Child-Initiated Early Writing: Exciting ideas for engaging young children in the writing process

Learning to write takes many years, patience and much perseverance. This book is about finding many different ways to make this process fun and productive for both the child and the educator during the years before formal schooling begins.

The process of writing should be enjoyable and exciting but can be thwarted if there is undue pressure of a desired outcome. In this country, with the pressure of government targets, we do make heavy weather of learning to write. Teaching children to be a fluent writer is going to take several years so why not spend time pleasurably and purposefully in the pre school years while the children are learning about writing.

The ideas in this book will need support and guidance initially as children come to learn about writing. As with most early years activities children have to be shown how to use the resources first. But it will not be long before they are not only able to manage the activity by themselves but adapt and extend it.

Lynn Clere started her career as an Early Years Co-ordinator then became the Network Support teacher in Staffordshire's first Early Years Centre. She worked for five years as an Associate Lecturer with the Open University. In 2004 began consultancy work - presenting workshops for Surestart parents carers and professionals.