Patterns of Wonder: Inviting Emergent Writers to Play with the Conventions of Language

It’s no secret that emergent writers thrive in classrooms filled with inquiry, play, and wonder, but how can we invite our youngest writers into the conventions of language, engage them in authentic writing experiences, and capitalize on their natural curiosity around what writers do?

Building on the same playful qualities of the invitational process introduced in their bestselling Patterns of Power series, Whitney La Rocca and Jeff Anderson turn their instructional lens to our youngest writers, sharing new ways we can invite them to experiment, have fun, and take risks with writing and language. In this valuable resource, Whitney and Jeff:

• Introduce the Patterns of Wonder Phases of Emergent Writing as a way to reflect on the work young writers are doing and plan for effective, scaffolded instruction.
• Outline an adjusted invitational process, adapted especially for use with emergent writers.
• Position grammar and concepts about print instruction across three overlapping levels of support: oral language, illustrating, and writing.
• Include over 50 lesson sets that pinpoint and build cumulatively across the most common needs of emergent writers.
• Feature over 200 engaging picture book recommendations to stir curious classroom conversations.

Grounded in play, conversation, and most of all, wonder, Patterns of Wonder brings Whitney and Jeff’s irrepressible excitement for inquiry and writing instruction to the ways we support our Pre-K, kindergarten and first-grade emergent writers.