Janine Reid, Betty Schultze and Ulla Petersen,
What’s Next for this Beginning Writer? Mini-Lessons that take Writing from Scribbles to Script.
Pembroke Publishers, 2005

Rating: E*

This book builds on the experience of the authors with over 700 teachers in The Early Literacy Project in Vancouver. It provides teachers of Kindergarten and Grade 1 with the tools to build student writing skills through a supportive Writing Workshop. There is extensive discussion of the developmental stages of young writers and many recommendations for gently moving them towards greater competency. In the Introduction, ten key questions are discussed. They provide the foundation of the twenty-two chapters of this book. The key questions include issues of:  basic beliefs, timing of writing lessons, scribing, reading/writing connection, student motivation, and spelling.

In answering these key questions, the authors provide ideas for writing instruction in the Kindergarten/Grade 1 classroom. Writing instruction should begin the day students enter the Kindergarten classroom. Scribing for children is discouraged so that students do the hard work involved in learning. A student’s reading level should have no effect on the instruction of writing since the two develop in tandem. The structure outlined for writing instruction is the Writing Workshop format. It is based on the Vygotsky model of working in the Learning Zone. In the Writing Workshop, teachers are encouraged to move students through the four steps of learning: I’ll show you (teacher modeling), You help me (mini-lessons), I’ll help you (conferences), and Now you do it yourself (independent writing). Along with assessment tools for gauging writing competence,  there is also a useful writing continuum to guide teachers in their instruction.

 The authors provide a rich tapestry of writing lessons and experiences for students in the various chapters of this book. Each chapter is organized with actual student work and a lesson outline which generated that work. There are lessons on many topics including: pictures and story telling, writing around the room, using labels, kidwriting, using detail in writing, using titles, building sentences, using direct speech, expressing feelings, introducing story grammar, writing poems, writing non-fiction and other genres. This book provides a useful foundation for both new and experienced teachers who want to add new depth to their writing programs in the Kindergarten/Grade One classroom. Although there is a great deal of discussion about student’s individual needs, there could have been more discussion about students with special needs. However, all in all, this book does provide  "pebbles in the moonlight as you find your way with writing instruction." (p. 6)

Thematic Links: Writing; Spelling; Grammar; Read-Aloud; Poetry; Non-Fiction; Storytelling; Printing; Phonemic Awareness; Word Walls; Literary Genres

Myra Junyk
Vol. 11, number 3
February 2006

*Rating System:
E - Excellent, enduring, everyone should see it!
G - Good, even great at times, generally useful!
A - Average, all right, has its applications.
P - Problematic, puzzling, poorly presented.