Working with Emergent Writers: Labeling Ideas and Tips

Kindergartners begin school with a wide range of literacy backgrounds. This can make it difficult to know where to start with writing. Some children are just learning what a letter is; others are already recognizing and writing simple words. Labeling is a great writing activity that reaches all students and provides valuable experience with language and letter/sound relationships. (This post contains an Amazon affiliate link for TYH Supplies Dry Erase Pockets.)

Labeling their pictures is a natural way for emerging writers to begin using print. Labeling allows students to integrate many literacy skills (print concepts, phonics, letter formation) while cementing their understanding of print as a representation of spoken words. In addition, students at varied stages of spelling development can feel successful when labeling their drawings.

Labeling Activities

Self-Portrait
Have students draw pictures of themselves and label with their names. Show them how to draw an arrow (or just a line) to indicate that the name is a label for the person in the picture. If you want to make the idea of labeling more concrete, try giving each student one blank address label to stick onto their self-portrait paper. Have them write their name on the label and draw a line or arrow to their picture. Extend this name-labeling activity to include pictures of families, pets, and friends.

Label the Classroom
Pre-make labels for the items in your classroom that the students see and interact with daily (computer, flag, window, whiteboard, door, etc.). Be sure to make the print large enough to be seen from around the rom as the students will reference these labels throughout the year. As a group, work on reading and placing the labels.

Procedures Anchor Charts
Make anchor charts using shared writing and drawing. When discussing playground rules, have students brainstorm pieces of playground equipment to draw on the chart. Model drawing these pieces. (If you don’t think you’re good at drawing, do it anyway. What a great way to model perseverance to your students!) Have the students help label the drawing. Then work together to compose a list of playground rules or procedures. This activity can be repeated for the cafeteria, media center, and other parts of the school.

Labeling with Technology
If you have a Smart Board or some other type of interactive board (or even just a projector for your computer), try displaying pictures for your children to label. You can find pictures on the internet that reflect your current theme or students’ interests. Have students identify the items in the picture and call on volunteers to come up and label them. You can also do this with photographs of your students that you’ve taken while they play or work. This can be a great springboard to narrative writing.

Labeling Center
Use pictures from old magazines or calendars for a labeling center. Stick blank address labels onto the pictures in places where a label would be appropriate and draw arrows. Then put these pictures (along with lined paper if desired) into write and wipe pockets to use with dry erase markers. You can also use pictures printed from the internet (sites like Unsplash.com and Pixabay.com have a lot of options). If you don’t have dry-erase pockets, you can use simple sheet protectors or can laminate the pictures.