Joyful Writing-to-Read Kindergartens

Accelerate Literacy

Promoting Excellence in Kindergarten Literacy

A Complimentary E-Book from Nellie Edge and Colleagues
www.nellieedge.com

Joyful Writing-to-Read Kindergartens Accelerate Literacy and Smiles

A Complementary e-Book from Nellie Edge and Colleagues

Table of Contents: Download Entire Book or Individual Pages

1. All Kindergartners Love to Draw and Write
2. Use One, Consistent, Multisensory ABC and Phonics Immersion Program
3. Best Practices to Support ABC and Phonics Instruction
4. Interactive Writing Instruction Begins With Engaging Experiences, with Jennifer Foster
5. A Classic Folk Tales Unit Invites Interactive Writing, with Kathy Bridges
6. Parents: How To Teach Your Child to Print Their Name Efficiently
7. Create ABC Memory Hooks Using the Letters of Each Childs Name
8. Give Children a Reason to Print Their Name Clearly: Use Name Tickets for Graphing
9. Kindergartners Take Surveys, with Suzie Haas
10. Use Writing Rubrics to Educate Parents and Show Writing Growth, with Julie Lay
11. Give Children Playful Writing Props: I am a Word Expert
12. Build Fluency and Accelerate Language: Start with I
13. Fun with THE
14. Building Fluency with High-Frequency Words: L-O-V-E Spells Love (
15. Sign, Sing and Spell: M-O-M Spells Mom (

See Video Clip)

See Video Clip)

16. I Can Read, Sing and Sign Cat

17. By Heart Word Wall Features Only High-Frequency Words, with Julie Lay
18. Active and Engaging ABC Centers Differentiate Learning: Word Work
19. We Can Write Nonsense Words Song with, Diane Bonica (

See Video Clip)

20. What is ABC Fluency (Quick Letter Writes): Research and Practice
21. Provide ABC Fluency Practice for Less-Experienced Students
22. Phonics Fun: The Silent E Man Song, with Diane Bonica (

See Video Clip)

23. We Get To Make Really Cool Books in Our Writing Center, with Becky Leber
24. Literacy Centers Provide Authentic Writing Practice, with Becky Leber
25. So What Do You Wonder About Cats? (KWL Chart), with Laura Flocker
26. Literacy Play Centers provide Authentic Reasons to Read, Write and Draw, with Jacque Verrall
27. Science Studies Inspire Thinking and Kid Writing, with Julie Lay
28. A Joyful Writing-to-Read Kindergarten, with Katie Nelson
29. Kid Writing Wall of Fame Honors Young Writers
30. Our Writing Goal is Independent Application: Children Delight in Writing To Their Teacher

Promoting Excellence in Kindergarten Literacy

www.nellieedge.com

Use One, Consistent, Multisensory ABC and Phonics Program

For powerful ABC and Phonics Immersion, add American Sign Language (ASL), fingerspelling
and a signed alphabet song book and chart to your classroom. Children more easily access memory
for letters and sounds when they fingerspell. Send a copy of your ABC song chart and CD home.
Children love sharing this new language with family. Adding the kinesthetic element of ASL for
the ABCs and key phonics symbols creates powerful hooks to long-term memory with
whatever ABC and phonics system you are using. Singing allows the brain to chunk all 26
letters, sounds and key phonics symbols into one memory space. We use ABC Phonics: Sing,
Sign and Read, by Nellie Edge (available 2009, www.Sign2me.com)

* F is signed both with the three fingers spread and with them closed.
Used with permission.

The Best Practice to Support Multisensory ABC and Phonics

Immersion: Daily Kid Writing and Skilled Teacher Modeling
Developing a passion for writing is the key to higher literacy standards in kindergarten.
Daily kid writing is how we systematically teach and reinforce phonics skills in actual
practice. Kid writing gives children authentic motivation to want to write letters and words
with increasing accuracy. This writing is enhanced by the skilled use of modeled and
interactive writing.
Kindergarten teachers have loved using the book Kid Writing: A Systematic
Approach to Phonics, Journals, and Writing Workshop. Teachers describe
kid writing as the systematic piece that enhances
the New Zealand process writing model. We
highly recommend this important and awardwinning book. Kid Writing: A Systematic Approach to
Phonics, Journals, and Writing Workshop. Eileen Feldgus
and Isabell Cardonick. The Wright Group, 1999. See
www.kidwriting.com to view the awesome classroom and
order the book. The book is only available through this
website.

