Many parents are interested in writing tutoring in order to enrich their kids’ writing skills.  The purpose of this blog is to help inform and inspire parents with content that will help their children achieve all their academic goals.  Below you will find some ideas to help get you started with incorporating writing skills into every day life.

With the adoption of Common Core Skills, writing tutoring and subsequently writing skills are taught differently than in the past.  Rather than being approached as a stand-alone subject, students are being asked to write in a variety of contexts that span across the curriculum.  The concept that writing is a useful and valuable skill can be reinforced by incorporating it into day-to-day situations .  Children’s writing skills can be enriched by creating an environment where the written word is given lots of time, space and energy.

This can be done many different ways – here are some examples of ways parents can help their kids become better writers.

1. Start out by establishing a place for writing in the home.  Creating a writer’s nook or clearing off a desk creates an inviting atmosphere.
2. Make sure your kid has all the writing materials they need,  such pens and journals.  If your student has already mastered basic penmanship skills and has a preference for typing, consider giving him or her a keyboard attachment to convert any tablet into a writing machine!
3. Share holiday cards with your children and encourage them to participate in letter or email writing to communicate with family and friends.
4. Teach your kids how to write birthday cards and thank you cards.  This skill helps them express their emotions towards a loved one or articulate gratitude.  It is a great habit beyond the merits of enriching their writing abilities.  Additionally, it is a wonderful opportunity for your kids to get creative and decorate the card.
5. On the subject of art making, when children create images or sculptures, help them to write out captions or stories that explain their ideas.
6. Even something as simple as asking for help drafting a grocery list on your phone can be a method of working on writing.  Autocorrect allows them to learn the right spelling without parents having to identify mistakes, and corresponding emojis can make this chore a little more fun.
7. Surround your child with interesting and engaging books.  Make sure he or she has lots of age-appropriate reading material.  Embrace apps such as Kindle or Libby to read on tablets or other devices.  Take your kids to the library and download whatever apps your local library has so they can access new material and check out books virtually.  Besides incorporating technology, which is appealing to many kids, books are automatically returned on their due date.  This means no more hunting down missing books or being charged late fees!
8. Talk about books or articles together.  It is a crucial verbal component that helps children develop and articulate their ideas.
9. When you are working with your child, keep the feedback light and positive.  If he or she perceives writing as an opportunity to be corrected or reprimanded over and over, naturally the idea will be less appealing than if you take an encouraging, strengths-based approach.  Look for progress, not perfection.
10. Make it fun and relevant to your child!  Tie writing back to your child’s interests and you will be on your way to enriching your kids‘ writing skills from the start.