Help Your Child Become a Better Writer
“Help Your Child Become a Better Writer”
Remember to save your child’s creative stories in a special place and share with them on special occasions. It is a wonderful remembrance of those 1st grade years.
Our Motto:
“What you write, you can read,
What you read you can write”
The best way to become a good writer is to WRITE, WRITE, WRITE. Let your child see you writing every day with your grocery lists, recipe directions, messages to family members, reminders on the refrigerator, notes in their lunchbox, e-mails, etc.
Encourage your child to write. As you write to family members and friends, ask your child to write or draw something especially for them to add to your letter. Give your child various topics to think about and then sit down together and write a story. Give them story starter ideas. It is always nice to web the topic and then it is easier to have the thoughts you want to write about right in front of you. Cut out pictures from magazines and write a sentence about that picture. Getting started is the key and then your child will blossom with writing. They tend to fear what to write and how to spell the words. This comes with practice and experience.
Do not be concerned with the mechanics of writing. Don’t be concerned about the spelling of words and the grammar in the sentence. We use our word wall for basic words. We invent the spelling and then as we progress, we check for correct spelling on our finished copy. We always start off with our first draft (sloppy copy as they love). The teacher is the editor and we have to sometimes rewrite a story several times to come up with a finished copy. We always compare it to writing a book and corrections are good if they are needed. We always discuss our thoughts first and see where we want to go with the topic. We have a “writing meeting” to encourage creative thoughts to flow into a good story. Our stories are usually centered on a theme in the classroom that we are studying for that month. But, they can be on any topic that a child chooses during free creative writing time.
Read aloud to your child as often as possible. Their reading to you is the most excellent way to encourage good fluency and a love for reading. Reading from varied authors encourages them to compare styles of writing and also see different illustrators artwork. Part of the writing process is also illustrating the story if they wish. Have your child write their own short book and bring to class and share with their friends.
Save your child’s writing in a special writing box. Sit down at various times to reread the stories and compare the growth he/she has made. You’ll be glad that you saved their stories of their early years of writing.
Write to your child. Put notes in books, lunches, napkins, pencil cases, book bags, pockets. They will be so blessed when they find that special note to them. Encourage them to do the same thing for others.
Subscribe to children’s magazines. Children are thrilled to receive their own mail, (even e mail). It is a good idea to see which magazines accept student writings or illustrations. It would be a thrill for a child to see their own work published. Calendar contests are wonderful ways for a budding artist to see their art shared with others.
These are just a few ideas to help your child become a better writer. It can open up a wonderful world of their imagination in the printed form.
This wonderful information came from Mrs. Hayes.