Have you ever had any of these problems with your maternelle French writing centre?
- You send your students and they just… don’t write! They draw, they chat, they are silly, they make crafts, etc. etc… but, no writing!
- You spend ages setting up an adorable, Pinterest-perfect writing centre, with vocabulary cards clipped to a clothesline, a variety of writing paper choices, and tons of popular writing utensils. The centre either stays neat and tidy (read: functional) for a day before it’s all messed up, or you lose stamina partway through the year and can’t keep up with switching it out regularly. Or both!
I’ve had both!
I’ve spent tons of time modelling how to write during the writing centre, only for students to show me drawings when their time is up. No matter how well they did while supervised, once I start pulling small groups, they just seem to forget about the whole “adding words” part of the writing process!
I’ve also spent lots of time setting up really nice looking writing centres. But, the materials either get mixed up after a few days, or, the times when I MAKE SURE it’s tidy after EVERY GROUP, I end up losing stamina myself and forgetting to switch out the vocabulary cards and things like that.
To be totally honest, I am a very “type B” person, and I just can’t keep up with many things that require lots of switching and maintenance! I’m also not willing to give up my evenings or weekends to maintain my writing centre, either.
Maternelle (and the beginning of première année) is a special grade haha. Lots of things that work well in other grades are just really difficult in maternelle. Our students are learning how to exist at school as well as how to do things like read, write, count, do centres, listen, etc.
So, for me, the key to finding success in these lower primary grades is keeping it SIMPLE.
How do I keep my French writing centre simple?
I always offer two options in my writing centre bin now.
The first option? Blank writing paper! I do add lines to the bottom because I find just adding the lines does help encourage writing.
Some of my students do still need reminders to write. Basically, I remind them that this is the writing centre, and Madame needs to see some words on your paper when you’re done.
I tell my students, if you don’t feel like you are ready to write on your own yet (even though you ARE and we do during writer’s workshop every day!), there is a second option in the bin.
The second option is…
Labelling sheets!
I love these because they allow ALL my students to be successful at the writing centre.
Everyone is able to write words, and they are practicing important writing behaviours while they do it.
These labelling sheets allow students to practice writing left to right, correct letter formation, writing letters an appropriate size, fine motor skills, and starting to associate letters with their sounds.
Since we also review the vocabulary on each sheet before I add them to the bin, we also get some extra vocabulary exposure.
How the French writing centre labelling sheets work
These sheets are SO simple to prepare and use!
I have sheets for themes that work throughout the year, plus some that are good for anytime (like the animals set or the farm set – which is actually a freebie in my Free Resource Library!).
These sheets are “print and go” – no prep required except photocopying!
I usually keep two options in the bin at all times. I add roughly two new sheets per week (my students end up at the writing centre 2-3 times a week). If they need to do a sheet a second time once in a while, it’s no big deal! Repetition is GOOD, and I just encourage them to try to do an even better job this time.
We stick with the same theme for awhile, even though I switch out the sheets. I generally stay with a theme until we have done all the sheets in that pack.
Each time I add a new sheet to the bin, I review the vocabulary with everyone as well as the centre expectations.
These labelling worksheets are so simple – students just find the word they want to write in the word bank at the bottom of the page, and then copy it over into the correct blank in the picture.
When they are done with the labelling part, they can colour the picture.
Want to add these to your writing centre?!
If you want to add these to your French writing centre, it’s easy!
I have a big bundle of them on TPT, which you can check out HERE. There are lots of themes in the bundle, and they are all available for purchase individually as well.
If you want to try a set for free to see if you like them, I have a free farm set inside my Free French Resource Library.
You can find them in the writing section of the library, if you already know the password. If you don’t, CLICK HERE to sign up and I’ll email it to you!
I love this addition to my writing centre so much, and I’m sure you will too.
There is nothing better than a simple centre that is easy to keep organized and tidy, and requires almost no maintenance! Enjoy!
