Children often learn how to write before they learn how to read. Here are some of my favorite writing activities for the Montessori classroom.

Young children are often eager to learn how to write their own names. Being able to do so is a big developmental milestone that also boosts their self esteem. More important than the letter formation is preparing the hand to be able to write. Fine motor preparation can begin as early as age 2. Pencil and paper practice and letter writing doesn't need to start until age 4. Here are some tips to help your child be successful in his quest to write his own name. Click here to read more.

As the young child journeys toward being a writer, several experiences develop her hand-strength and coordination. Many of these can be found in the art area. Click here to read more.

Children as young as preschool like to tell stories. This tradition continues through kindergarten and elementary school. Encourage their storytelling skills by using magazine pictures as creative writing prompts.
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NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month. It is an annual event, taking place every November. Writers push themselves to write without editing, to the tune of 50,000 words in thirty days. The point is to simply write off the cuff to get the ideas out, and then later go back and rework everything, once the words have stopped flowing. Or in this case, anytime starting December 1st. NaNoWriMo Young Writers Program is an adaptation for those under the age of seventeen.
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{You can also do a version of this program, on your own, at any time.}

Carol Baldwin's book Teaching the Story: Fiction Writing in Grades 4-8 [Maupin House, 2009, ISBN: 978-1-934338-35-3] is a beneficial asset to the upper elementary/middle school language teacher's collection. It provides a series of mini-lessons that can supplement the teacher's writing curriculum, in an easy-to-follow format that also incorporates technology into the lessons. The mini lessons can be used in their entirety, or the teacher can skip around, based on the needs of her class and the time allowed for the unit.

Read more at Suite101: Review of Teaching the Story: A Teacher's Guide to Fiction Writing in Grades 4-8 http://www.suite101.com/content/review-of-teaching-the-story-a199012#ixzz14z5bdm7p