Spelling has always been, and continues to be, one of those curriculum components that struggles to find its place.  The effects of teaching spelling has been exhaustingly researched, and the following are notable findings:

Note:  Invented spelling refers to young children’s attempts to use their best judgments about spelling.

• Young children using invented spelling employ a considerably greater variety of words in their writing than those encouraged to use only the words they can spell correctly (Gunderson & Shapiro, 1987, 1988; Clarke, 1988; Stice & Bertrand, 1990).
• By the end of first grade, children encouraged to use invented spellings typically score as well or better on standardized tests of spelling than children allowed to use only correct spellings in first drafts (Clarke, 1988; Stice & Bertrand, 1990).
• Young children encouraged to use invented spellings seem to develop word recognition and phonics skills sooner than those not encouraged to spell the sounds they hear in words (Clarke, 1988).
• At least in grades 3-6, it is not clear that spelling instruction has much of an effect beyond what is learned through reading alone, if children are reading extensively (Krashen, 1991).

Taking into consideration what the research says, I like the list of “No Excuse” words from the Rebecca Sitton Spelling Program.  I don’t look at this as a program per se, but rather words that show up frequently in reading and writing. Therefore, making these words important to recognize.  Click on the link below to access these word lists for students in grades 1 to 5.

No_Excuse_Words

To add a fun twist, have your child log on to www.spellingcity.com.  Here, your child can input the words that are difficult for her to spell. The program is fun and engaging!

I’d love to hear your thoughts!

The Writing Process

It’s incredible to me that Halloween is just days away and the first trimester is coming to a close soon!  Learning is abound at kula ha`aha`a and we’d like to share the writing of our keiki with you.

Please stop by the Pauahi Lani Nui Administration Building and peruse the writing board which includes writing pieces from Kindergarten through fifth grade.  Featured authors are (K) Rhian Ogawa, (1) Hina Perry, (2) Karissa Shimaoka, (3) Karl Hanson, (4) Kayla Enanoria, and (5) Eve Nagareda.

Also posted on the board is a visual of the writing process that our teachers model and guide the keiki through.  The writing process is recursive, and students won’t all be at the same stage at the same time.  Included in the process is conferencing between teacher and student which guides the editing and revision stages.

Please come by and visit us soon!  I wish everyone a safe and sweet Halloween!

There are times when homework will include the beginnings of a writing piece or editing and revising. Tempting, isn’t it, to help by “doing”. The danger in this is that your keiki will rely on this type of help, and the kumu will become well aware of a homework elf living in the home…yikes!  Provided below are, hopefully, some helpful tips to guide your young writer at home:

• Brainstorm ideas and topics – don’t provide one
• Talk through a story or informational piece
• Be a listener and reader
• Ask questions to guide the revision process
• Brainstorm possible leads or endings
• Share correct spelling of words, correct use of punctuation, or other editing tips

As a final note, enjoy the time with your keiki!

Going Golfing With My Mom

As Ralph Fletcher says, “Children have a natural affinity for language play.” I can attest to this having taught the first grade for a number of years. Voice was never a problem, I could identify the author of a piece without a name being attached to it.  However, it becomes the teacher’s kuleana to tap into this love of writing so that there is ownership and relevance.

Our teachers at kula ha`aha`a have being doing just that!  If you haven’t already, please stop by the Pauahi Lani Nui Administration Building and visit our writing board.  There you will find writing pieces from each grade level. This is what  you’ll find in March:

Kindergarten (Informational Writing) – “Going Golfing With My Mom”, by Christian Araujo

First Grade – a friendly letter by Dylan Moniz

Second Grade – (Informational Writing) – “The Flag”, by Brandon Muranaka

Third Grade – (Profile/Biographical Sketch) – “Our Beloved Ke Ali`i Bernice Pauahi Paki Bishop”, by Salesi Haunga

Fourth Grade – (Narrative) – “The Threat That Made Them Go!” by Saige DeMotta

Fifth Grade – (Poetry) – various pieces focusing on “Plantation Days” by Makamae Auwae, Kaela Carvalho Lee-Read, Jaden Castillo, David Erskine, Huali McCollough, and Pomai Mendonca.

