Helping your child with writing skills

What is the value of teaching young children about writing?

Educational researchers have found that children who are

encouraged to express their ideas on paper are more likely

to feel confident about their writing skills later on. The focus

on writing improves a child’s writing skills.

The following advice will help your child develop strong

writing skills:

First, encourage your child to use writing tools. Toni Bickart,

author of What Every Parent Needs to Know about First, Second

and third Grade observed: “The process of learning how to write

begins at a very early age. Young children, using crayons or

markers, write with great enthusiasm and eagerness. Toddlers and

preschoolers think that all they have to do is pick up a pen and

scrawl little lines and dots. Gradually, they realize that writing is

speech in the form of symbols on paper, so they talk and scribble

away and expect you to read this scribble. As their fine motor skills

develop, children draw pictures and dictate words to accompany the

pictures. Sometimes they try to write words. They may start with

words they remember seeing somewhere, or they may attempt to write

the sounds they hear when they say the words aloud. For example, a

child might write “d” or DG” for “DOG.” From these modest but

enthusiastic beginnings, writers emerge.”

Second, encourage writing at home. Bernard Ryan, author of

Helping Your Child Start School concluded: “Children get a big

kick out of writing their own stories and poems, even jokes and

riddles. Encourage your child to write by making sure he has

paper, pencils, and pens. If you have a personal computer in the

house, introduce him to your word-processing program. Writing

also calls for listening to books read aloud, so your child hears ideas

expressed in sentences that move along into narratives. You show

respect for the written word. You provide a warm, intimate

experience that is particularly enjoyable, especially in the

winding-down time before bed. Keep the praise flowing. Read your

child’s stories, special project papers, and book reports, but read

conscientiously and praise honestly. Point out what is well done

before you belabor the weaknesses, for encouragement is vital

food for the writer.”

Third, create a list of at-home writing activities. Bickart urges

parents to include the following items on their list:

*message board- put up a message board family members can write

messages to each other

*diary- give your child a diary or a calendar with space to write or

word or two about what happened each day

*discuss writing- when interesting or funny things happen, talk with

your child about how you could write stories about these events-

begin by saying the first line, have your child say the next, and keep

alternating until you have finished the story

*photo captions- invite your child to write captions for pictures in a

Family photo album

When you child finishes a writing activity, don’t forget to recognize

their efforts. Place your child’s art on the refrigerator. Another idea

is to organize a family night where your child’s shares their writing

accomplishment. Celebrating your child’s effort will be their

self-esteem and encourage them to continue developing their writing

skills.

Reed Markham teaches in the World Languages and Speech

Department at Daytona State College