Topic “English Writing”  

Writing tools and paper

Washing up brush and bucket of water

Sand tray

Play dough

(1) Start by making big vertical strokes with a washing up brush and a pail of water outside on a fine day. Say "Down ... down"

(2) Give the brush to the child

(3) Reward any attempts to make a downward stroke for example with clapping, praise etc.

(4) Follow this procedure in the sand or in a rolled out piece of play dough etc.

(5) Use a chunky crayon (not too long) and a piece of paper. Say 'Down ......down.'

(6) Give the crayon to the child

(7) Reward success with praise or reward toys.

(8) Use a ruler to make two vertical tramlines on the page and then help the child draw between the lines in a downward motion.

(9) Draw two or three tramlines on a page well spaced - and see if the child can start at the top and draw down.

(10) Draw big dots in a downward line and make the starting off dot big and red. Model for the child drawing a downward line roughly along this line of dots. You may need to start the child off and stop half way down the line for the child to complete.

(11) Use different colours and writing tools to make the task more interesting. Reward attending to the task with social praise or a reward toy.

Camera to make the picture sequences (or alternatively you can draw them or use a commercial resource).

Resources as appropriate to carry out a simple sequence

Examples of sequences (with suggested steps to make pictures for):

Putting on a jumper (get jumper, put head through, put arms through);

Drinking a drink (jug and cup, pour water into the cup, drink it)

Peeling and eating a piece of fruit (fruit, peel fruit, eat it)

Sitting down and eating dinner

Drawing a picture (pencil and paper, child drawing, finished picture)

Looking at a book (get it, open it, look at it)

1. Carry out the activity without the pictures;

2. Do it again, showing the relevant picture for each part of the activity as you do it;

3. Get the child to do the sequence, tell them what to do by showing them a picture for each part of the sequence;

4. Get them to show you what to do by giving you a picture for each part of the sequence. Try to do exactly as the picture you are given indicates, for example if they give you a picture of someone blowing bubbles without having given you the step for opening the bubbles container, try to blow the bubbles anyway (and act being disappointed when you don't get any bubbles).

Camera to make the picture sequences (or alternatively you can draw them or use a commercial resource).

Resources as appropriate to carry out a simple sequence

Examples of sequences:

Clean teeth: get toothpaste, open lid, get brush, squeeze toothpaste onto brush, put lid back onto toothpaste, brush teeth, spit out, put brush under water, repeat, clean brush, put brush away.

Wash hands: turn on tap, rinse hands, put soap on hands, scrub hands, rinse under water, turn tap off, dry with towel.

Brush hair: get brush, brush hair, put brush away.

Deodorant: get deodorant, take off lid, spray at appropriate area, put lid back on, put away.

1. Carry out the sequence without the pictures;

2. Do it again, showing the relevant picture for each part of the activity as you do it;

3. Get the student to do the sequence, showing them a picture for each part of the sequence as they do it;

4. Get them to show you what to do by giving you a picture for each part of the sequence. Try to do exactly as the picture you are given indicates, for example if they give you a picture of scrubbing your hands before the tap is turned on/before you have the soap, try to do this - but appear confused when this doesn't work.

Access to areas for role-play e.g. a pretend cafe area, a pretend train or station.

Scrap paper for writing tickets or menus.

(1) In a train /station area can the child write for tickets e.g. '2 tickets please' or ' tickets to London'. The message can be posted or given to the station manager/train driver. The child may need a model to copy the phrase at first or you can write half the phrase for the child and allow the child to finish the writing on their own.

(2) In a pretend caf can the child order a meal e.g. write 'burger and chips please' and give this message to the 'waiter'.

(3) 2 children can work together - one child orders food and the other child is the waiter and writes the order down. You may need to provide models for the writing child to copy e.g. a number of food items written on a pretend menu. The child ordering can then copy his/her choice and hand it over.

(4) Children can be encouraged to make their own menus maybe using a picture of food items with the food name written by the child underneath. The 'customer' child can then point and ask for food items.

Letter tiles or letter cards, clear simple pictures

1. Stick the chosen picture into a book.

2. Draw short lines under the picture to stand for the letters of the picture.

3. Help the child select letter tiles or alphabet cards to put on the lines. Can you do some of the letters and the child finishes off the last letter?

4. Can the child copy the letter tiles to write about the picture?

5. As the child becomes familiar with the activity make 2 word descriptions of pictures etc

Photos of child engaged in clear actions e.g. going into dinner, playing outside, reading a book

1. Look at a photo with the child and encourage the child to talk about it. Write down 3 or 4 words about the photo using words the child is very familiar with.

2. Print out child's descriptive words in large type on computer.

3. Cut the printed words up. Can the child sequence the words to match the photo and stick the words under the photo.

4. Encourage the child to draw a picture of the photo and to copy the matching descriptive print.

5. Select a photo and encourage the child to talk about it. You start the writing to describe the photo e.g the first word. Can the child finish off the writing? It may help to draw dots for the child to write over to begin with.

