SPECIALIZATION: Primary, Early Childhood

COURSE NAME: Introduction to Writing

COURSE CODE: LA301PRB/ECB

NUMBER OF CREDITS: 3

NUMBER OF HOURS: 45 hours

PREREQUISITES: NONE

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course is designed to expose teachers-in-training to the importance of teaching writing at

the primary and early childhood levels in Jamaica. The aim is to prepare teachers to meet the
needs and demands of the Revised Curricula being used in the classroom at both levels. Its
content exposes teachers-in-training to relevant theory, strategies and assessment needed for the
teaching of writing at this level. They will develop an understanding of the elements, conditions,
stages and modes of writing which are essential to the development of good writing, the role of
technology in the development of writing skills among early childhood and primary age pupils
and the significance of children’s literature in the reading writing connection. Student teachers
will also develop skills in the planning and delivery of good writing lessons using appropriate
strategies, methods and activities and in developing and using quality writing assessment
techniques. By helping the teachers-in-training to develop both the theory and practices
associated with the course, it is hoped that the writing ability of Jamaican children at both the
primary and early childhood levels will be strengthened.

COURSE CONTENT

UNIT 1. Writing Essentials

Number of Hours: 5

Learning Outcomes:

Teachers-in-training should be able to:

Outline the writing elements

Explain why writing should be done at the primary and early childhood level
Outline essential conditions that should be considered when writing
Discuss the relationship of technology to writing in today’s world

CONTENT
Elements of writing
composition, transcription and review
Writing used to communicate, inform, express,
entertain, persuade, learn, record, display and organize.
Domains of writing
sensory/descriptive; imaginative/narrative; practical/informative;
analytical/expository; poetic
Types of writing
journal, letter, expository, narrative,
persuasive, poetic, biographical
Functions of language
instrumental, regulatory, interactional, personal,
imaginative, heuristic, informative (Halliday, 1975)
Conditions
purpose, audience, form, outcome
Technology and writing
can support and enhance writing development, motivate young writers to learn, to be creative, to locate
and collect information.
Technology (using word processing, the internet, cell phones)

UNIT 2: Reading Writing Connections

Number of Hours: 5 hours

Learning Outcomes:

Teachers-in-training should be able to:

Differentiate between the stages and modes of writing and reading

Demonstrate the connections between reading and writing
Support arguments to include children’s literature in the writing programme at the primary and early
childhood level

CONTENT:
Stages of writing
drawing, scribbling, random letter, invented spelling, conventional
Modes of writing
write aloud/modelled writing, shared writing, guided writing, independent writing
Modes of reading
read aloud, shared reading, guided reading, cooperative reading, independent reading
Reading and writing foster communication (Cooper, 2003)
Both writing and reading are constructive processes (Cooper, 2003)
Reading and writing share similar processes and kinds of knowledge (Cooper, 2003)
Children’s literature provide good model for writing
UNIT 3. Writing Process and Product

Number of Hours: 10

Learning Outcomes:
Teachers-in-training should be able to:
Establish balance between process and product
Create methods to celebrate writers’ successes in primary and early childhood schools
Explain the role of writing conventions to the development of writing

CONTENT:
Writing process
prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, publishing
Emphasis should be on young writers understanding what to do when they are in the act of writing
(process) in order to achieve desired outcome (product).
The mechanics of writing (writing conventions)
include punctuation, capitalization, grammar, spelling and handwriting
The mechanics of writing/writing conventions include grammar/structuring skills, spelling skills,
punctuation skills, capitalization skills, language skills, referencing skills, handwriting skills, technological
skills
Grammar, punctuation and capitalization should be taught within the context of writing (e.g. through
mini-lessons, revision, modelling).

UNIT 4 Writing in the E.C. and Primary Curriculum

Number of Hours: 9 hours

Learning Outcomes:

Teachers-in-training should be able to:

Evaluate the writing requirements as stated in the Revised Primary and Early Childhood Curricula
Create classroom environments that foster/enhance the development of good writers

CONTENT:
Purposes for writing
Children write to express personal and public ideas, writing to learn and communicate knowledge and
writing to accomplish important purposes
The writing environment
should help young writers “acquire vocabulary and writing techniques that will help them eventually
develop their own styles” (Rubin, 1995).
The Revised Primary and Early Childhood Curricula:
Writing at the primary level used to narrate, describe, persuade for transactional purposes, and to
respond critically and aesthetically to literature (Revised Primary Curriculum)
Pupils are expected to write reports, notes, stories, poems, instruments, explanations, and letters for
different audiences. They must do journal writing, arguments, expositions, respond to literature,
dialogue, complete simple documents (Revised Primary Curriculum)
Toddlers need language to communicate what they know (Revised E.C. Curriculum)

UNIT 5 Writing Strategies

Number of Hours: 10
Learning Outcomes:

Teachers-in-training should be able to:

Explain how teachers support the development of good young writers
Utilize the writer’s workshop and other strategies to enhance and aid in developing good young writer

CONTENT
Teachers’ roles
role model, offer scaffolding, give varying opportunities to write, be creative and allow for creativity
“Strategies are problem-solving behaviours that writers use thoughtfully and consciously,” (Tompkins,
2000).
The Writer’s Workshop
A community of writers working together to produce and share writing, receive and share instruction,
and encourage one another as writers,” (Cramer, 2004).
Strategies
Author’s Chair, Story Mapping, Language Experience Approach, Interactive Writing, Graphic Organizers

UNIT 6 Assessing Writing

Number of Hours: 6

Learning Outcomes

Teachers-in-training should be able to:

Distinguish between assessing process and product
Create and use writing assessment tools
Establish standards and benchmarks for writing tasks

CONTENT:
Assessment drives instruction.
Some possible skills to assess – directionality, proper spacing, piece makes sense, uses complete
sentences, has paragraphs, piece has beginning, middle and end, stays on task/topic, has interesting
lead, knows letter sounds (Areglado & Dill, 1997).
Benchmarks and standard are accepted levels used to judge pieces across the board
Assessment Tools/Techniques – writing journals, writing portfolios, observation and checklist,
conferencing, self-assessment
In writing- the process, product and both should be assessed using various assessment techniques
Pupils at the emergent literacy writing might not be ‘recognisable’ but they know what they are writing

TEACHING METHODS
Creating writing rubrics and checklist
Observing/interviewing classroom teacher
Lecture/ discussions
Practical activities
Micro teaching

ASSESSMENT

This course will be assessed by Course Work Only

Weighting 100%
There should be at least 5 pieces, as follows:
:
Project (using writer’s workshop/strategies with a group of pupils)
Written research
Demonstration (must incorporate technology device)
Micro-teaching (e.g. using the writing process)
Given pieces of children’s work e.g. - either, show how they would use children’s literature to
enhance/improve writing or use technology to improve writing
Create Writing Resource Portfolio (e.g. sample lesson plans for different types of writing, writing
process flip chart with suggested activities at each stage, creative ads./activities for possible writing
tasks, list of children’s literature that can be use in poetry, letter writing, narrative and expository
writing, biography, assessment tools – checklist, writing rubrics for degrees of writing e.g. what would
an excellent Gr 3 story etc. contain

Required Texts:

Cooper, J. D., & Kiger, N. D., (2003). Literacy: Helping children construct meaning.
Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.

Cooper, J.D., & Kiger, N.D., (2001). Literacy Assessment: Helping teachers plan
Instruction. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.

Cramer, Ronald L. (2003). The Writing Conundrum. New York: Pearson

Tompkins, G.E., (2000). Language Arts: Content and Teaching Strategies. N.J:
Prentice Hall, Inc.