Help Your Child Develop the “Write” Stuff
By Dr. Raymond J. Huntington
Many students who have heard about the new writing section on the
2005 editions of the SAT and ACT might feel as if they’re
approaching some kind of academic “doomsday” that will be triggered
by jumbled thoughts, a blank page and a ticking clock. While this is
certainly a frightening scenario for struggling writers with college
in their sights, every student should take the initiative to learn
more about what will be expected – and how they can best prepare.
This means talking with guidance counselors about the exams, and
about any test preparation help that might be available. It means
having candid conversations with English teachers to discuss any
academic deficiencies that might negatively impact scores. And for
many, it could mean taking on extra work to strengthen the basic
composition and grammar skills that are required for top performance
on both exams.
But high school students aren’t the only people who should be
concerned with writing skills. In fact, the best way to improve
these skills is to concentrate on them beginning in the early grades
and strengthen them through schoolwork and daily activities
throughout the K-12 years. Developed with support from the U.S.
Department of Education, the following tips could be useful for
parents and family members who want to help students build these
skills.
For elementary school children:
- Encourage a love of storytelling, which can enhance your
child’s desire to “get it down on paper.” Spark your child’s
imagination by making up stories together. Start off with a
colorful or even crazy idea, as in “once upon a time there was a
black dog with white spots who lived in a tree house . . .” Ask
your child to make up the next sentence, which will be followed by
a sentence you create. Continue taking turns until the story
reaches a conclusion.
- Have fun and read together. Reading skills can have a direct
impact on writing skills, and children who truly enjoy reading
tend to build their skills by reading more often. Reading stories
with enthusiasm, making facial expressions and mimicking
characters’ voices, can make reading more fun.
- Make practice a priority. Find ways for your children to write
about things that impact their lives. Hang a family message board
where children can write down special requests. Require your child
to acknowledge gifts with thank-you notes. Tell your child to
write down the details of dreams, descriptions of family
vacations, and reasons why they have selected certain teachers as
their favorites. Activities such as these can build skills in a
non-stressful way, and spark the urge for self-expression through
writing.
For middle and high schoolers:
- Encourage writing to express feelings. Keeping a diary or
journal can be a very effective way to encourage self-expression
and strengthen writing skills. Writing about personal feelings,
successes and disappointments can also help students resolve
conflicts. When people write about things that concern them,
they’re more apt to strive for “just the right words” to describe
how they’re feeling.
- Encourage writing to make a case. The next time your child
expresses a point of view or petitions you for a special favor or
privilege, pull out a pen and see how well the case can be made on
paper. A five-paragraph essay can be a good model, with the first
paragraph stating the child’s desire or point of view, the next
three paragraphs (or sentences) providing supporting evidence for
that point of view, and the last paragraph summarizing the key
point and supporting evidence. Many teachers find the
five-paragraph essay to be a good tool for helping students
organize their thoughts, so these skills can have a direct impact
on writing proficiency and performance.
- Reinforce the role of writing and learning. As students reach
middle and secondary school, homework assignments tend to require
more reading and analyzing. After reading a chapter or an
important section of an assignment, students should create a
“notes page” summarizing the key facts and restating, in their own
words, the most important points to remember. This process
enhances retention and strengthens writing skills as well.
Students who really want to improve their writing skills should
keep in mind that this is one task where you really will “learn by
doing.” They should also remember there are significant rewards for
young people and adults who write well. From letters to prospective
employers, to office correspondence, to communications with friends
and family, the ability to use written language effectively has a
remarkable impact on our professional and personal success.
Dr. Raymond J. Huntington and Eileen Huntington are
co-founders of Huntington Learning Center, which has been helping
children succeed in school for more than 26 years. For more
information about Huntington, call 1 800 CAN LEARN.
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