Literacy Differentiation

[Guest]

Hi,

 

Just wondering how people differentiate writing activities in Literacy for Reception chn. For example if you were writing a letter to Santa to thank him for your Christmas presents, how would you differentiate for your higher, middle and lower ability groups?

 

Thanks in advance

[Guest]

With differentiated support/ available resources for each group/individual.

If they know phonemes and can segment then I would encourage them to use appropriate letters it in their writing. I would expect them to be using phoncis card for reminder f letter if necessary, and possibly use phase tricky word lists in classroom too.

 

If they can segment well, I would encourage more independence and extended sentences and punctuation (none of mine are at this stage yet by the way!).

 

If they cannot yet segment, then I would encourage more emergent writing using any symbols /letters to encourage confidence in their own writing ability.

 

Hope that helps a bit.

[KST]

I differentiate the same as above. I have 3 children who I expect themm to write 2 sentences and begin to use capital letters and full stops. Sometimes with my LAPs I get them to suggest what to right as a group and adult scribes, drawing attention to initial sounds, getting them to help or write the odd sound - it depends on the activity but mark making generally for them.

I sometimes have a different objectibe for my bottom 5 children because they are still working in 30-50 months for some things.

[Guest]

Thank you for your replies...I was having another discussion with another teacher who said for middle and lower ability to copy her writing from the board...I didn't see this useful. What do you think?

 

Jules

[Marion]

I agree with you Jules

[Guest]

It is something I have done and will do again for some children but not at this time of the year when they need to be building confidence to write everywhere! However, I do for name writing practice!

[Guest]

For lower ability children, would you ask them to tell you what they want to write, support them with what sounds they can hear and then support them to write the letters?

[Guest]

For lower ability children, would you ask them to tell you what they want to write, support them with what sounds they can hear and then support them to write the letters?

 

I would if they were already confident emergent writers, or desperately wanted to write 'proper letters'. As long as I knew that they were confident at hearing most sounds easily and could recognise them and attempt writing them, yes. My lower ability are only just beginning to hear sounds and recognise some letters, but not enough to be able to write all letters of the alphabet yet so it would be too laborious for them. I encourage them with more language and emergent-type writing in their play and use phonics sessions to practice making / writing individual words.

[redbase]

My lower ability are only writing 1 or 2 letters from their name, one just making scribbly marks and not at all happy to hold any writing implement.

Middles are writing random letters but can hear sounds and use phonic cards. More able are writing words and trying long vowel sounds. Haven't specifically taught punctuatuion yet so not using capital and full stops but we are using finger spaces.

Lots of writing emerging in role play..especially over christmas.

Redbase

[Marion]

Am I right in thinking this is an adult focused task rather than free writing?

If so I would sit with the child and ask what they are going to write. Count how many words with them using fingers, then say each word clearly and ask what sounds they can hear. Some children may hear only initial sounds some final sounds some both and some all. I would ask the child to write the sound they hear in the word then repeat the word clearly and ask if they can hear any others repeat until the child can't hear more sounds and do this for each word.

[Guest]

Thanks for your helpful replies, really appreciate it.

 

Yes Marion, my question related to adult focussed tasks. I just wanted to see how others plan for writing for all ability groups particulary lower ability children.

 

Sorry, one more question, how do you organise your groups during Literacy writing sessions. Do you work with one group of children and then when they've finished move onto the next group or do you have different groups working each day? Hope that makes sense. We're just changing the way we deliver Literacy and need new ideas. Thanks

[Marion]

I work with all the children each day.

[KST]

I have a literacy focussed morning on monday and friday and PSRN focus on Tuesday and Thursday morning, the rest of the time is divided up into other areas so there is balance. I work with all the children in their ability groups (or the TA does) by the end of the session. The other adult supports children in their play, which may be literacy things if children intitate them which I encourage!