Teaching Children to Write - How to Help Children
Writing as a Secondary Skill?
Writing is an art that has been developed throughout the years. Even though many people view it as something of a secondary skill, let me prove it to you that writing is indeed important as making calculations.
If we view the present day situation we see that kids are more likely to engage in sports or other activities than improving writing. Children tend to avoid writing because they think it's timely and boring, but little do they know how writing influence their lives.
Scientists had already discovered that when someone relates a story that they had written, the listeners go in synchronization with the reader, making the listeners remember the story more than reading it.
Similarly, it would do wonders for our children if we follow new and careful methods on teaching them.
World Literacy?
World Literacy Foundation says 8 million adults are illiterate worldwide.
Why Children Dislike Writing:
Kids ranging from 5 to 8 years hates physical handwriting is because they consider it to be difficult. Students who are better at mathematics consider writing to be tiresome and boring since getting an answer right in maths is more satisfactory than writing a creative essay.
Writing is boring: The boredom in writing occurs because of the unsatisfactory results that writing gives. Teachers and parents should keep in mind to engage the youngsters in writing but to never force them. You will need to make them keep interested and to give them the message that”Writing is fun”
Forcing them: Never force your child to do anything that they don’t want to do. Forcing can create negative feedback from the children and it might make them hate writing forever, you will need patience and time to get them into writing step by step.
The More They Will Hate It, The Less They Would Try
— UnknownInsecurity: Why does insecurity occur? It is due to having no proper foundation in developing the skill. Having no proper groundwork can result in low self-esteem when coming to writing. Children might get confused about proper sentence writing and the usage of words which makes them insecure.
Exams: It’s a psychological imbalance for the child if you blame them too much because of their test scores. Every child is different in their own ways and you should respect it. Scolding and lashing at them would create an unnecessary fear towards the subject they are weak at and would make them hate it.
Did You Hate Writing When You Were a Kid?
Did You Know?
1.Handwriting comes in cycles – a new form is introduced then develops into a finished style which becomes the ''hand of the period’’
2.The Vindolanda tablets contain the oldest handwriting to be found in Britain, dating from AD97-103.
3.A typical pencil can draw a line 35 miles long or write about 45,000 words.
4.Books contain 50% more words than prime time television.
5.When they are trying out a new pen for the first time, 97% of people will write their own name.
Tips for Parents and Teachers
1.Try engaging them in writing about the topics they like: If they are into trucks, tell them or educate them about it and it would make it more beneficial than forcing. Eventually, they will become motivated to start writing.
2.Avoid the subjects they hate. If you jump directly into a title like “Importance of Conserving the Environment” than “My family” it would definitely discourage them and hate it. Let them have their freedom when being creative.
3.Get them to read: It maybe be difficult to get them to write, but it’s easier to make them read. Don’t let them read aloud if they don’t want to, give them some personal space and a bookshelf full of the books they like. By no time, they would appreciate all the creative styles of writing and would try it out by themselves.
4.Reward them: Don’t just let them write creative essays and not give them a pat on the head, reward them for their dedication as it might positively encourage them to write more and more.
5.Join them: It’s important that you spend time with your children as a parent, so why not take an evening out and help them out. Remember to have some fun with them at the same time. It’s also a great way to strengthen your bond with the children.
6.Remember the limit: Giving your child a thousand-word essay right from the start is more like a threat than a start. However there are some smart kids who would like to write a lot more than an average student, thus it’s very important to know about the child’s limit.
If You Don't Have Time to Read, Then You Don't Have the Time to Write.
— Stephen King
Fun Ways For Children to Practice Writing
Writing Apps: Since the new era has gifted us with IPads and what’s not, most children tend to spend more time using them than writing. Google and Android had created some excellent applications that you could use in your child’s mobile or electronic device. Some of these are great ways to take notes and even act as substitute for journals and would improve one's writing.
- Below are some excellently rated apps used for writing.
Word Walls: Writing walls are a great way to encourage children to write. This is also a fun activity that you could do together. What you need to do is to simply let your child choose any material(boards, papers and stationary) and let them write anything they want. It will be your responsibility to correct their words and grammar. Let them show their creativity by posting them on the fridge or on their bedroom walls.
Drawing Board Art Sets: It’s the mess free whiteboard we are talking about, many parents had a high success rates on this rather than the normal blackboard or chalk board. And of course with the high rate of consumers mess free drawing boards has exciting features to them, which would make your kid learn their ABC’s while having fun.
Spelling Games: Entering your child in spelling bee contests are great ways to improve their vocabulary but making it as a simple daily game at home can do wonders as well. Simply give your child some fun words to memorize and then let them have a pen and paper. Get ready to recite each word and wait patiently until you kid finish writing it. Don’t forget to reward them on getting a good score!.
Educational Online Games: The internet is a great tool for improving any skill. When I was a kid what polished up my vocabulary was definitely the educational DVD’s my father bought from his bonus. But kids today have much access for learning materials than the past. Some of these websites are safe and suitable for children of all ages. But it's still better to keep a close eye on them while they are on the internet.
- Links are below for some websites specially designed for children to improve their literacy.
How the Brain Handles Writing
The brain is an important storehouse when coming to doing almost any activity. When we are being told a story or when we are practice writing, Broca’s area and Wenicke’s area automatically governs the language-processing areas of the brain making the words your write or read meaningfully. The neural activity inside the brain regarding the creative processes has enabled countless of researchers to find the hidden truth behind practical writing skills.
There are two important components that relate to writing.
1.Frontal Lobe
This part of the brain is associated with speaking and writing. Everything from movement to reasoning, planning, judgement and problem-solving is done by the frontal lobe.
2.Parietal Lobe
This component is the main depot that does the interpretation.
- Any damage done to any of these components would result in various writing and speech disorders.
Handwriting Boosts the Brain
Researchers had found out that writing by hand is more than just a way of communication. It can help understand and learning by recognizing shapes, letters and numbers.
Even adults experience it. When you struggle to learn a new difficult language with characters such as the Japanese or Chinese, you will indeed experience that it is a difficult task.Instead of trying to memorise the characters beforehand, it would be much easier to remember them by writing them. That’s why all students are given practice sheets instead of making them recite it using sound.
How it happens: The latest researches verifies that the physical act of writing brings the information of the fore font and triggers your brain to pay close attention. So when you jot down your daily chores for the family members, even more than them, you tend to remember them.
© 2015 Supuni Fernando
