Writing Approaches in Early Childhood

Dialogue Journal by Jana Staton
According to Griffin (2012) these are written messages from student to teacher and back for an extended period of time.  There is one book used and it is passed back and forth to two writers who each contribute ideas.  Griffin (2012) stated that the topic can vary and is usally centered on what is happening today.  The rules of writing include picking up your book and returning it before the end of the day, writing at least three lines each school day, be genuine and write what you feel, understand, and think, and there shuld be an older partner to help the child elaborate and model (which is oftentimes the teacher).  By creating a dialogue back and forth the teacher supports the student's emerging reading and writing abilities.  This creates an a place where socio-emotional development occurs as well as class management and writing progress according to Griffin (2012). 

Scaffolding Writing by Bodrova and Leong
In this method a child creates a message, draws it and tries to write it.  According to Bodrova and Leong at first this may just be making lines to represent words in the message of even asking the teacher to make the lines.  Later the child will write some letters or symbols on the lines and move to conventional writing.  Accorind to Bodrova and Leong the message is repeated while the child works and the message is read back at the end of the day.  According to Griffin (2012) this can be done in a whole class setting with daily messages, small groups through narratives and expositions, and small groups through artifas within play like menus, recipes, and labels.

Writer's Workshop by Lucy Calkins
According to Griffin (2012):
1. Mini Lesson-on some skill/concept/genre
2. Status of the class-each child tells the group if they are drafting, illustrating, work in progress, editting, revising, or publishing
3. Writing and Conference-teacher and sometimes a peer meets with child to review writing and plan revisions
4. Author's chair-TAG (tell one thing you liked, ask one question, and give one suggestion)

Resources:
Bodrova E. & Leong, D. J. (1998). Scaffolding emergent writing in the zone of proximal development. Language, Literacy and Learning, 3 (2), 1-18.
Griffin, P. (2012). Class 12 Writing: for memory, planning, communication, creative expression. [PowerPoint]. Retreived online.