How to help your child with writing...

*Encourage writing at home for real purposes-birthday cards, grocery lists, invitations, letters to grandparents, etc.

*Ask your child what he or she is writing about. 

*Celebrate your child’s success with writing.

*Read stories aloud to expose your child to good writers and writing. This will benefit your child as a reader and a writer.

*Use writing vocabulary when talking about writing and publishing: audience—who you are writing to, purpose—why you are writing (to inform, persuade, or entertain), book, author, paragraph, main idea, details, character, setting, ending, illustration, chapter, layout, etc.

*Ask your child to share his/her writing and be a good listener. Look for 3 positives in your child’s writing before making any suggestions.

*Be a Writing Mentor—conference with your child about his/her writing pieces.