How do you use interactive and modeled writing to teach skills and engage
children in meaningful writing throughout the curriculum? All Kindergarten
Children Love to Write shows how mentor kindergarten teachers support young writers. This inspiring
book demonstrates writing strategies across a meaning-centered curriculum. All Kindergarten Children
Love to Write. Jennifer Foster, Jeff James, and Nellie Edge. Nellie Edge Resources, updated 2005. (Full-color seminar
resource book only available through the training program or on loan from Salem-Keizer School District).
Writing to Read in Kindergarten:
Exploring the Power of
Kid writing

Building on the work from the original Kid Writing book and the seminar
and book All Kindergarten Children Love to Write, innovative kindergarten
teacher Julie Lay has developed a joyful, meaning-centered curriculum
where children learn to read by writing. She shows how to systematically
organize to accelerate literacy and engage children in writing across the
curriculum.
Writing to Read in Kindergarten: Explore the Power of Kid Writing. Julie Lay and
Nellie Edge. Nellie Edge Resources, Inc. 2006, updated 2008.
Our other valued resource is: Units of Study for Primary Writing: A Yearlong
Curriculum. Lucy Calkins, The Teachers College Reading and Writing Project,
Heinemann, 2003. Kid Writing provides a natural transition into these units of study.

See BER Videos: Using State-of-the-Art Strategies for Teaching Writing and Using Wall Stories and Other
Engaging, Interactive Strategies to Strengthen Students Literacy Skills featuring Darla Wood-Walters.
www.ber.org. (Darla is one of Oregons mentor kindergarten
teachers. She has developed a highly successful early literacy
model CHIPS [Children Immersed in Print Successfully].) Darla
Wood-Walters is a wise teacher researcher and gifted presenter
with a passion for excellence. We can all learn from her in these
powerful video programs.
E:\All Kindergartners Love to Write_#2\best practices in ABC and Phonics Immersion Chapter Page.doc

3
204

Meaningful Interactive Writing Instruction Begins

With Engaging and Meaningful Experiences:

Our Trip to the Pumpkin Patch

In this interactive writing piece, the teacher

invited children to come up and share the
pen.

What will we see at the

pumpkin patch?
Jennifer Fosters kindergarten children
make predictions about what they think
they will see when they visit the pumpkin
patch. When they return from the trip they
reread their ideas to see if their predictions
were correct.

A Classic Folk Tales Unit and the Drama of Three Billy Goats
Gruff Invites Interactive Writing: Children Share the Pen
These children have all first dramatized being
Billy Goats and the troll: Trip, trap, trip, trap.
Whos that tripping over my bridge?

Magnetic letters and magnetic star

words facilitate small group
interactive writing in Kathie Bridges
classroom.

The* is a magnetic star word. It is

available during interactive writing
for visual support.

Children compose sentences about

The Three Billy Goats Gruff and
individually help write the words. A
child who is not certain of how to
form the s can use a magnetic letter
for support.

At the end of the interactive writing

session, each child rereads the sentence.
5

All Kindergartners Love to Draw and Write

Vote for (Oregon) Beavers

What accomplished kindergarten teachers have learned:

Writing is the key to higher literacy standards.
Learning to draw with increasing detail supports writing development.
Kid writing is the vehicle for systematically teaching phonics.
Writing helps all children understand how reading works.
Children love to create their own really cool books.

How do we create a joyful writing-to-read classroom?

Unless otherwise referenced, this free kindergarten e-book is adapted from documents in Celebrate
Language and Accelerate Literacy, 2008, Nellie Edge. (Publisher to be announced.)

Teaching Your Child to Print Their Name Efficiently: The

Beginnings of ABC Fluency
Dear Parents,
Learning to print ones first (and later last) name is an important literacy skill in
kindergarten. Enclosed is a name card showing how we will teach your child to form
the letters. Please encourage your child to practice several times a day at home. Your
child will be asked to carefully practice forming the letters on a 2" x 4" blank card and
then to name the letters first thing every day in kindergarten. If they make a mistake
printing, they just take another card and do it again. Making improvement and giving our
best effort is important to learning. We celebrate each childs progress and talk about the
best letter. Then we choose one letter to practice making over and over until the brain
and fingers make the connection. Repetition builds control and confidence until efficient
letter forms become automatic.
A childs name is the most important word he or she will ever learn to write. Once
the child gains mastery over these letter formations, they will have internalized many
handwriting principals and other letters will be easier to form efficiently.
Please post this name card on your refrigerator and keep one copy in the area where
your child likes to write and draw. With daily practice at home and at school youll be
amazed at how quickly your childs ability to form letters improves.

