Friday, March 27, 2009

wen he is niss, I luv him

My first grader, Daniel, is an auditory learner, so he relies heavily on sound spelling. Auditory learners really need spell-check functions, while visual learners can get by without them.

I've always enjoyed reading, or rather, deciphering, first-grade writing. It's a hoot. Here are recent entries in Daniel's journal. Many days I sit with him and help him hear all the sounds, and go over the phonics involved, but these entries were done independently. It can take several months before phonetics that have been taught begin to consistently show up in a first grader's independent writing. For example, Daniel knows that final y often makes the long e sound, but I don't see that reflected in his writing yet (i.e. funee). Test your translation skills.

Timmy swecs like a pig. Timmy gist swecs like a pig 7 timss. He is funee. Timmy swektss like a pig costinle. He is so funee.

Translation:
Timmy squeaks like a pig. Timmy just squeaks like a pig 7 times. He is funny. Timmy squeaks like a pig constantly. He is so funny.

Another day in March, Daniel had this to say:
I like Don bekaus he is fun. He luvss me. Sumtimss he is not niss, but wen he is niss, I luv him. He is fun. He is niss.

Daniel has a speech issue with the th sound. He usually substitutes an f sound. He knows he does this, and on March 18, he tried to compensate for this, by putting a th where he heard an f, just in case:
I like thoot treess. Becuss they grow thoot. I like thoot.
Translation: I like fruit trees. Because they grow fruit. I like fruit.

Yes, sirree! That boy does love fruit. And cheese sticks. He can't get enough of either of them. In fact, most days he eats more than I do. No joke. The pediatrician noted that if Daniel keeps growing at this rate, he will be 6'1". Not bad, given that Don is 5'8" and I am 5'3". The only problem is that in the past two months, he's outgrown ALL his pants!

2 comments:

Jess said...

i have cherished kiersten's independent writing as well. there is something extra sweet about having them writing it just as is. although i will say it bothers kiersten a great deal to not have me tell her the right way to spell something when she is doing it. we have many tears with me convincing her that it is just fine, that is what i want her to do and just give it a try. anyhow, just wanted to agree with loving the 1st grade writing skills :)

Margie said...

Aidan does the same thing! I love reading his scout journal and enjoy the pictures he draws to go with his writing. I just love it!