How do you enhance children's knowledge of environment print? How do you support writing development in kids?

Question

How do you enhance children's knowledge of environment print? How do you support writing development in kids?

Answer 1

A good way to help a child become aware of print in the environment is to point it out as you go shopping point out the labeling signs in the grocery store or make it noticable when ordering at a resturantand Look at street signs When reading a story to the preschool child do a picture walk through the book then do a walk through the book noticing the pictures and the words. Have the child draw favorite pets or favorite things then label them with words. Then progress from there with sentences.

Answer 2

Since this is the preschool section I'll assume those are the kids you are asking about. First, labels are important. Label everything in the room. Label the bin the legos are in with a picture of legos and the word, put a matching label on the shelf. Makes clean-up easier, too. Show them the recipe when you cook. Put the words to their favorite fingerplays on chart paper on the wall. If you have room, make a word wall. Divide the wall into a section for each letter. Then every time there is a word that interests them put it under the letter. Start with their names.Point out that "Sammy and Sarah and Susie all start with s and s says sss". If you don't have room to do a wall keep a file box, sorted by letter, for the words. Picture cues help. Make sure you have a Helpers' chart. If you are reading the instructions for something let them know what you are doing. Provide writing materials in all areas of the room. Put clipboards everywhere. In the Block Area you can put blueprints, "How To" magazines and carpenters' pencils. In Housekeeping put menues, supermarket flyers, phone books and cookbooks. Provide restaraunt order forms and paper and pencils for shopping lists. You get the idea. Set up a writing area with all sorts of writing tools, an alphabet wall chart, many kinds of paper and stationery, things to make books with, envelopes and maybe a typewriter. Ask the parents for their left-over sationery and those fundraising stickers that come in the mail. Provide alphabet blocks and stamps.If you have somewhere to put them those magetic letters are great. Kids who don't yet have the small motor skills for writing can manipulate letters using rubber stamps.

    Read to the children all the time. When you go for a walk read the street signs and billboards. Don't necessarily read to the whole group. Find time to read to one or to kids at a time, maybe during Free Play.

    Give them plenty of chances to see their own words in writing. Offer opportunities to write and illustrate stories. Ask if they want you to write on their paintings. Write group stories after things like trips and hang them up for everyone to see.

    Above all keep it interesting and don't force kids who are not ready to participate. Under no circumstances should preschoolers be using workbooks and dittos or be forced to write. If you make the materials available they will start when they are ready.

Answer 3

Environmental print is all around us every day.  It's the stop sign at the corner, the WalMart sign in front of the store, the McDonald's sign and logo, the front of the Cheerios box.  Use that print and refer to it on a frequent basis and most children catch right on.  If you're serving breakfast and it's Cheerios, hold up the package and say "Look what's for breakfast today."  One of the children will say "Cheerios!"  And you can say, "And how did you know that?  Did you read the box?  That's very good!"  Have grocery sale flyers in your dramatic play area and let the children make grocery lists.  Point out to them what's on sale, and acknowledge their recognition of well known brand logos.  "Oh, I see Campbell's soup is on sale, are you putting that on your list?  You saw it in the ad already didn't you!"  If they seem to recognize the stop sign, use the s-t-o-p in other ways to support recognition of the word without the color and shape.  Put the word stop on the door to remind them not to run out of the room, and point it out to them.  Make the words stop and go and hold up the words to tell them to dance/hop/jump/etc. as a game.

For writing development, put shaving cream on the table and let them draw and write in it.  Use finger paint and encourage them to draw or write in it.  Play with play dough and encourage them to make letter shapes with it.  Use craft sticks to build your name, or build a simple word.  Keep plenty of paper and writing tools available in various locations throughout your classroom or home and encourage the children to use them.  Make sure they see you writing a lot, and encourage them to write too, even if they are just at the scribbling stage.

Answer 4

Get them to do it.

Give them a thorough example, a perfect instructions, give them simple desk work -correct it and make them write it with correction, discuss it with them and tell them why writings are wrong, then once they  mastered it, give them a little bit longer one, do over again.

Kids are the smartest and quickly learning human beings. Anything you want them to learn, teach them completely and consicely, they will get it. They just sometimes see things, and they already can do something about it. That's why, pre-school teachers should also be smart and not lazy, not thorough because that's what the kids will learn.

Kids are also the best and honest commentator because they comment from their heart. They are also the best observer - you thought they are so quiet - but they have a lot to say about you.