Teaching Early Writers - from Program to Professional Plan (Parts 1 and 2)

About this teaching resource

In this podcast transcript Teaching Early Writers - from Program to Professional Plan (Part 1) literacy expert Sharon Callen and guest Grace Cullen, a Foundation/Reception teacher, discuss teaching early writing to young students.

Grace shares transitioning from a structured to a student-centered approach, emphasizing tapping into student interests for writing inspiration.

They highlight valuing and publishing students' work, curriculum integration, mentor texts, and the use of side-by-side coaching. The podcast emphasises fostering a love of writing, independence, and adapting to students' needs to empower them as enthusiastic writers.

In the second part of the podcast, Sharon, Grace, and the team discuss strategies for nurturing writing skills in Foundation year students. They introduce "sentence stems" to help children start writing with simple sentence starters and high-frequency words. The importance of a "word wall" and personalised tools for letter formation is highlighted.

Grace's class has transitioned to creating books, promoting authenticity and pride. They stress the value of mentor texts and encourage a positive learning culture. Ten key elements for teaching writing are presented, emphasising fostering enthusiasm and connection to writing.

Overall, the podcast underscores the transformative power of recognising children as writers and nurturing their skills in a supportive environment.