While good handwriting is not the most important focus for young writers,
learning to automatically control letter forms within a growing number of highfrequency (by heart) words, frees the child to focus more energy into expressing
their ideas in daily kid writing.
We honor and celebrate all childrens initial writing explorations and
understand that small muscle coordination varies greatly from child to child.
Kindergarten letter formation instruction is always positive, individualized and
encouraging. It is integrated into real writing activities so the children are
motivated.
Incorrect muscle memories can be hard to unlearn later. Our aim is to encourage
efficient letter forms right from the start
beginning with the childs name.
A Nellie Edge Parents as Partners letter 2006. Permission granted to adapt and/or make copies with credits noted.
Thank you Susie Haas, kindergarten teacher, trainer and author for sharing the Name Ticket strategy.

Enhance Your ABC and Phonics Immersion Program:

Create Memory Hooks Using the Letters of
Each Childs Name

Julie Rundquist created a lovely and colorful

ABC book of childrens names. Who has a
d in their name?

Julie Lay keeps this moveable word wall of name cards

available for children to use during
Kid Writing workshop.

ABC Immersion Strategies

Start with Names

Jennifer Foster posts a color-highlighted,

alphabetized list of childrens names for
comparison and study.

Give Children a Reason to Print

Their Name Clearly: Use Name Tickets for Graphing
Photos from Jennifer Fosters and Janice Neilsons kindergarten

Which is your favorite version

of The Gingerbread Man?

Whats your favorite way to

eat apples?

Other graph ideas:

How do your shoes fasten? (velcro,
buckle, tie)
Would you jump over a candlestick?
(yes / no)
How did you get to school? (bus, car,
walking)
Is your favorite color red, green, or
blue?
Do you like dogs or cats?
Would you rather have a chocolate kiss
or a kiss from Mom?

A childs name is an island of certainty in a sea of unfamiliar print.

Marie Clay

Kindergartners Use Their Writing to Take Surveys

All they need is a clipboard, paper and pen.

At the beginning of the school year, kindergarten children practice writing their name daily at
home and at school using the Susie Haas name ticket strategy*. Efficient letter formation and
pencil-holding skills are individually modeled and supported within a context that has meaning
to the child. (There are no ditto sheets!) Children take pride in printing the letters of their
name clearly so that everyone can read it. Automaticity with letter forms and handwriting
control is reinforced through daily kid writing for real purposes including taking kid
surveys.
*Cornerstones of Kindergarten Literacy: A Balanced Literacy Foundation for Emergent Readers and
Writers, by Susie Haas, Scribbles-n-Dots, 2000.

Writing Rubrics Educate Parents: This is How

Children Develop as Writers
In September we ask parents,
Where do you think your child is right now?

This rubric is designed by Julie Lay and a team of kindergarten teachers from the Redmond
School District in Oregon. (Taken from Writing to Read in Kindergarten: Explore the
Power of Kid Writing literacy manual by Julie Lay and Nellie Edge. 2006, updated 2008.)
When we conference with parents early in the year and throughout the year we look at the
childs current kid writing samples. We invite the parent to discuss with us how they see
their childs development as a writer. What level is he working towards? We encourage the
parent to set up an art/writing area at home and continue involving the families in meaningful
literacy projects.

Our goal in kindergarten is for children to reach level 3 or 4.

A joyful writing-to-read kindergarten with parents as partners
is the key.
10

Give Children Writing Props: They Delight in Being

Word Experts

This plastic name badge

holder is great for displaying
high-frequency words. This girl
is the expert at the and gets
to help the other writers
remember how it should look.

I is the first word we

teach our kinders. The
children can wear it on a
memory necklace as their
first by heart or star
word.

Kid writing hats such as

Wiz of is, the King of
ing, and are featured in the
book Kid Writing: A
Systematic Approach to
Phonics, Journals and
Writing Workshop, by
Eileen Feldgus and Isabelle
Cardonick. See their
website www.kidwriting.com
for a variety of photos.

Julie Lay adapted the kid crowns idea and created actual
wearable hats with felt writing attached. Experts at words
wear the hats, which later retire to the Writing Hat Wall.
From Writing to Read in Kindergarten: Explore the Power of Kid
Writing, by Julie Lay and Nellie Edge.

