Just as we need a balanced diet for our health, our children need a balance between books and other forms of entertainment. Explore these strategies to help your child develop a love for reading amidst the digital distractions.
Read MoreWhen a child struggles with reading, it can really hold them back. Their confidence takes a hit, and they might start feeling like they're not as good as other kids. Discover some fun ways to teach reading with Gail Smith and help your child become a better reader!
Read MoreHere are six different ways to promote deeper learning.
Read MoreIf I say now I want you to write a story on dogs, how would you go?
Most likely not too well! The idea of writing starting with a blank page and no connection to the story is so hard for most people. Even children who are great readers can find this difficult. Just simply asking a child to be creative on the spot is not generally possible when it comes to writing stories.
Often children find the task to write stories very difficult if in isolation of the classroom. As a parent, it can be difficult to help with homework tasks that require story writing.
Here are some simple tips on helping your child write with enjoyment and with a feeling of success.
Does your child struggle to write a story?
Ask them to tell you a story. Ask them to tell it to you in sections. This story is one they know and love. Then keep checking in with “what happened next?” etc.
Try putting the story in dot points. Then build some sentences around the dot points. Keep it simple and let your child add to the sentences if desired.
Sometimes children can start with a question.
“I wonder why I like dogs?” starting with a question gets them thinking and talking about the concept.
“Why did I go to the beach that day?”
Giving children sentence starters can help.
“Today was a hot day and I enjoyed ……”
Confronting a blank page can be daunting. Ask them to draw the story perhaps in cartoon form and then tell it through words.
If a child is struggling with writing a story, ask them to tell you about a time that made them happy or perhaps a funny situation. Write it down. Always keep in mind that the purpose of writing with a child should be enjoyable.
After reading a story to your child have fun with them by changing some of the plot. This can be a great chance to talk about story plots. Also, have fun changing the title of the story and some of the words.
Audiobooks are a very pleasant way of following stories and some children are very strong audio learners.
If they have a great story in their head invite them to record it and play it back to the family.
Try writing a story together. Start off with some sentences and invite your child to write a few more, building the plot together. Also, it can be a fun activity sitting in the car making up stories together.
Let them see how you enjoy reading what they write. At a family gathering time, read out their work and talk about the story written.
Look at some simple cartoons. Invite your child to write about each scene.
These suggestions are simply to encourage the child to see writing a story as a possibility. Many children, especially those who are not into fantasy or fiction, will write better when the writing has a purpose. For example, the child may write about how we pollute the earth with plastic. Here they are writing to tell you about a situation that is real and has a purpose with facts. As the child ages, school’s expectations in writing are more about writing for a purpose. As a parent of a primary aged child, simply keep their interest in writing by reassuring them that they can write and it can be in many and varied forms. There is no incorrect way of writing a story, nor is there any incorrect way of telling a story. Also, we place no value judgements on the quality of their story. It’s their tale after all.
“You can make anything by writing.”
There are many beautiful feeling books that are written for children to think through their problems.
They work well as the child sees the problem as some one else's problem and as the story unfolds and a solution is found, the child can put themselves in the place of the character.
Many good children's libraries stock these books. As well they can be purchased on line.
Remember, that when you read the story to the child, highlight how the character solved the problem and ask. "Have you ever had that feeling yourself?”
Children are very familiar with using books to tell stories that have a message. Teachers use this method all the time.
Remember, repeating the stories is also a good idea to reinforce the concepts and deepen the understandings especially with younger children.
