Templates

Printouts with write-on lines and art spaces help emergent students organize their writing.

Mini-Books

Writing frames and engaging topics help younger students create books.

Student Online Writing

Have students use online tools to create their own writing for others to read.

Word Work

Writing Resources for Vocabulary and High-Frequency Word Practice

Emergent Writing Word Work provides high-frequency word practice and vocabulary practice with familiar words and new words that students may know orally but not in writing. Word Work resources also support emerging writers as they move from labeling pictures to creating more complex sentence structures.

More About Word Work

Why Use Word Work

Students need exposure to and practice with different kinds of words to help them develop their writing skills.

Practice with high-frequency words, or sight words, is especially important because they represent the most common words used in printed English. Sight words often present difficulties to writers because they tend to be phonically irregular � or not easily sounded out when writing. Frequent practice makes writing these words easier for emerging writers.

How to Use Word Work

Writing A-Z provides resources for emerging writers to practice writing sight words and content words. Engage students in the activities suggested for each resource: books, words cards, and picture/label cards.

High-Frequency Word Books

Have students write in the missing high-frequency word on each page of the book, and then write their own sentence with the featured high-frequency word on the last page.
Have students create their own books modeled after the ones provided; or have them use the writing prompts and picture/label cards to create sentences for a high-frequency word book.

High-Frequency Word Cards

Use the word cards for repeated writing practice of each sight word.
Have pairs of students use the Word Cards as flashcards. Set a timer for one minute. Ask students to take turns naming as many words as they can in one minute.
Pair students and provide a set of high-frequency words and Picture/Label Cards to create sentences.

Picture/Label Cards

Support writing new words by having students trace the words on each Picture/Label card with their finger, write the word with support, and write the word independently on the picture-only set of the cards. For an extension, combine a themed set of picture/label cards with the writing prompts to create sentences.
Give students a themed set of cards to name the subject of each picture, trace the letters of its name, and write the word to support letter-sound reference.