Journaling in K

[ReadingMama1214]

I've decided to have DD start using a primary journal in which she'll draw a picture and write a sentence to describe it. I'm trying to decide if I should correct her spelling when doing this. It's mainly to get her writing in sentences.

 

We haven't started a formal spelling program yet and we are working on handwriting by writing out the phonograms.

 

Do you correct spelling in creative writing type exercises at this age?

[2_girls_mommy]

At that age, mostly my kids would ask me, or I would help them as we went.  One of mine liked me to write the sentence first for her to copy. The other would just ask, "How do you spell....?" constantly.

[ReadingMama1214]

At that age, mostly my kids would ask me, or I would help them as we went.  One of mine liked me to write the sentence first for her to copy. The other would just ask, "How do you spell....?" constantly.

 

She will ask, but other times she won't. She spells simple CVC words well and words like Like, love, and, etc. Today she drew a picture of a mermaid and wrote "This mermaid is slow". She would have spelled mermaid "mrmade" and left the l out of slow. 

[EKT]

If the journal is just for fun and for encouraging writing, I would let her use it as she likes and not correct anything (unless she asks for correction). But if you want to use it specifically as a tool for teaching writing, I would suggest making the sentence writing copywork. (With copywork, there is no chance of misspelling in the first place.) In other words, you could have her draw the picture, then ask her to dictate her sentence to you while you write it down (using proper spelling, capitalization, and punctuation). Then, she can copy this sentence into her book under her picture. 

 

Basically, I would decide what your main purpose is for the journal and go from there. (Have fun! It sounds like a fun project!) 

 

 

ETA: You could print out a bunch of story writing paper and put it into a binder. (Just Google "story writing paper.") This kind of paper would give her space to draw her picture, but it also provides lines beneath that you could use to write the model sentence. Then, she could write her copywork sentence below yours. Just a thought!

Edited May 1, 2017 by EKT

[ReadingMama1214]

If the journal is just for fun and for encouraging writing, I would let her use it as she likes and not correct anything (unless she asks for correction). But if you want to use it specifically as a tool for teaching writing, I would suggest making the sentence writing copywork. (With copywork, there is no chance of misspelling in the first place.) In other words, you could have her draw the picture, then ask her to dictate her sentence to you while you write it down (using proper spelling, capitalization, and punctuation). Then, she can copy this sentence into her book under her picture. 

 

Basically, I would decide what your main purpose is for the journal and go from there. (Have fun! It sounds like a fun project!) 

 

 

ETA: You could print out a bunch of story writing paper and put it into a binder. (Just Google "story writing paper.") This kind of paper would give her space to draw her picture, but it also provides lines beneath that you could use to write the model sentence. Then, she could write her copywork sentence below yours. Just a thought!

 

I may switch it to copywork and combine handwriting and spelling that way. Her journal is a primary style one so it is like you described with a space for a picture and lines underneath. I do have 2 of them so maybe I will do one for free writing and the other for copywork. 

[fralala]

I don't correct anything creative at any age unless someone asks for help.

 

If I am around, I always verbally spell out words if asked or write them down for a child to copy.

 

If I'm not around, I will occasionally make a mental note about a recurring error as something I need to review totally separately from the creative writing that has been produced. (Add a word to the week's spelling or a rule to the week's lessons or something.)

 

I make sure we work consistently and diligently on spelling, handwriting, and grammar, but that those things remain separate from the creative process.

 

With that said, in kindergarten, I usually have my kids dictate a sentence to me because thinking up a sentence and writing it down are two separate processes that I find it easier to work on in partnership. If doing both at the same time work for your daughter, that's great, but for my kids it was more manageable to have me either tell them what to write, or vice versa.

[Hobbes]

We've done journals since K-ish ages. We've done a lot of what BraveWriter would call "jotting it down." They would draw a picture and then narrate to me what they wanted to say. We also did a fair amount of them copying from what I wrote down as they spoke. Sometimes they wrote for themselves and in that case, at that age, I only corrected spelling if they asked for it.

 

I've wanted creativity and a desire to write to be the primary goal of the journals, along with a beautiful record of their growth. Over time, we've added variety to their "memory" entries with picture study (they glue in a print and then narrate it), copywork (often by their request, from their memory work), literature/science/history narrations ("tell me about the book we just finished/what you've been learning"), nature journaling, etc.

 

I try to follow their lead. If they want me to write so that they can easily express their idea, I do. If they want to copy my writing after they tell me their thoughts, we do that. I find they will ask for copywork if they aren't feeling inspired that day and that is totally fine with me.

 

So far, so good... they love journaling and I love the various streams of growth running through the journals. I'd say to let her be creative and love the process.

 

ETA: You can work on spelling at a different time. My 3rd grader is a pretty bad speller and if I used journal time to address spelling, it would be such a discouraging thing. I point out things occasionally, if the time seems right, but otherwise... not.

Edited May 1, 2017 by indigoellen@gmail.com

[vonfirmath]

My 4th grader is excellent at spelling -- but when he is composing, his spelling is atrocious.  It is SO hard for him to compose and get words on paper, that we -still- just ignore the spelling on the first pass through.  He just assumes he's going to have to write at least two (and probably more) versions of his paper. The first one is to get words on the paper. Then he marks it up with correct spelling (and sometimes changes around the order of the sentences) and "copies" it the second time. (As often as possible while typing it up. Since he also doesn't like writing by hand).  So for a K'er, I wouldn't worry about spelling in journalling.  The point there is to get the words on paper.

[nixpix5]

I do a combination of what others have already mentioned. I will let them write their sentence and if they don't ask me how to spell something (sometimes they ask and sometimes they don't) then after they are done and they are showing it to me I will be purposeful with my response. I will read it and say something like "I see you spelled "like" correctly and are really using your "e makes the vowel say it's name rule" well!" Then I might say "oh I was able to read this as "mermaid" you are using your phonics sounds which helped me to read your word. Mermaid is tricky...it has some sounds you haven't seen yet. Would you like to see it?" If they say yes I show them and might say something about "er" and "ai" etc. For their fun writing I usually leave it at that. For history, science etc I have them do their sentences usinf copy work. I write down first what they say to me and then let them copy it.

 

An aside but I loved these so I thought I would mention them. There is a great notebook that has a space for drawing and lined sections for writing that my kids absolutely love. They are called draw and write journals by draw write design. They are on amazon but they also have their own website.

Edited May 1, 2017 by nixpix5

[mytwomonkeys]

I would let her write with no corrections. However, I would keep track of misspelled words for future spelling lessons.