The King of ing

11

Teach High-Frequency Words Through Meaningful,

Multisensory Learning: Start with the Word I
The high-frequency word I is often the first word kid writers use. It is found in many
favorite predictable books, so give children instant success with it early in the year
perhaps the first week or day of kindergarten. Use movement, rhythm and rhyme.
Print a large letter I on the chalkboard. Invite children to become the letter I. Show
them how to stand tall and sweep their hand down from head to toe. Then sweep the hand
from left to right across the shoulders and across the feet. Do this several times with
animation and energy while chanting in a 4/4 syncopated beat, I straight down from
head to toe / then across the top and across the toes. Provide a variety of the multisensory
experiences listed below making sure each child has anchored the letter formation
correctly and then invite the children to print I on a heart or star shape and wear it
home as a memory necklace. In one kindergarten classroom, the children printed I on
one side and the on the other side of a red heart and they wore their necklaces all week
(at home and at school) as a badge of their reading success.
Multisensory Immersion: Practice the letter I throughout the day
As a group activity, write I in the air, using the whole arm,
pointer finger extended. Later write it the flooron your friends back,
on your hand. While forming I, repeat the language:
I straight down, then across the top and across the toes.
Create an I design page with crayons using many different colors. Teach art
techniques with repeated Is. (Use heavy lines and light lines, make large and
small Is. Later paint I designs.
Make I by rolling up coils of playdough. Make I in different sizes.
Finger paint a design with I. Use a salt box to imprint I.
Individually (as needed) make sure every child begins to develop automaticity
with I. Provide positive affirmations. You know how to write I. A child
needing extra practice can be encouraged to cover the black board with Is. Guide
their arm in smooth motions. What fun is that!
Demonstrate I at the beginning of a sentence in the first sample kid writing
lesson. Expect every child to know how to write I on their first writing pieces.
Ask the children to brainstorm sentences for an I can or I like interactive
writing chart.
Use a word catcher (a fly swatter with a 1 inch window cut out) and look on
class language charts to catch the word I. Read the walls.
Make a stamp and read skinny book using the pattern I see a _________.
(See Stamp and Read: Teach High-Frequency Words.)
Verbalize enthusiastically You can read, write and spell I!

Develop top-to-bottom and left-to-right muscle memories for handwriting.

12

Teach the High-Frequency Word the Through a

Rhythmic Spelling Chant: Children Love Active Learning!
Teaching the

the

The little word the is not an exciting, emotionally appealing word all by itself, yet it is a
high-frequency word that young readers will need automatic mastery of early on. Wise,
imaginative teachers of young children understand how to use the power of movement,
rhythm and rhyme to create memory hooks for word study. They recognize that children
are first auditory spellers and they want all children to engage in joyful, satisfying literacy
events. Consider the following explicit multisensory teaching:
You Can Say the chant Jennifer Foster shares this jivy chant with her bilingual
kindergartners. It demonstrates the two pronunciations of the in a rhythmic spelling
chant. Start by setting up a strong 3-beat rhythm, with emphasis on the final beat of
each line. (stomp, stomp, clap!)

You can say the,

You can say th.
But its always spelled
T-h-e!
The end is a meaningful and useful
phrase. Our Read and Sing Big Books
and Little Books all end with the words:
The End. We want children to confidently
anticipate chanting and reading those last
two words. To emphasize these words, I
teach children to carefully articulate and
recite in a 3-beat rhythm: T-H-E E-N-D, The End!
(El Fin). Children quickly come to recognize the
letters and words. Many will write The end
independently on their own Little Books and writing
projects all year long. The repetition builds instant
word recognition and automaticity with print. Julie
Lays kindergartners enjoy a T-H-E E-N-D The
end, do it again! spelling chant by standing up and
swinging their hips and arms to a Cha-cha-cha
rhythm to celebrate the last page of their Nellie Edge
Read and Sing Big Books.

Childrens memory for the visual form and spelling sequence of

words is dramatically improved through rhythmic singing, fingerspelling,
movement- and joyful, active learning. Diverse learners deserve
multiple avenues for literacy success.
13

Build Fluency and Accelerate Literacy:

Sing, Sign and Spell L-O-V-E

L-O-V-E Spells Love

by Nellie Edge

L-o-v-e spells love.

L-o-v-e spells love.
L-o-v-e spells love.
L-o-v-e, l-o-v-e,
L-o-v-e spells love.

ABC fluency practice.

Love: Cross hands (closed in fists) at wrist and place over heart.
Spells: Fingers of one hand make a motion of pushing keys on a typewriter/keyboard,
starting with index finger and going to little finger. Hand moves from center, outward
as you do this.
This simple melody and rhythm
also works for spelling the
important friendship word like!

L-i-k-e
Like: The thumb and forefinger
pinch together by the chest and
move outward as if drawing the
heart towards something to show
an interest (liking) in something.

Sing with a full voice (fort). Sing with a soft voice

(pianissimo). Sing with no voice at all: mouth the words
and use ASL.

See ASL Browser: Michigan State

University ASL (American Sign
Language) Browser
http://commtechlab.msu.edu/sites/asl
web/browser.htm

Make your own language chart of this song and teach it to the children early in the year.
Practice writing love efficiently. Watch the childrens joy as they sing, sign, spell
and write love over and over again. Soon they will be able to read love in any
context.
Available on Music is Magic CD with Nellie Edge and Tom Hunter.
See video clip at www.nellieedge.com from The Magic of Signing Songs seminar literacy manual and DVD II.

