This article describes the development of the Early Elementary Writing Rubric (EEWR), an analytic assessment designed to measure kindergarten and first-grade writing and inform educators' instruction. Crocker and Algina's (1986) approach to instrument development and validation was used as a guide to create and refine the writing measure. Study 1…

This qualitative narrative inquiry study examined the challenges and opportunities in a writing workshop framework and teachers' perceptions of their role in addressing the inequities of writing instruction in the early grades. The narrative inquiry study examined the contextualized phenomena within writing instruction in early childhood…

This study examined whether attitude toward writing is a unique and separable construct from attitude toward reading for young beginning writers. Participants were 128 first-grade children (70 girls and 58 boys) and 113 third-grade students (57 girls and 56 boys). We individually administered to each child a 24-item attitude measure that contained…

The 25 mini-lessons provided in this book are designed to develop students' self-regulated writing behaviors and enhance their self-perceived writing abilities. These foundational writing strategies are applicable and adaptable to all primary students: emergent, advanced, English Language Learners, and struggling writers. Following the SCAMPER…

This practical resource provides 40 research-based, classroom tested, and developmentally appropriate minilessons for kindergarten through grade 3--presented in the context of authentic writing experiences. Teachers can use these lessons to teach students how to: (1) Generate and organize ideas before writing, and then turn their prewriting ideas…

A longitudinal study tested the hypothesis that rapid cognitive improvement adversely affects young children's long-term memories encoded prior to cognitive transition. Seventy-one Year One (five- to six-year-old) children were assessed for recall for event and educationally-relevant information and cognitive ability (in operational reasoning) at…

A practical guide to establish an early writing program begins in kindergarten with children dictating a story that a teacher or parent volunteer records on paper. In first grade, 30 minutes are set aside for writing. Additional ways are suggested to infuse writing activities into every subject in a child's schooling. (MLF)

This article features questions and answers about "Kid Writing" (KW), the process of turning children who do not know the alphabet into fluent, proficient, and confident writers. According to the article, the questions were gathered during a live chat with the authors of "Kid Writing: A Systematic Approach to Phonics, Journals, and…

Discusses children's interest in names, and the importance of this interest for their developing literacy. (MM)

Discusses the developmental writing behaviors of children in a print rich environment. Suggests ways to encourage the writing process in beginning writers, and urges teachers to learn more about the concept of invented spelling. (MM)

Finds that lower-level developmental variables are related to beginning writing skills. Identifies an orthographic-linguistic dimension and an automaticity dimension in the battery of developmental skills and writing products. (RS)

Primary-grade children can learn rhythm and rhyme from nursery rhymes. But those same poems can be used to help young students make connections to letters, sounds, and word chunks. This lesson lets Mother Goose help children grow as readers and writers. During the 5-10 minutes per day for these lessons, students will: develop a feel for the rhythm…

Describes how sharing students' writing in small groups is a good alternative to sharing writing with the whole class. Provides "Author's Circle" guidelines to clarify group procedures. (MM)

Examined manuscript letter writing skills of students in Grades 1-3. Three letter characteristics, grade, and alphabet fluency each made a significant contribution to the prediction of letter legibility after effects of other predictors were controlled. Letter legibility in turn made a significant contribution to the prediction of text legibility…

Discusses strategies and activities that a teacher can use to help a young writer become a fluent writer. Suggests that it is essential for teachers to provide an abundance of opportunities for children to write. (RS)