. I also give my students access to dictionaries, and will have word lists related to the topics they are writing about posted in the room for them to refer to. 

Later in the week, we will begin our first round of Literacy Centres. Literacy Centres are stations set up around the room that the students visit in groups to complete the activities found there. The stations will always include a writing activity, independent reading, and a couple of word work or word games. Additionally, one station will have a group work with me on either a specific reading or writing skill that I would like them to focus on. Each group will have a turn to visit each station.

While there is no shared reading this week, there are five new word wall words. Please check the word wall page of the blog to see what they are!