14

Sing, Sign and Spell to Accelerate Literacy

M-O-M Spells Mom
Mom: Touch thumb of
5 hand to chin once or
twice.
Dad: Touch thumb of 5
hand to center of
forehead once or twice.
You: Index finger points
outward to other person.
Me: Index finger points
to self (in chest area).

M-o-m spells mom.

D-a-d spells dad.
Y-o-u spells you.
And m-e spells me.*
by Nellie Edge

*Some teachers substitute or add and m-y spells my.

Phonemic Awareness: Build Success Segmenting and Blending

This is a perfect song to develop phonemic awareness. After the children have
a memorable sense of the song, sing it in phonemes (no fingerspelling) and
then invite the children to join you. M-o-m is momand y-ou is you. This
gives children instant success with the concept of stretching out the sounds
(phonemes) in words and blending them together.
Available on Music is Magic CD with Nellie Edge and Tom Hunter.
See video clip at www.nellieedge.com from The Magic of Signing Songs seminar
literacy manual and DVD II.

15

Your Children Can Read, Sing and Sign

I Can Spell Cat

Sing this Read and Sing Big Book song to the

I Can Spell Cat
familiar Skip to My Lou melody. Discuss the
I can spell cat, c-a-t.
I can spell rat, r-a-t.
pictures to enhance comprehension.
I can spell hat, h-a-t.
What do you notice about the cover of this book?
I can spell.
Who can find the word cat?
Listen to me.
Play with the word cat, and other at family words I can spell dog, d-o-g.
I can spell hog, h-o-g.
aurally and in writing (segmenting and blending the
I can spell log, l-o-g.
sounds). Sing through the book again.
I can spell.
Listen to me.
Learn to fingerspell c-a-t.
by Nellie Edge 1994
A Nellie Edge Read and Sing Big Book
Sing, spell and sign the key words of the song,
segmenting the sounds. Change I can spell to I
can say. I can say cat, c-a-t I can say rat,
r-a-t I can spell, listen to me.
Emphasize the final lines I can spell. Listen to me. Sing and sign the
language with fluency, joy and confidence. I can spell becomes a selffulfilling prophecy with multisensory spelling techniques.

c a t
r a t
h a t
Cat is one of my handwriting anchor
words. It is so much more motivating
and meaningful to practice writing cat
than practicing a single letter.

Use paper or white dry erase boards for

a quick write to practice for fluency
and efficient handwriting.
Differentiate instruction and provide
individual guidance.

Notice the affirmation: I can spell. Listen to me.

Children can kinesthetically feel how the words c-at and r-at and h-at are
16
E:\All Kindergartners
Your Children
Can Also
Sign I Canbut
Spell Cat.doc
different
at Love
theto Write_#2\now
beginning
of the
word
they all end with the same sound.
16

By Heart Word Wall Features Only High- Frequency Words

The main word wall in
the room should only
focus on highfrequency words. By
focusing on only these
high utility words,
space is maximized
for environmental or
theme related print in
other locations in the
room while
minimizing the space
needed for one
permanent word wall.
Resist the temptation
to display childrens
names on this board.
Some teachers call high-frequency words Star Words because the words are special
like stars. Others call them Popcorn Words because they are always popping up. I
prefer the term By Heart Words because the children need to know these words by
heart.

Fingerspelling
To help make connections between a written letter and its
corresponding sign, I have combined two different alphabets:
the heart alphabet and the sign language alphabet. These are
displayed at the childrens height so the large sign language
hand shapes are easy for them to form. Children practice by
holding their hand on top of the picture.
The Sign Language Alphabet Line by TS Denison is available at
www.frankshafferpublications.com

High-Frequency (By Heart) Words That Kindergartners Actually Write and

Read
*These 52 words comprise more than 50% of the actual words young children initially write and
read.
I
me/we/be
is/it
and
book
dear
for
with
girl
love
the
cat
go/no
look
today
was
his
boy
you
see
dog
stop
to
he/she
are
her
today
Mom
a/A
like
yes
from
get
on
they
said
Dad
this
can
my/by
have
thank
am
at/as
in
An ongoing fluency action-research project, with Nellie Edge and colleagues 2008-2009.

17

Active and Engaging ABC Centers Differentiate Learning:

Daily Word Work Builds Fluency
Self-correcting language boards provide an independent letter/sound challenge
that is manipulative and engaging. This phonics board is still our choice for
best word work activity; only the correct answer will fit.
Insta-Learn materials shown above are:
L400B Language Board only
imprinted w/picture symbols
L0500 Lower-Case Letters set
One strip from L0010 set of 24
strips
Picture symbols include: cat, hat, rat, dog,
fox, cup, bus, bed, box, six, rug, pin.
(www.insta-learn.com or 1-800-225-7837)

Letters make words: I can manipulate them; I can write them.

