Workshop 5: “PERSIST!” as a strategy to write inventively (EL)
Trainer: Siti Nurrafidah
"Young children have little trouble writing if they use invented spelling which allows them to sound out words for themselves without the concern for standard spelling” (Hunt, 1985 cited from Parshall, 1990).
Therefore, it is crucial for teachers to provide an environment that supports the children's need to be engaged in inventive spelling when writing. One of the ways this aim can be achieved is by empowering children to refer to the poster when they encounter difficulties, attempt and continue to persist with their writing activities. “Persist!” is integrated into the classroom and it does not exist as a standalone, where the children refer to the environmental prints, the dictionary as well as each other as a source in their writing activity. The effectiveness of using “Persist!” as a strategy in the classroom is measured through the number of times that the children refer to it and/or saying it out loud, through an interview, where children reflect on their own observations on their progress in their writing development and work samples including journal entries and written reflections. With a good foundation for writing, it would enable them to not only be able to write conventionally but be able to “ease their entry into reading” (Ouellette, 2009).
This project was awarded MCYS’ Innovation Grant in 2011.
About the Trainer
SITI NURRAFIDAH is an English Teacher at The Caterpillar’s Cove Child Development and Study Centre and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Educational Studies and Leadership from the full tripartite programme from Wheelock College Boston-Singapore, SEED Institute and Ngee Ann Polytechnic. She has had more than six years of experience working with children from different age groups and is currently working with a class of Kindergarten 2 children.
Siti Nurrafidah also mentors and host field practicum student teachers and believes in networking with the community to introduce meaningful activities into the classroom. She has co-facilitated the WSQ Workshop-Teacher Child Interaction at SEED Institute for its first and third intake and presented at the recent Ministry of Community Youth and Sports (MCYS) Child Care Seminar in 2011 as well as the MCYS’ Tea Session for Scholars in the Bachelor’s and Master’s programme.
Available workshop sessions:
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Session 1 – 11am to 12.30pm
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