Presentation

  1. 1

    Ask the child to tell you a short story aloud first.

  2. 2

    Help the child choose the first sentence.

  3. 3

    The child builds the first sentence on the mat.

  4. 4

    The child builds the next sentences on the lines below, working left to right and top to bottom.

  5. 5

    The child reads the whole story aloud to you.

  6. 6

    Record the story on paper: the child copies it, or you write it while the child dictates, if the hand is not yet ready.

  7. 7

    Invite the child to illustrate the story and add it to a class book or folder.

Extensions, easiest to hardest

  1. Writing a story about a picture from a book or artwork
  2. Writing a factual report about an animal or place studied in Cultural
  3. Writing letters or cards to family members

Control of error

The child reads the story back and notices missing words; the adult observes.

Ready to move on when the child…

  • Builds a story of three or more sentences that follow one topic
  • Reads their own story aloud
  • Records the story on paper (copying or dictation)

Try “pink tower”, “tummy”, “diaper”, “grace and courtesy”, or “October”.