The Meaning and Function of Writing
As Chaislyn writes the names of her teachers and peers, we discover how a young child’s writing reveals her understanding of text conventions and what she believes is the function and purpose of writing. Observe the symbols she invents to represent writing and notice what sounds Chaislyn associates with her invented letters. Learn about the meanings Chaislyn assigns to her symbols. Notice what strategy she uses to denote words. Observe the formal characteristics of conventional letters she includes in her invented letters. Notice how Chaislyn’s writing is supported by her social context. Consider how you might extend Chaislyn’s learning and help her build relationships among the types of literacy knowledge she demonstrates.
Keywords: Fives, Child-Object, Literacy, Spelling, Special Education
Length of stand-alone master video clip: 5 minutes 30 seconds