E kipa mai and celebrate the writing of our keiki!

Debbie Miller…My literacy hero!

“Where have you been?” you ask. I’ll tell you. I was fortunate to attend the 100th Annual Convention of the National Council of Teachers of English in Orlando, Florida! And yes, the convention was held at the Walt Disney World Resort. Okay, Okay, I did see Mickey and the gang, but enough of that. It was a magical week being in the company of such “famous” educators! Kamehameha was very proud to have the second grade teachers from Kapalama Elementary present a session on critical literacy. They did an outstanding job. I mua!

My first session was attending a writing workshop for teachers. I’d like to challenge all of you parents to take a pen out and engage in a “quick write”. You will have ten minutes to write rapidly without stopping to edit or make revisions. Ready? Think of a line that your mom, dad, grandma, grandpa, etc. would constantly share that has become a rule that you live by.

Yes, writing is hard. Put yourself in your child’s shoes for 10 minutes when they are asked to write in school. Before you begin I will share my “quick write” with you that I wrote at the actual workshop which hasn’t been edited or revised. Deal? When asking questions about other ethnicities my dad would always tell me, “We all the same”. (Disclosure: I had 3 minutes to write : D)

We’re all the same,

no matter where we come from

or who our parents are.

It doesn’t matter what clothes we wear

or how we eat our food.

We’re all the same.

Our cultures teach us

to be pono, to be respectful, to love.

We breath in the same air

even the same pollution.

We’re all the same.

We have hopes, desires, and

multides of feelings that validate us

as human beings.

So…get your pens ready, and be sure your child sees YOU writing!

My posting this week comes from the suggestions of the U.S. Department of Education: Office of Educational Research and Improvement. No, I didn’t mean to scare you off with such a fancy introduction! You’ll find it quite practical leaving you with the sense of, “I can do this for my child!”

As a parent you’ve heard and innately know that a child’s first and primary teachers are their parents. I guess when you do the math and figure out the number of hours your child is in school it rings true. But, yes, it’s easier said than done. Ask yourself this, “Should I help my child with writing?” The answer is yes if you want your child to: do well in school, enjoy self-expression, and become more self-reliant.

The following are some thoughts to keep in mind when helping your child to write. Writing is…

…practical.

…job related.

…making lists, jotting down reminders, writing notes and instructions.

…stimulating.

…a way for us to write thank-you notes and letters to friends at least now and then.

…therapeutic.

It can be helpful to express feelings in writing that cannot be expressed so easily by speaking.You know how important writing will be to your child’s life. It will be important from Kindergarten through college and throughout adulthood.

Stages of a Child's Writing

“at my hs IL tW my SG BI at The prK”. This is writing of a kindergartener that should be celebrated! Parents may not be able to decipher all words so that the story makes sense. Students in primary grades use what is called “inventive spelling”. They begin to write down the sounds they hear. This particular sentence when translated says, “At my house I like to ride my skateboard at the park.” Great sentence with a prepositional phrase (where it happens). The next step for this writer is to ask him, “What other sounds do you hear in like?” and so on.

Meaning is more important than mechanics.We need to let children explain their stories before we begin instruction on mechanics. The conventions of grammar, spelling, and format are important skills to acquire. But attention to them belongs at the end – not the beginning – of the composition process. Think of how you feel when you’re telling a story to a friend and she corrects your pronunciation! This interrupts the flow of your story and curbs your enthusiasm for telling it. We speak and write to communicate with others. When our audience seems less interested in our thoughts than in the surface details of our presentation, we feel our story is flawed and we feel personally flawed as well. Our desire to communicate has been diminished.

Celebrate your child’s writing each and every time you read it, and you’ll be surprised at how much more she’ll want to tell you – in writing!