What do you do to teach it on the first day of school And the weeks after? Im trying to figure out where i can fit it in. I think having them do it as morning work might fit best.

My schedule this year will be
800-830 morning circle
830-945 readers workshop and word study
945-1000 recess
1000-1045 writers workshop
1045-1130 lunch

I teach the English model of transitional kindergarten For a dual language immersion school. After lunch my kids will go to the Spanish model class to receive instruction in math, science and social studies. So I only have my group for the time above.

[Mugs]

We use D'Nealian font. I have the d'nealian font on my computer and I use the "bubble line" d'nealian font with lines and use a large font size and I print their name on typing paper. I cut the stripes with each child's name typed in this font and size and using my Scotch laminator, I put a hard plastic cover over the name stripes. I cut the stripes apart, hand each child their name stripe, a black dry-erase marker and an old rag sock - - and I have them trace starting at the black dot and following the arrows for each letter of their first name. When they are done, they use the sock and erase the black marker marks and trace their name again and again - when they first come into the classroom in mornings.

And some days, I have playdough where they roll the playdough and place the playdough over the letters on the striped laminated name.

Eventually they use paper and pencil and practice writing not only their first name but last name as well.

[MalibuBarbie]

Nellie Edge (dot com) has a wonderful "name ticket" routine that she speaks highly of. I'm really considering starting it this year. She says getting kids to correctly write their name (correct letter formation) is an extremely important building block to getting them be able to learn to form the rest of the letters correctly...which leads to fluent writing. (Kids will do better with writing workshop!)

She gets the parents (as partners!) involved immediately by having them help their child practice writing their name twice nightly.

I just love Nellie's approach to all things literacy. Excellent FREE resources on her website and resources to purchase that are WORTH EVERY PENNY.

http://www.nellieedge.com/articles_r...asStrategy.htm

http://www.nellieedge.com/articles_r...ingtoprint.htm

[ICrazyTeach]

You are the first English teacher for a dual language program I have found!!! I teach literacy for 2 Kindergarten classes in our program. The Spanish teachers attend conferences every year and visit other dual language schools, but the English teachers are never included. After several years of teaching with this model I still haven't figured it all out. How do you fit it all in to give your students the literacy time they need!?!

Students practice name writing as part of their morning work during arrival. They start by tracing over highlighter (takes prep time, but I've found it's worth it), then copying from a sentence strip/name card, then writing on their own and checking with the name card (need to teach them how to do this) and then we add last names.

We also do lots of name making with die cut letters, play-doh, magnetic letters, stamps, etc.