Writing in Preschool: Learning to Orchestrate Meaning and Marks (Paperback)

Writing skills that develop in early childhood are a clear and strong predictor of children's later writing achievement and literacy skills. During the crucial preschool years, it is essential that teachers provide support for children as they learn to communicate and express meaning through writing. In the second edition of "Writing in Preschool", part of the Preschool Literacy Collection, authors Judith A. Schickedanz and Renee M. Casbergue provide a detailed picture of preschoolers' writing development and demonstrate how teachers can support students on their journey from scribble to script. The fully revised and updated chapters show you how to identify and build the various strands of knowledge and skills that must come together for preschoolers to understand how print works. A new chapter on assessing preschoolers' writing includes a continuum of early writing development that uses actual student writing samples to represent the various stages. You will learn how to document changes in children's writing, capture multiple dimensions of writing, and form a comprehensive assessment of students' writing progress. Another new chapter on helping children use words to convey meaning focuses on children's first steps in representing meaning and explores the connections between oral language, drawing, and writing. This book is an essential resource that preschool teachers and administrators can use to ensure that preschoolers are eager to record their ideas and confident in their ability to express themselves through writing.