Use Interactive Writing as an Opportunity for Children to Learn About Letters: A Teacher Tip from Fountas & Pinnell

Early experiences in interactive writing offer kindergarten children an opportunity to learn about letters. At the same time, even though that have very limited knowledge of literacy, they are participating in the construction of a meaningful text. Working with with letters within a known text is a more powerful learning experience than simply working with a letter in isolation. Children are highly engaged because they see that letters have a purpose. And, when they read and write, they must recognize letters that are embedded in words that are embedded in sentences.

During interactive writing, you can draw children's attention to letters and help them learn how to look at them by using the following teaching directives:

• Have the children say the name of the letter (m).
• Talk about the features of the letters (a stick and two humps).
• Demonstrate the motions necessary to make the letter.
• Talk about the motions while making them (pull down, over and down, over and down).
• Have the children trace the letter in the air on the floor, talking aloud about the motions while making them.
• Show the children how to check the letter against a model (alphabet chart or name chart).
• Show the children how to make connections between the letter and known words, particularly names.