How to Differentiate Writing in Kindergarten

Teaching kindergarten can be tricky—every student comes in at a different level. Some are already reading fluently, some know a few letters and sounds, and others are still working on recognizing their names. Writing can feel challenging because it ties together all those early phonics and literacy skills. Here are a few ways to make writing a fun, successful experience for everyone!

Some students will just draw their story

Meet students where they are. If a child is still learning letter recognition, they’re not ready for full sentences—and that’s okay! Drawing is the first step in the writing process. Model how to draw simple things using shapes (my Illustration Unit is perfect for this). Let students tell their story through pictures while others are labeling or writing sentences. Drawing is writing!

Some students will draw, label, and use a sentence stem

Students who know some letter sounds can begin labeling their pictures phonetically. They might spell “tree” as tre or “park” as prk—and that’s great! After labeling, they can copy a simple sentence stem like “I see the…” and add one of their words. The focus is on hearing sounds and writing what they know, not perfect spelling.

Some students will write independently

Your advanced writers may write full sentences on their own using mostly phonetic spelling. It might not look perfect, but it shows amazing growth! They’re stretching out sounds, using what they know, and writing confidently from start to finish—that’s the goal.

Differentiation is key in kindergarten writing. That’s why I include differentiated writing books in all my writing units. Each student works on the same topic, but at their own level. No tears, just confident, happy writers!

This 4-book bundle includes all the mentor texts from the Growing Writers series by ThatKinderMama™. Each book supports a key stage of the early writing process—from the very first scribble to full sentence writing. Perfect for preschool, kindergarten, or first grade classrooms!