How Parents Can Improve Their Children's Writing Skills at Home

Writing is an essential means of communication that impacts every aspect of our lives. We write grocery lists, notes, directions, resumes, letters, and the list goes on and on. Children in the early stages of their development are eager to write. As they get older, however,  this enthusiam dwindles  and they become less interested in the subject.

In the classroom, educators use a writing process that is complex and systematic. It involves a number of steps that begins with the prewriting stage where students are required to brainstorm and generate new ideas, and culminates with the publishing stage where students write their final copy for publication. Publication can be in the form of sharing the piece with the class or displaying it on one of the school's bulletin boards. In any case, the final copy is usually free of errors, as it is an improved version of the final draft. Organization and clarification are two critical components of the writing process. It is vital for students to organize their thoughts in a logical sequence, and clarify what they write. In order to better assist children at home, parents need to familiarize themselves with this process.

Writing should be enjoyable for children. Making it fun will ignite in them an enthusiasm for the subject. It should be presented to them in such a way that they are able to perceive the connection between writing and real life experiences. In this way, writing will be more meaningful, and children will develop a greater appreciation for it.

As an educator for over 23 years, one of the questions that I am frequently confronted with is: How can I help to improve my child's writing skills at home? Below are some startegies that parents can implement to facilitate the development of good writing skills in their children:

1. First of all, ensure that all materials that are needed for writing such as lead pencils, markers, colored pencils, and paper are readily available to your children.

2. Younger children in particular are fascinated with drawing. Encourage them to do so. Then ask  questions about the drawings. "That's a beautiful drawing. What is the girl doing?" "Why is the boy crying?" "Can you tell me what is happening in the picture?" Use each drawing as a stimulus for writing. Be careful NOT to use negative words, but words of encouragement and praise. Find something positive to say about each drawing. If the drawing is colorful, let your children know that. Negative words can totally destroy children's interest in writing. If they are at the stage where they can write, have them write a sentence or two about each drawing.

3. Encourage your older children to keep journals, as this is an excellent outlet for them to express their inner feelings and emotions. If they are willing to share their entries with you, utilize the opportunity to read and discuss what is written. You would be surprised at how much you can learn about your children just by reading their journals. People in general usually feel more comfortable putting their thoughts on paper as opposed to verbalizing them.

4. Suggest that your children write thank-you notes and letters of invitation. When they are away from home, encourage them to write postcards to friends, relatives, etc.

5. After a trip to a place of interest, have your children write a paragraph or two about their experiences. Having a discussion prior to writing will refresh their memories and is considered a brainstorming technique.

6. Suggest that your children write goals and how they plan to accomplish them. You  could also participate in this activity by writing some of your own goals with them. It is important for you to demonstrate an interest in writing, as children need to know that you are interested in what they do.

7. Have children help you with writing grocery lists, directions, and instructions. After baking a cake together, moms could have daughters write instructions on how to bake a cake. Dads could have sons write instructions on how to build a bird house after constructing one together.

8. Studies have shown that children who are avid readers are not only better readers, but they are also better writers. Therefore, it is essential to encourage your children to read at home. What is equally important is for you to read a variety of age-appropriate literature to them, identifying unfamiliar words and clarifying the meaning of each one  as you read. Make sure that you choose  books that not only interest you, but interest them as well. This exposure will give them insight into how effective writers organize their thoughts and utilize details and elaboration. This will also help to fortify their vocabulary skills.

Children will not become prolific writers overnight. Like reading, writing takes time, so parents need to exercise patience. Implementing these activities at home consistently will ensure that children develop good writing skills that will last a lifetime.