Instructional Approach: Language Experience

Language Experience Approaches (LEA) are similar to process-writing approaches because they focus on writing. However, unlike process-writing approaches, LEA compositions focus solely on an experience that the writer has had. If a child has been to the zoo, she might write about that experience.

The primary purpose is to help young children, challenged children, and ESL children make a match between the oral and written language. Such children may not be able to write about their experience. Thus, a more knowledgeable other (peer, older child, volunteer, teacher) may take dictation from the author about her experience.

Unlike process-writing, the dictation will retain the author’s syntax and word choice--regardless of whether it represents standard English. Again, the primary purpose is to help the author see how her oral language appears in writing.