Dictation Activities for Emergent Readers: Build Phonics and Writing Skills

One of the joys of teaching, for me, is adjusting my practice and exploring new ideas and strategies to make learning fun, engaging, and effective. This year, I added a new strategy to my toolbox — Dictation. My kindergarteners are really enjoying this writing experience. Here are some of the benefits I have found.

Language Skills:

Dictation serves as a guiding light for my students as they navigate the complexities of the written language. Through dictation they are learning to decipher the sounds of words. This serves to pave the way for a deeper understanding of language structure. Lying on their tummies, armed with dry erase boards and markers, the engagement and joy they feel is evident as they take ownership of their learning.

Mapping Out Words:

Dictation gives my growing writers the opportunity to practice mapping out words. They break down words into manageable chunks, connecting sounds with corresponding letters. There is so much confidence developing as they work on becoming independent writers.

Connecting Sounds:

As my kindergarteners transcribe the dictated letters, words, and sentences onto the dry erase boards, they refine their phonemic awareness and spelling skills. This will allow them to gradually build their fluency in both reading and writing.

Joy:

Beyond these practical benefits, dictation has added a great sense of engagement and joy to the reading and writing routine in my classroom.

Happy teaching!

TP @ Sparking Creativity

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