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INSIGHTS FOR FAMILIES

is provided by your child’s

school in recognition of

your role as a partner in

education. Written by Judy

McDaniel, communications

consultant.

q

Helping

Children

Learn

to Write

q

Reading and writing skills are closely related. Families have

important roles in guiding children’s writing skills. Be involved

and active.

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Create an environment that nurtures the sharing of language

and experiences. Talk about the things you do together. Read to

and with your children frequently.

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Label items that belong to your children, for example, “Jill’s Toy

Box,” “Ben’s Cars.”

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Let your children see you writing notes and letters so that they

associate writing with real-life functioning. Let children see you

revising your writing so they learn that revision is good.

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Read and accept with enthusiasm what your children write.

Avoid being critical. Provide help with spelling, punctuation,

and usage.

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Find a quiet, suitable, well-lighted place for children to write.

Keep dictionary, pencils, pens, paper and envelopes handy.

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Encourage developing writers to write frequently. Supply

real audiences by asking children to contribute to family

communications such as letters, captions for pictures and

albums, grocery lists, notes to baby-sitters and siblings.

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Encourage children to write for information, samples and free

brochures. Read aloud some of their writing.

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Praise children’s efforts at writing. Encourage initiative and

respect uniqueness. Don’t compare children’s writings to those

of siblings or friends.

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Display children’s writings in a special place. Let children know

that publication is a part of writing and that families enjoy what

has been shared.

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Look over the writings children bring home from school. Keep

the writings in a folder so that they can see progress.

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Find out about the writing and spelling programs in school.

Daily writing, small classes and frequent feedback from

teachers are ideal. Ask what you can do at home to complement

work in school.

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Volunteer to work in classrooms. High quality writing programs

include individualized assistance that can often be provided by

adult helpers under teacher direction.

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Encourage contact with the writing of skilled authors. Writing

is learned, in part, by reading. Good literature programs foster

effective writing.

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Look for and respond to good student writing that is published

in school and local newspapers, magazines and journals.

Encourage participation in recognition for writing contests and

awards.

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Encourage students to solve problems in any area by “writing

through” the steps. Writing the directions for solving a math

word problem is one example.

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Stress getting ideas down on paper before thinking about usage

or editing.