“Hi Ross & Phil. We were wondering – should we transcribe underneath children’s writing so we know what it says? Thanks so much!”
Underwriting involves transcribing a child’s writing using conventional spelling. This can be done either directly under or above the child’s writing, or sometimes at the bottom of the page. When done right, it can be a simple yet powerful tool to support young writers on their journey towards becoming a successful writer.
What is underwriting?
When underwriting, teachers will either write:
- The whole sentence, phrase or choose a specific word.
- Words that are very close to the conventional ‘adult spelling’, giving you an opportunity to celebrate how close the child approximated the word.
- High-frequency words that the child is likely and expected to know.
- Words that are so far away from the conventional spelling that they are difficult to interpret.
Why underwrite?
Underwriting should always be about emphasising and celebrating what the child did know about adult writing.
When done correctly, underwriting offers numerous benefits:
- Providing a conventional model: Gives children who like it a reference for the conventional spelling which they may refer to later.
- Responding to a specific request: Supporting children who specifically ask for help in understanding and remembering what their writing says.
- Verbal feedback: It offers opportunities for individualised responsive instruction during verbal feedback.
- Celebrating growth: It celebrates children’s approximations, what they did know about the ‘adult spelling’ of the word and therefore gives children confidence and a sense of achievement.
Does underwriting make children scared to write and reduce ownership?
A justified concern with underwriting is how, when it is done badly, it quickly makes children scared to write for themselves. It can also be seen as an act of graffiti on a child’s writing – a daily reminder that they can’t actually write and that someone has to come and do it for them. However, when done thoughtfully, underwriting is a teaching tool, not a correction mechanism. Best practice for underwriting includes:
- Undertaken with the child’s consent and with them present.
- Celebrates and builds on what the child did know about the ‘adult spelling’.
- The teacher uses a pencil and small writing, usually at the bottom of the page.
- Never done before the child has made their own attempts at the word, phrase or sentence first.
- Not done with every child, all the time, and on every piece of writing they ever produce.
- Go over in green pen (or underline) all the sounds the child did hear and write down in the word.
A tool for progress and celebration
Some children enjoy seeing how their writing compares to ‘adult writing’. However, others can get really upset and feel undermined. For some, it can be the equivalent of making a lovely drawing for their teacher – only for the teacher to get a red marker pen out and draw all over it to make it ‘correct’. If this happens day after day, some children can soon lose their motivation and confidence to write independently. With that said, if the purpose of underwriting is clearly explained, children often appreciate the thoughtful and interesting feedback it provides.
***
For more, download our publication: Getting Children Up & Running As Writers In EYFS & KS1 [LINK]. Our publications are free for our members. To become a member, click here.