Interactive writing

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

There are very few or no other articles that link to this one.
Please help introduce links in articles on related topics. After links have been created, remove this message.
This article has been tagged since October 2006.

Interactive writing is a method used in literacy teaching, especially for young children, whereby the students have the opportunity to practise their reading and writing skills in a safe and creative environment.

In this method the teacher(s) and students write to each other, by means of letters, dialogue journals or a message board. The students are free to choose the topic and the length of their writings. The teachers respond without correcting or criticising the spelling, grammar or writing style, but rather modelling more appropriate forms of writing.

The aim of this method is to allow children to see literacy as something meaningful and enjoyable, rather than a mind-numbing school activity. The focus is on fluency rather than accuracy. The principle behind it is 'write to learn, not learn to write'. As such it relates to the learner-centered whole language approach.

The interactive writing method has been described in books such as:

Peyton, Joy Kreeft (ed.) (1990) Students and Teachers Writing Together: Perspectives on Journal Writing.

Robinson, A., L. Crawford & N. Hall (1990) some day you will no all about me: Young Children's Explorations in the World of Letter Writing.