Wednesday, 11th November, 2020

In this session we examined two videos which spoke to the stages of writing and the incorporation of spelling in the language. It was highlighted that spelling should not be taught as a single entity but apart of the body of the language body. This ensures that students are able to make connections with the spelling of words as they read them to foster better comprehending skills. As I examined the first video https://www.readingrockets.org/article/invented-spelling-and-spelling-development, this was my take on it. After reading the article I am most intrigued by the stages of spelling development as I can see why some students may have been successful spellers while others struggle. Spelling is important as it is an integral part of development as it fosters students writing skills in compositions. However, it is treated as a separate entity thus, resulting in students inability to make connections between spelling and the other Language Arts. Incorporating such helps students to be able to spell words as they read.  As a teacher in training, upon returning to the classroom I can implement activities to cater to each stage of spelling development (teaching of the alphabet letters as well as the sounds each make), ensure that students are given various opportunities to practice spelling through purposeful writing which makes students feel like they have accomplished and not that they are just spelling because I asked them to do so. The more students read and write the better the spelling skills will be. They will be able to identify their own and others incorrectly spelt words and correct them.

Then I examined the second video posted by the lecturer https://www.readingrockets.org/article/how-writing-develops and my perspective on writing was transformed.

Writing is a way that students can express their ideas and thoughts. It is also a form of communication that the writer uses to convey messages etc to their audience. Writing is an essential part of students' growth and development. Students write according to their levels whether it is scribbling or drawing, items that resemble shapes or letters, actual letters and letters and space (students use their index finger to create space between letters or words to make it more clearer for the reader to follow.  Opportunities are given to students to share what they have written or drawn and publishing of work on the wall or other stipulated spaces.  Having read the article and as a teacher returning to the classroom very soon I can see that I must allow my students to work at their own pace and not restrict them to write or do what I want. I have to allow them to be free as they develop and express their ideas, feelings and thoughts.  Writing should be taught as an integrated approach among the other Languages Arts so that students are able to read as they write, spell words to themselves as they write, listen to their thoughts and themselves as they write and they can also visually represent their ideas, feelings and thoughts as they write. The stages of writing are important because they allow students to develop at their own pace. Teachers should be knowledgeable about the stages of writing so that they would cater to the students growth and developmental level in planning activities to strengthen their writing skills in order to move to the other stages of writing. 

On Thursday, 12th November, 2020 I visited the Irish Town Primary school and observed a grade two language arts block lesson taught by Ms. Hazel. It was a very interactive and interesting lessons as I observe all six of the language arts (viewing, visually representation, listening, speaking, reading and writing) as well as different components (shared reading, independent reading, independent writing) and focus areas (grammar, spelling, oral reading and phonics) all being incorporated into one lesson.