At Sabot at Stony Point we feel it is important for children to draw on their strengths to help them take their ideas as far as possible. We are writing fiction stories and the children have the option of drawing their ideas, or cartooning to write an illustrated story. One of the students had been having trouble writing in the details, so during his first draft he had chosen to illustrate instead. I typed his story for him and left spaces for his pictures. However, as he was revising and editing this final draft I noticed that he had chosen to take some of the pictures out, and instead include the detail in his writing.
This was an unexpected step. But, it really made me think. We do need to allow children to think and organize in a language that makes the most sense to them. They may not choose to use it in their final presentation, but by drawing, this student allowed himself to add detail, and make his story more cohesive.
Your students' use of typing while writing their stories has prompted me to wonder if it might be an easier way for G's first-grade brother to create text.
ReplyDelete"We do need to allow children to think and organize in a language that makes the most sense to them."
YES!