How do you see your preschooler as a writer? Is she a pretend writer, a scribbler, or an emergent writer? Do you attach descriptors to explain the quality of your preschooler’s writing? If so, maybe it’s time to change the way you see your preschool writer.
My son’s as an emergent writer. He can write his name, but his letter formation isn’t always accurate. We’re working on starting at the top, not at the bottom. He likes to write the word “the” and he’s listening for the beginning and ending sounds in words now.
Katie Wood Ray and Matt Glover, the authors of Already Ready Nurturing Writers in Preschool and Kindergarten challenged me to get rid of all of the adjectives and simply call my preschool son a “writer.” No strings attached. No explanations needed.
Age Doesn’t Matter
I know my son is only four, but he’s a writer, it’s true, just like everyone else. What his writing looks like at 4 is different than what my writing looks like at 45, but we’re both writers, regardless of our age and experience.
We hesitate to call preschoolers writers, because they are so limited in what they can produce on paper. Their drawings can be unrecognizable, and they don’t have a grasp on letter formation, let alone letter knowledge. How many times has your preschooler proudly brought you a piece of writing to show you and you had to ask, “What does it say?”
We hesitate to call them writers, because quite frankly, they can’t write yet. But where in a child’s development do we draw a line in the sand and say, “Now you’re a writer?”
Members of the Literacy Club
Ray and Glover refer to the literacy club. They say there isn’t anything our preschoolers need to do to become members of the literacy club. They are already ready. The authors refer to this quote from an essay called, “Joining the Literacy Club” by Frank Smith (1988).
Members of the literacy club are people who read and write, even the beginners, and the fact that one is not very competent yet it no reason for exclusion or ridicule. A newcomer is the same kind of person as the most proficient club member, except that he or she hasn’t yet had much experience.
Frank Smith
A New Response
When my son hints at not knowing what letter to write next, I can confidently tell him that he is writing just like he should be, like a four year old! He doesn’t need to feel ashamed for not knowing every sound in a word yet, because that’s not where he’s at developmentally. But, he’s a writer, and his writing will match his age. Each time he does something new, like adds a sight word or figures out a new consonant sound, we can celebrate his growth together. He’s growing in age, and his writing shows it!
What preschool writing looks like according to some beliefs and practices:
- Reading come first, so there’s no need to think about writing just yet.
- Preschoolers should dictate their stories, because they don’t know how to write yet.
- Writing down a preschooler’s story word for word is important, so they won’t forget it later.
- Preschool writing is limited to functional writing, like making a grocery list or writing one’s name.
- Preschoolers don’t have the attention span needed to create a whole book, so it’s best to do single-page composing.
- Give preschoolers a topic and a paper with designated lines and illustration boxes to guide them.
Aside from the first one on the list, there may not be anything wrong with the other beliefs and practices listed above. However, if parents and teachers limit writing to these practices, they are missing out on a great opportunity for their preschoolers to develop the self image of a writer.
Treat Them as Writers
When you change the way you see your preschool writer, your actions will change, making a world of difference. You’ll start to treat him like a real writer, interacting in new and exciting ways. You will…
- Invite him to write books, just like a real author.
- Give her attractive writing materials and space to be a writer.
- Encourage him to write during his play
- Sit down and write together
- Talk to him about what he draws and writes.
- Listen to her stories and appreciating how wonderful writing development truly is during the preschool years
Conclusion
Change the way you see your preschool writer. Don’t disqualify her because of her age and inexperience; she is a member of the literacy club, just like all of us who grew up in a literate society.
This new mindset can be liberating and open up new possibilities. When we hold high expectations and values, our children will strive to reach them. That’s how it is with writing in preschool. If we believe our preschoolers are writers and treat them as writers, then they will prove it to us. They are three- and four- year olds, and they are writers.
Your Turn
Do you need to change the way you see your preschool writer? What insight did you glean from this post?
Resource
Ray, Katie Wood and Glover, Matt. 2008. Already Ready: Nurturing Writers in Preschool and Kindergarten. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