Individual letters have more meaning when

they are a part of important by heart or
star words in the classroom. Children move
around the room with their clipboard in hand.
How many different high-frequency star
words can you write?

Lego letter tiles provide children with a

satisfying activity for building highfrequency words. Children can help each
other find letters.
18

We Can Write Nonsense Words: Phonics Fluency

We Can Write Nonsense Words

(to the tune Here We Go Loopty Loo)

We can write nonsense words.

They are so easy to do.
We can write nonsense words.
Theyre silly and mean nothing too!

by Diane Bonica

and we can write real

words!
See free video clip of
Diane Bonica demonstrating her
We Can Write Nonsense Words
song at www.nellieedge.com.

We Can Write By Heart Words

adapted by Nellie Edge

We can write by heart words.

They are important to do.
We can write by heart words.
Here is our best work for you!

you may change best work to

quick write depending on your
purpose.

From the manuscript in progress, Joyful and

Rigorous Kindergarten Experiences, by Diane Bonica and Nellie Edge, 2008.

19

ABC Fluency (Quick Letter Writing) Research and Practice: Kindergartners Can Learn to
Recall and Efficiently Print 40 Letters Per Minute

Kindergarten teachers in a study from the University of Washington found that children who
could recall (with no abc sample visible) and print letters of the alphabet (first lower case, then
upper case) at 40 letters per minute were all very successful with first-grade reading and writing
tasks. In fact, there were virtually no reading failures among such children and normal
functioning kindergarten children can all reach this level if they are properly taught.
Children who write the alphabet at over 40 letters per minute can always name randomly
presented letters at least at that rate too.
Use this powerful mental retrieval exercise in January, or after most children already have
mastery of the alphabetic principle and fluency writing their name and several highfrequency words. (Fluency is speed and accuracy.) Prepare children for a brain exercise.*
Make sure the children all know the traditional ABC song and chant so the letter
sequence is already held in long-term memory.
I introduce this by first doing a mental rehearsal with the whole class gathered on the
floor in front of me. We talk about how we exercise our arms and legs: Now we get to
exercise our brain too! I ask the children to slowly visualize, verbalize, and finger write in
the air along with me: a, b, cz. We practice immediately stopping at the bell sound. Then
the children are excused to tables to do the 1-minute brain exercise (also called a timed ABC
write) exactly as we have already mentally practiced it. Children put their name on their
paper and wait until they hear, ABC: Start now!
Use a timer (or bell) to signal, stop writing and put the pencil down. Ask the children to draw a
line across the paper under their first ABC exercise. Pause and challenge them to do one more
60-second brain exercise. See if you can remember the letters even more quickly!
Carefully monitor that the children are all building on success and understanding what is
expected of them. Make sure this activity starts and continues as a positive experience.
Stress that once they finish a-z, they can quickly start over with ABC again. Tell the children
to write the letters as accurately and as quickly as possible. No erasing. Just keep going.
Keep track of the correct number of letters printed. You will gain some surprising
insights into childrens alphabetic knowledge and handwriting skills. Date the papers
and record progress.
*Do not do this activity with the entire class if you know it will create frustration and defeat
for some of the children. Provide an alternative activity for these children until they are ready to
join the others and build on success. For children who are ready for this activity, it is challenging
and fun. We have even seen children choose to practice this on their own (using a timer of course!)
during their activity time.

20

Provide ABC Fluency Practice for Less-Experienced Students

You probably already know which
children need more time and more
carefully scaffolded writing
instruction to be successful and
perceive ABC fluency practice (brain
exercise) as an enjoyable challenge.
I recommend giving less-experienced
children additional guided writing
practice individually or in a small
groups, building fluency with their
name and meaningful words and
phrases. Then encourage them to
mentally retrieve and write a,b,c, then
abcd, and efg over and over in a very
David practices his name, a, b, c, and then adds d. A vertical
non-threatening environment on their
surface (the easel) facilitates handwriting. Soon he practices
name ticket or journals. Keep
meaningful sentences: I love you.
verbalizing another phrase of the
traditional ABC chant so the children have the internal auditory support. Provide guided imagery
rehearsals and teach them to sub-vocalize abcd, efgas they write. Train parents and
volunteers to work one-on-one with less-experienced students: write the letters in the air, on
salt trays, on etch-a-sketch boards, at the easel, and on the chalkboard. The key is repetition
until each child has quick, confident recall and efficient handwriting for a growing number
of letters. This type of fluency rehearsal may be a more efficient use of time than merely asking
children to copy one letter over and over for handwriting practice. Copying from a model does
not require a child to develop quick letter recall. Perhaps ABC fluency practice even deserves
a brief segment of writing workshop time. Once children truly have fluency with most letters
and some key high-frequency words and phrases, they can more easily focus on recording their
ideas fluently in daily kid writing.
Why is this important?
The point is the practice in
retrieving the picture of the letter
from their brain. You are exercising the brain and setting in stone the path for retrieving words
from their brain. When we read, we are retrieving the pictures of words from our brains. And for
comprehension to occur, that retrieval has to be fast, or at the rate one speaks. It holds the same
principle, its just that you are practicing the retrieval process to ready the kids brains for
fluent reading.
Pickles on the mentor kindergarten teachers chatboard

Fluency = speed + accuracy

How do you use high-frequency words to build ABC fluency?

