How Much 'writing' In Reception?

[Guest]

Please, can anyone tell me how much writing they expect their F2 children to do at a time.

 

We have a book focused topic (Abacus Evolve!!) each week and we do a 'literacy' session with three groups on Mondays and Tuesdays. The children write into books (aghh!) and my colleague expects, even children who have just come up from Nursery this term, to be able to sound out and write complete sentences. This can't be right as most are in my phonics group and only recognise about 5/6 phonemes and I don't feel they are at the stage of blending yet. She even rubs out incorrect letters and letter formation until the children get it right. Shouldn't we just be expecting/encouraging emergent 'have a go' writing from these children or should we expect more.

 

I'm totally flummoxed and exasperated!!

 

We do provide lots of opportunities for mark making during free choice times (pro formas, whiteboards, painting etc), is that enough or should the children have more formal sessions like this?

 

I just don't know what to do and i don't feel confident enough to stand my ground.

[Guest]

Please, can anyone tell me how much writing they expect their F2 children to do at a time.

 

We have a book focused topic (Abacus Evolve!!) each week and we do a 'literacy' session with three groups on Mondays and Tuesdays. The children write into books (aghh!) and my colleague expects, even children who have just come up from Nursery this term, to be able to sound out and write complete sentences. This can't be right as most are in my phonics group and only recognise about 5/6 phonemes and I don't feel they are at the stage of blending yet. She even rubs out incorrect letters and letter formation until the children get it right. Shouldn't we just be expecting/encouraging emergent 'have a go' writing from these children or should we expect more.

 

I'm totally flummoxed and exasperated!!

 

We do provide lots of opportunities for mark making during free choice times (pro formas, whiteboards, painting etc), is that enough or should the children have more formal sessions like this?

 

I just don't know what to do and i don't feel confident enough to stand my ground.

 

I agree with you - your children should be encouraged to 'have a go' at writing in their play and to use emergent writing if they do not recognise phonemes. Even if they do recognise most of the sounds, it often takes much longer for them to actually be able to write them and even longer to write them correctly. We do lots of writing in sand and gloop, painting letters and numbers etc. We do have teacher led writing tasks once a week, lasting about 10-15minutes, but at the children's level and never in books - we get them to write lists, messages, diary entries, cards, letters, captions, signs and notices for role play areas and short stories & always try to make the writing as "real life" as possible. We often take photos of the children's construction models and get them to have a go at writing about those - put the photos and writing up on the wall. I would certainly never rub out a child's efforts at writing. We have separate patterning and handwriting sheets once a week too. Stand your ground ..... I think you are absolutely right!