Photo copies of some favourite pictures

Photo copies of the pictures' matching print

A black and white picture to colour.

Colouring pens

Letter tiles and alphabet cards

Play people, bricks, etc. as required

Can be done 1:1 or in a small group

Suggestions for stories:

1. dad, mum, baby, bike, bricks: dad: bye bye baby, bye, bye mum, etc., gets on bike, drives into bricks, falls off;

2. helicopter rescue: helicopter comes and rescues those on an island;

3. dog eats picnic when others aren't looking;

4. fire!: children spot a fire in a building - make a story about what they do next;

5. swim across crocodile infested river.

1. Show the child a story with the miniatures;

2. Get child to redo the story using the miniatures;

3. With the child make simple drawings for each key part of the story (the drawings do not need to be works of art);

4. Cut the pictures up and get the child to put them back in the right order;

5. Check if the story still works if you follow the sequence of pictures.

The stories can also be physically acted out.

For example:

1. getting materials required for an activity;

2. lining up;

3. making a drawing;

4. a simple game you play;

5. going to assembly;

6. turning on and listening to a tape recorder/CD/MP3 player;

7. Switching on a computer and doing something on it;

8. opening a pot of bubbles and blowing them;

9. making a sandwich;

10. (a little more complex): playground games such as 'had', 'hide and seek', 'football'

Materials as required.

1. Do the activity;

2. With the child make simple drawings for each key part of the activity (the drawings do not need to be works of art);

3. Cut the pictures up and get the child to put them back in the right order;

4. Try to follow the sequence of pictures to see if it works.

Familiar book

Photocopied pictures

Published sequencing cards (e.g. LDA cards)

Or worksheets with 3-4 picture sequences (Black Sheep have some ready made ones)

Photos of the child doing an everyday activity (i.e. a sequence of them)

Packet of counters

Board with six square boxes - in a horizontal grid

Lists of short phrases and sentences

e.g. from 'Sound Linkage' (P. Hatcher, available from www.amazon.co.uk ) p.21

help me (2)

she shouted (2)

I can't get down (4)

1. Place the counters and board on the table.

2. Ask the child to tell you a word (any word at all) then together add more examples of single words

3. Tell the child that you will now say two or more words in a row, which they will have to repeat and count the number of words.

4. Ask child to repeat what you say. They push a counter into a box as they say each word.

Model this as much as necessary - and give as much help as needed to begin with.

A suitable text

Optional - 'Magic finger' puppet or a small stick or ruler

Flat ice-lolly sticks - painted ice-lolly sticks (can be bought in supermarkets) - using a stick ensures that the spaces between the words are even.

Or:

If a child has smaller writing try using a smaller tool than an ice-lolly stick to place between words.

1. Look at the picture. Talk about what is happening. Ask some easy to answer questions.

2. Stick the picture in a book to take home and say 'Tell me what to write and you can show Mum'.

Stories that involve going shopping, e.g. The Shopping Basket by John Burningham.

Real food/plastic food/pictures of food.

A clear label for each piece of food.

Notebooks and pencils.

Pretend toy till and money if easily available but not essential (optional).

Hats/dressing up clothes and bags for shopping (optional).

1. Read stories about children who are going shopping.

2. Explain that when we put the hats/dressing up clothes on we will be pretending to be getting ready to go shopping/be the shop keeper.

3. Model what you want the child/children to do. Put a hat or other dressing up clothes on. Ask the child/children to help you to choose 2 of the foods you are going to buy from the shop.

4. Tell the children you are going to write a shopping list to help you to remember. As you write the objects down, say the name of the item then exaggerate the sounds within the words e.g.

r-i-ce, ch-ee-se.

5. Show the children your list and read it back to them.

6. Choose a child to be the shopkeeper. Go to the shop and 'buy' your 2 things. Pretend you have forgotten what to buy so you need to read your list to remind you.

7. Take off your hat/dressing up clothes. The child/children dress up and write down at least 2 of the things they want to buy from the shop in their notebook. They can copy from the labels.

8. Child/children go to the 'shop' and 'read' what they want from their notebook to the shopkeeper and then 'buy' it using plastic or pretend money.

2 white cards with the words 'I' and 'like' written on them and 1 piece of card with 'I like' written on it.

Whiteboard or individual books made with 2 sheets of A4 paper folded in half.

Pencils

Scissors/glue

Pictures of food that can be cut up e.g. from magazines.

It would help the child if you had made a little book in advance to show.

Examples of real greetings cards (birthday cards, fathers' day cards, etc), which have had a hand written message added.

Photocopied A4 paper or a piece of card containing a printed greeting, (e.g. 'Happy Birthday') for each pupil, and for yourself to use as a model.

Pencils, Pens, felt tip pens, crayons.

Pictures to stick on the front of the card (optional).

Glue/glue stick (optional).

1. Talk with the child about why people send each other cards. Explain you are going to write a message in a card and send it to xyz.

2. Show the pupil a real card and identify the front of the card, where the picture usually is. Read any printed words on the front of the card to the pupil. Point at each word as you read it.

