Below are some useful suggestions for ways in which you may wish to help you child with their writing.
Included in the resources are some simple activities for young children who are still at the stage of mark-making. These focus on developing motor skills which are essential in ensuring that children are able to control their initial grip on a pencil or pen, as well as coordinating their mark making.
Further resources include simple advice and guidelines on how to assist your child in developing their awareness of different types of writing and how they can practice and develop these at home. The materials will also offer you straightforward guidance on how to support your child when they write at home. When completing pieces of writing homework, class teachers will provide prompts and appropriate resources such as wordlists or sentence openers that will give key starting points or prompts. We do hope that you will find these useful.
Finally, you might also want to think about some of the following tips which may ensure that you can enjoy the writing process with your child.
Provide a place for your child to write
The area should be an area that is quiet and well lit. Stock the writing area with supplies such as paper, pencils and crayons. You might also also gather family photos and magazines that can be used as story starters.
Read, read, read
The best activity to improve writing is reading. If your child reads good books, they will be a better writer. Reading exposes children to general vocabulary, word study and content-specific vocabulary. Through reading, children see a variety of authors’ techniques that they can use in their own writing.
Encourage your child to keep a diary
This is excellent writing practice, as well as a good outlet for venting feelings. Encourage your child to write about things that happen at home and school. This reflective journal can be used to develop the “senses” of writing. Have your child write about what they saw, heard or felt on a trip or adventure. Provide experiences in your community that will interest your child and spark their writing. Especially encourage your child to write about personal feelings — pleasures as well as disappointments. When reading your child’s diary (only if your child invites you to, of course), share your own feelings and ideas paired with positive feedback about your child’s writing.
Provide authentic writing opportunities for your child
Have your child write their own thank-you notes, party invitations and letters to family. Let your child make the shopping list. Helping children make the connection between writing and the “real” world will increase an interest in writing.
Be a writing role model
Make sure your child sees you as a writer. Point out times that you use writing to communicate with others. Discuss authentic writing in the community such as articles and letters in the newspaper or in written advertisements. Discuss the purpose of the writing and the target audience. When your child writes, you could also write alongside them. You can schedule a day of the week that you will turn off the television and share your writing.
Start a vocabulary notebook
Teach your child new words each week and encourage them to use them. Make it into a game and give points for using the new words. Your child can keep a vocabulary notebook and get rewarded for the number of new words learned. The words will certainly begin to appear like magic in their oral language and writing.
Ask questions
Always ask your child questions when they write. Ask specific questions about your child’s writing such as: “How did that happen?” “How did that make you feel?” “Can you tell me more about that…?” “What are some other words you could use to describe…?”
Help your child publish their writing
Encourage your child to publish their work using their very best presentation so that they take pride in their work. Share their writing with other family members or encourage them to bring it into school to share with their
teacher and their friends in class.
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