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Phonics Fun:
The Silent E Man
Song

Dianes adaptation of the Superman TV Show

Theme Song
For a video clip of Diane Bonica presenting
the Silent E Man Song, see www.nellieedge.com.

The Silent E Man Song

by Diane Bonica
Who can turn hop
into hope?
Who can turn hop
into hope?
Silent e can.
Silent e can.
Silent e,
Hes the man
Baby!
(We say baby because we use a Cabbage Patch Doll
as Silent E.)

The ring of cards has several options

for new verses. Silent E Man has the
silent e letter glued to his hand.
Each time you singhold the ringed
cards up first and then slide them next
to the silent e.
Some of the words we use are:
cop/cope tim/time
dim/dime dot/dote
man/mane hat/hate
not/note pin/pine
cut/cute
rob/robe
To learn more about this exemplary
kindergarten program you can access
Diane Bonicas website from Literacy
Award Sites at www.nellieedge.com.

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We Get to Make Really Cool Books in

Our Writing Center:* A Model for Writing Workshop
I Have A Cat
I have a cat.
My cat wears a hat.
My cat is fat.
My cat says meow.
I love my cat.

For some kindergartners, the path to writing their own

stories and making their own book is initially helped by
providing them with a model or familiar and
predictable story structure to adapt. This is especially
helpful for children with limited oral language fluency.

the end

The I Have A Cat book becomes a pattern for children to

write I Have A Dog or I Have A Bunny. We teach
children how to make the fold-a-book and keep blank
fold-a-books available at the writing center.
Make enlarged fold-a-books using 11 x 17 paper.
Staple the center fold so it stays bound.

As teachers, we create opportunities to

celebrate our young authors: they share with
their 4th grade reading buddies and classmates.
* Read About the Authors: Writing Workshop with Our
youngest Writers, by Katie Wood Ray. Heinemann, 2004.

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Literacy Centers Provide Authentic Writing Practice

Write a Message Center
empowers children to use writing
for real purposes. Here they
develop efficiency in writing highfrequency words and phrases: to,
from, Mom, I love you Children
get to create a message for a friend or
family member. The requirement is
that they write who the piece is to,
who it is from, and a message for
someone to read. The center tote
contains everything needed for this
engaging writing activity. The
message can be decorated with
personal drawings, stamps or
stickers. Children deliver their messages to friends or take them home. The
messages to Mrs. Leber are tacked on her special message board.
This center tote contains:
Picture/name cards of
classmates
Assorted paper and
writing materials
Message idea cards
Sample Kindercreated messages and
cards
Stamps, stickers, old
greeting cards
Children are encouraged to assist any
new student or less experienced writer by
demonstrating how to use the center
writing prompts. Learning is
differentiated and cooperative.
See Photo Essay: Becky Lebers Literacy
Centers at www.nellieedge.com.

I love you.

Grandma

I like you.

Grandpa

You are my friend.

Mom

Dad

Happy Birthday

to

from

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So What Do You Wonder About Cats?

Connecting Art and Reading and Writing with Childrens
Fascination with Pets and Animals
Kindergartners love to do research studies:
The ABC Sign Language and Phonics Song picture book and I
Have a Cat Big Book connect children with animals that
children love to learn about. Meaningful studies about cats
and other favorite pets invite children to become researchers.
Who can tell us something about their cat or their neighbors
cat? What do we know about cats?
Observe, explore and dramatize cat movements.
Conduct a guided art lesson on the different ways to draw cat
From ABC Sign Language and Phonics
features.
Song Picture Book, by Nellie Edge.
Individual research projects are a great parent-child
(Enhanced version available 2009 from
(T.A.G.) project. The child can do a presentation and
Sign to Me/Northlight
become the expert on their animal of interest.
Communication.)
The entire class may pursue Our Study of Cats. Begin
with a K.W.L. chart and then explore literature, movement, drama and art.
Children see writing as a way of organizing their thinking.

K.W.L.
What do we know about cats?

What do we wonder about cats?

What have we learned about cats?

