More Chants for Handwriting and Conventions

What’s New: The very first post I ever made on Two Writing Teachers was “Using Chants for Writing: Support Routines, Conventions, and Craft.” Recently, a first grade teacher asked if I could write a few new writing chants specifically related to handwriting and conventions. I started experimenting with different tunes and drafting verses to match, and finally came up with three new songs to share with the first grade team. I decided to share them with you all, too!

Here’s Why: Before we get to the chants, here’s a quick review of why chants are one of my favorite strategies:

• Our brains are pattern-seeking devices, and the rhythm, tune, and repetition of chants helps our brain recall the information more easily.
• Chants teach vocabulary, especially when the words are paired with visual supports like a picture, sketch, or gesture.
• Repetition builds fluency and automaticity of language.
• Choral chanting creates a safe environment for newcomers and multilingual learners to try on language.
• They are engaging and fun!

Examples in Action

One Final Thing: I wrote these chants completely on my own, but AI is a great tool for writing chants. If you can’t come up with a chant you want on your own, give AI a try. Happy chanting!