Writing experiences in early childhood classrooms where children made higher language gains
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21722284 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Clariebelle Gabas (0000-0002-8375-0223, University of Nebraska–Lincoln, corresponding author), Rachel E Schachter (0000-0003-3951-858X, University of Illinois Chicago), Jamlick Peter Ondieki Bosire (0000-0002-7296-1017, University of Nebraska–Lincoln) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 26 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 277-306 |
| Publication date | 2026-03-01 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of Early Childhood Literacy (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1468-7984 • E-ISSN: 1741-2919 |
| Publisher | SAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.1177/14687984241289603 |
| OpenAlex | W4402950826 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 36 |
Although early writing is considered an essential pathway to language and literacy development for preschool-age children (i.e., 3- to 5-years-old), it tends to receive less priority when compared to reading in early childhood (EC) education. To bolster teachers’ early writing practices, researchers have closely examined the nature of the writing instruction and experiences that occur in EC classrooms. In this multiple methods study, we capitalized on a purposeful sample of 30 classrooms where children demonstrated higher language gains to examine and describe how early writing experiences were implemented in these contexts. Using deductive and inductive approaches, we explored various characteristics of writing events that occurred, including the grouping format, activity setting, instructional foci, and teachers’ supportive strategies to understand how these characteristics worked together to shape teacher-child writing interactions. We found that the written product and instructional foci were linked to teachers’ use of specific strategies, which ultimately shaped children’s participation in writing, particularly children’s engagement with different components of writing (i.e., handwriting, spelling, and composing). Findings of this study provide important insight into the dynamic interplay of environmental, instructional, and interactional factors that shape writing instruction and experiences in EC classrooms
Developmental psychology · Early childhood · Early childhood education · Mathematics education · Pedagogy · EFL/ESL Teaching and Learning · Psychology · Reading and Literacy Development · Writing and Handwriting Education
Teaching spelling and composition alone and together
Patterns of Classroom Organization in Classrooms Where Children Exhibit Higher and Lower Language Gains
Who, What, and Where
At-scale, state-sponsored language and literacy professional development
The Sage Handbook of Grounded Theory
What Really Matters in the Early Literacy Development of Deaf Children
The Role of Oral Language in Early Writing Processes
Toward a Theory of Early Writing Development
Examining early childhood teachers’ writing practices
Promoting high-leverage writing instruction through an early childhood classroom daily routine (WPI)
Reliability and validity of the Writing Resources and Interactions in Teaching Environments (WRITE) for preschool classrooms
Language- and literacy-learning opportunities in early childhood classrooms
Adult Supports for Preschool Writers During Learning Centers
Social Contracts for Writing
Invented spelling in kindergarten as a predictor of reading and spelling in Grade 1
| Citations per year | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2026 - 2026 (1) |
| Highly cited | No |