Help Your Child Become A Better Writer
Always ask to see the child's writing.
- chat about it.
- ask to see your child's writing folder/portfolio at school conferences.
- ask the teacher how you can help out at home.
Keep your child's writing.
- save examples of writing in a folder, scrapbook or envelope so that
your child sees that written work is worth keeping.
Praise generously and critique carefully.
- emphasize the positive and critique one error at a time.
Remember that content is more important than mechanics.
- don't squash creativity by focusing too much on proper spelling, etc.
Provide a variety of writing experiences.
- have your child write for different purposes (letters, lists, etc)
- have your child write for different audiences (friends, adults,
children)
Help your child select a variety of reading materials.
- we learn much about writing from reading.
Read to your child on a daily basis.
- exposure to rich language helps writing.
Set a good example.
- let your child see you writing and using resources (i.e. dictionary,
thesaurus, etc.)
- if children never see adults write, they think writing takes place only
in school
Talk to your child about writing ideas.
- writer's often discover what they will write by talking first.
Encourage your child to keep a daily journal or diary.
- make sure it remains private as they will share when they are ready.