Fiction

Cats Are Cats. Nancy Larrick, ill. Ed

Young, Philomel Books, 1988.
Cats Sleep Anywhere. Eleanor
Farjeon and Anne Mortimer, Harper
Collins, 1996.
Ginger. Charlotte Voake,
Candlewick Press, 1997.
Hondo & Fabian. Peter McCarty,
Henry Holt and Co., 2002.
Kittens First Full Moon. Kevin
Henkes, St. Martins Press, 2004.
Millions of Cats. Wanda Gag,
Coward-McCann, 1928.
Six Dinner Sid, Inga Moore.
So, Whats it Like to Be a Cat? Karla
Kuskin, Atheneum, 2005.

Chart from Art, Literacy and the Kindergarten Child, by

Laura Flocker and Nellie Edge.

Nonfiction
Cats. Gail Gibbons, Holiday House, 1998.
How to Talk to Your Cat. Jean Craighead George, Harper Collins, 2000.
The True-or-False Book of Cats. Rosalyn Schanzer, National Geographic Society, 1998.
25

Literacy Play Props Provide Authentic Reasons to Read,

Write and Talk: Kindergarten Learning is Social

Jacque Verralls kindergarten parents take turns changing the literacy play props
monthly in the dramatic play center. Here children are creating grocery lists from grocery
advertisements and food labels. This wise teacher knows that authentic and playful
literacy tasks motivate children to use their reading and writing skills.
Jacque Verrall writes, Dramatic Play Centerin November
Topic:
http://teachers.net/mentors/kindergarten/topic12849/11.01.03.1
8.46.40.html

Mine was a grocery store. The parents who

organize this had every child bring a small can or
boxed grocery item with the caveat that at the end,
someone would take all the grocery items to the food
bank (I really liked this idea). The parents brought
two cash registers, fake credit cards, checks (they
loved writing the checks! And I was surprised how
knowledgeable they were about checks!), paper bags
(small), grocery carts, etc. They have had a great time
with it all.
Next week it will change to a space station. The
other kindergarten teacher and I encourage our parents
to trade set-ups, thereby getting double use of them.

This girl is taking her little dog to

the Veterinarian Clinic.

26

Build Comprehension and Vocabulary Through Word Work:

Science Studies Inspire Deep Thinking, Kid Writing and Detailed Drawing
Comprehension through word work became one of the most favorite extension
activities during reading workshop. For some children, I suppose it may have
been the novel experience of using post-it notes. But for many other students,
there was genuine excitement in being able to think on their own and really
listen to others thinking. My kinders realized that word work leads to a deeper
comprehension.
At the beginning of a unit on butterflies, and later one on bees, I posed the
question, What do you wonder about? The children eagerly took their post-it
and went off by themselves or with a partner to draw and write their question.

What do you wonder

about bees?

How do yellow jackets get their stinger?

How do they get all of their colors?

What kind of food is your favorite?

How do bumble bees make their poison?

Asking questions is a powerful strategy for building comprehension:

What? Where? When? Why? How?
From Writing to Read in Kindergarten: Explore the Power of Kid Writing by Julie Lay and Nellie Edge. Updated 2008.

27

Joyful Writing-to-Read Kindergartens Brings SMILES

Reading is Fun
Reading is fun.
Reading is fun.
Reading is fun for
everyone.
The more you read,
The better you read,
So read, read, read.
by Nellie Edge

Literature Alive with Katie Nelson

Here comes Mrs. Wishy Washy.

Charlie the turtle comes to kindergarten: Children write adoring letters

Kindergartners can also write letters to an imaginary elf or the class mascot.
28

Kid Writing Wall of Fame Honors Young Writers

Katie Nelsons Kid Writing in May.

Notice exact underwriting is separate
from the kid writing. This is one of
the key research-based elements that
separate kid writing from earlier
process writing models.
The childs language experience thus
becomes a part of their beginning
reading (see Breaking the Code: The
New Science of Beginning Reading and
Writing, by Richard Gentry).

This photo is taken from Isabelle Cardonicks Kidwriting Wall of Fame. You may view her entire
photo essay by using the direct link from the Literacy Award Sites at www.nellieedge.com.

29

Our Goal is Independent Application: Children gain fluency and use their
drawing and writing for real purposes that have personal meaning. Keep a special
teacher bulletin board to post these delightful messages on.

Mrs. Lay
You need to bring your bird.
Zach and Nathan

Mrs. Cutler
We love you. We will miss you!! Mountains
and rivers will curtsy to you
Because you are so nice.

To Mrs. Leber
From Emily
I love you.

My Mom and Dad are getting

married. And they are going to
kiss, and the music is going
da-da-da-da!

How will you expand your joyful writing-to-read program?

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