3. Show the pupil which direction the card opens. Then show the pupil the printed greeting inside the card. Point at and read the greeting to the pupil.

4. Finally, show the pupil the handwritten message written in the card. Talk about the difference between the printed greeting and the handwritten message.

5. Point at and read the handwritten message to the pupil. Explain that we write the word 'To' and the other person's name above the printed greeting. Explain that we write the word 'from' and our own name under the printed greeting.

6. Tell the children you are going to draw a picture / stick a picture on the front of your card and write a message inside it.

7. Demonstrate drawing a picture on the front of the card.

8. Open your card. Point at and read the printed greeting inside the card with the pupil.

9. Model writing the first part of the message (To xyz) above the printed greeting. Emphasise the initial sound of each word as you slowly write it.

10. Model writing the second part of the message, (from and your name) underneath the printed greeting.

11. When you have finished writing your message, encourage the child to read it back with you as you point at the words.

12. Give the child their own piece of paper/card and 'read' the printed greeting inside with them.

13. Tell the child s/he is going to make their own card. Decide with the child who they are going to send the card to.

14. Ask the child to show you where they are going to draw the picture.

15. Ask the child to show you where they are going to write 'To xyz' inside the card.

16. Ask the child to show you where they are going to write 'From' and their own name inside the card.

17. Ask the child to draw a picture / stick a picture on the front of their own card and write their message inside the card. If necessary you could make another card yourself alongside the pupil to remind them where to write the message.

Camera to make the picture sequences (or alternatively you can draw them or use a commercial resource).

Resources as appropriate to carry out a simple sequence

Examples of sequences (with suggested steps to make pictures for):

Putting on a jumper (get jumper, put head through, put arms through);

Drinking a drink (jug and cup, pour water into the cup, drink it)

Peeling and eating a piece of fruit (fruit, peel fruit, eat it)

Going to the door and lining up

Sitting down and eating dinner

Drawing a picture (pencil and paper, child drawing, finished picture)

Bubbles (unscrew lid, remove wand, blow bubbles)

Looking at a book (get it, open it, look at it)

1. Carry out the activity without the pictures;

2. Do it again, showing the relevant picture for each part of the activity as you do it;

3. Get the child to do the sequence, tell them what to do by showing them a picture for each part of the sequence;

4. Get them to show you what to do by giving you a picture for each part of the sequence. Try to do exactly as the picture you are given indicates, for example if they give you a picture of someone blowing bubbles without having given you the step for opening the bubbles container, try to blow the bubbles anyway (and act being disappointed when you don't get any bubbles).

Photocopies of main pictures from a favoured book

Writing pens

1. Choose a favoured book and photocopy the most important pages (about 4). Fold the photocopy to hide the text and photocopy again so that you have a picture with a blank space for writing.

2. Share the book with the child. Show the child the photocopies and discuss the pictures.

3. Write down a short phrase that the child has used to describe the picture in the blank space over the picture.

4. Make a dotted copy of the short phrase and help the child to over write this

5. You may need to use special pen grips to support he child writing.

6. The child can colour the picture after the writing as a reward.

7. You can make a short book like this and the child can make a cover page with a title and his own name.

Photos and pens

Photos of the child doing everyday activities

Drawings by you or the child of daily activities e.g. playtimes plants grown, food eaten.

Pictures of favoured toys or toys the child owns

Pencil grips

Stick the photo or the cut out picture onto a clean page. Draw a border round the picture and fill with zigzag marks as 'decoration'. The child may need to follow the dots to do this. Colour over the zigzags to make a picture frame for the 'book'

Label the photo or picture e.g. 'Child's name jumping.' 'Child's name toy car'.

You write the 'jumping' or 'toy car' and leave a space for the child to write his name. You may need to provide dots for the child to overwrite his/her name.

Use a painting or drawing the child has done. Write most the child's name for them.........can the child finish the name off?

The child may respond to being able to choose a 'special pen' to write his/her name

Make Christmas cards or birthday cards or thank you cards. As before, do most of the writing inside yourself leaving the child to finish off some/all of his/her name. Reward all attempts.

Letters of the child's name written large and cut out individually.

Catalogue pictures of toys or favourite food

Glue

Cut pictures from catalogues that you know interest the child, stick one picture onto a page and spend some time looking and talking about the picture e.g. say 'What's that?' Use the child's words to write a label under the picture.

Make up a small book of favourite things which can be shared with a teacher or a parent.

Can the child take this to an adult and show them with comments on the pictures?

Photos of everyday school life

Glue

Home made pictures

Glue

Stickers any glitter/cotton wool etc

Paints

Glue

Pencils and paper

Magnetic letters or letter shapes.

Help the child copy round the letters of their name.

Play a game matching the letter shapes to the drawn letter shapes of the child's name.

Reward and praise all attempts.

Can the child arrange the letters of their name without copying a written template?

Set out most of the letters of the child's name so that to start with they have only to complete the last 2 letters - then the last 3 letters etc.

Overwriting the name