This article focused on how writing can be used to build reading comprehension, to self-question, activate prior knowledge, infer, and reflect. Writing-to-learn can be implemented in the classroom with two strategies: K-W-L and reading journals. K-W-L is a chart that can be completed as a whole class or individually, which is used to represent what students know, what they want to know, and what they learned. Reading journals are a way for students to reflect on their learning, and are also a way for students to make connections. Both of these strategies can be used at any grade level, with a few modifications, and with any subject area. Writing to learn is a way for students to organize their thoughts on paper, which helps them think critically.
Writing to learn can be used in a kindergarten classroom with any of the subject areas. Using a K-W-L chart for science and math lessons would be a way to integrate writing into the lesson. This would help students recognize what they already know about the subject matter, and would give meaning to the lesson as their questions in the “w” column were answered. In kindergarten, we would fill out a K-W-L chart as a class, where students would contribute what they know, and want to know at the beginning of the lesson, and then at the end of the lesson we could close by completing the “l” column, what they have learned. Reading journals can also be used in any subject area, but would be especially useful in language arts. Our kindergarteners are still learning how to identify letters, and the sound each letter makes, so few of them are able to write actual words. Reading journals could still be used, where we could encourage students to try their best to write words, and draw a picture to represent their thinking. This is a great way to assess students’ comprehension of a book, and summarization skills. We could also use the reading journals before reading a story and have the students make predictions through pictures and labels. This is similar to the publishing activity we viewed in Cyrus Limon’s class in the way that the students would be using inventive spelling to write sentences, along with pictures. However, reading journals takes this a step further because now students are using comprehension strategies to understand the story, and writing their understanding of the book/lesson on paper.
In order for writing to learn to be effective in my classroom, I would need to spend time modeling how to write in a reading journal, and how to contribute to a K-W-L chart. We would start with one of these strategies alone for a whole unit, and then focus on the other strategy the next unit. For the reading journal, I would have students begin by simply drawing pictures. As students were writing/drawing in their reading journal, I would circulate around and see whether students were drawing pictures to explain the story, or if they were drawing random pictures. After a few days of drawing, I would add in the writing by having students label, or attempt to write sentences. I could use their reading journals as an assessment to not only assess their comprehension strategies, but to assess their phonics knowledge (if they can segment words into sounds, and write down letters to represent those sounds), and letter identification.
It was refreshing to observe a kindergarten class using writing strategies in this module because most videos and lessons I have observed deal with second graders or older. Most of my assessing will take place while students are working with me in their guided reading groups for literacy. I also plan on informally assessing two students each day by taking detailed observation notes on their work and participation throughout the day. I feel that holding writing conferences would be most effective in mt class. Students will feel more comfortable to express their thoughts while meeting with me one-on-one, so this will be a better way to measure their growth, and monitor their progress and learning.
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