Tuesday, July 30, 2002

Writing is more than putting words on paper. It’s the final stage in the complex process of communicating that begins with thinking. The US Department of Education, Office of Educational Research and Improvement recommends that parents help develop their children’s writing skills at home.

The following tips are for parents to help their children learn the important skill of writing well:

*Read to your children. Read, read, read. Readers turn into writers. Talk to your child about books he likes to read and look for patterns. Encourage him to write stories based on the subject areas that he shows an interest in.

*Have your young child tell you a story that you write down. Staple it into a book for her to keep. Show her that words make a story.

*Encourage keeping a journal. As soon as they are old enough, help children keep a journal. Encourage them to write about things that happen at home and school, ideas to remember or activities that they want to do. Especially encourage your child to write about personal feelings. If he wants to share the journal with you, read the entries and discuss them. If not, respect his privacy.

*Encourage copying. If a child likes a particular song, suggest learning the words by writing them down. Also, encourage copying favorite poems or quotations from books and plays.

*Respond. Do respond to the ideas your child expresses verbally or in writing. Make it clear that you are interested in how she conveys ideas. This means focusing on “what” she has written, not “how it was written. It is usually wise to ignore minor errors, particularly at the stage when you child is formulating ideas.

*Give your child word games or brainteasers. Remind him that there is more to writing than pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard). Thinking clearly is a key to writing success. Brainteasers and games stimulate the brain and develop clear thinking. Try writing words that rhyme or other exercises to warm up the brain.

*Discuss your child’s writing. Ask your child about what she writes in school each day. Talk with her about her thought process and how she develops her ideas.

*Keep materials available. Have writing supplies (paper, pad, pens, and pencils) handy to encourage your child to write.

*Encourage persuasive writing. For middle and high school students, ask them to put their arguments with you in writing.

*Be positive. Take a positive approach and say something good about your child’s writing. Is it accurate? Descriptive? Thoughtful? Interesting?

Source: The Coordinated Campaign for Learning Disabilities.

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